The Washington times., 1914-10-04

what was going to be found there. J.
was a letter on the back of whicn was
| drawn the fatal black mask. Will
/ shaking fingers he tore open the en-,
velope and read the contents: "FlorencC
! is now in our power. Only the surrender
| of the million will save her. our agent
will call in an hour for an answer;
THE BLACK HUNDRED"
! AS a matter of fact they had wanted
Jones almost as badly as Florence. bu
her desire for a book-some popular
story of the day-had saved him from
the next. The letter had been written
against this possibility.
Jones became cool, now that he knew
just what danger to face. The Queer
Hotel meant nothing. Florence wouic
/ not be taken there. He called up Nor
ton 1t took all the buffers patience
however, as it required seven different
| calls to locate the reporter.
Meantime the taXicab containing
! Florence and Susan spun madly toward
the water front. Here the two were
I separated by an effective threat. Flor
! CnCc recognized the man Nroon and
/ knew that to plead for mercy would be
a waste of time. She permitted herself
, /" loc ied 10 waiting launch. Always
when she disObeyed Jones something
i like this happened. But this time they
! had cunningly struck at her heart. and
came as nothing. For the present she
knew that she was in no actual physical
danger. She was merely to be held as a
hostage. Would Susan have mentality
enough to tell Jones where the taxicab
had stopped? She doubted In an emerg-
enCy Susan had proved herself non
: entity, a bundle of hysterical thrills.
AS a matter of fact, for once Flor
ence's deductions were happily wrong.
When the chauffeur peremptorily depos-
tied Susan on the lonely country road,
several miles from home, she ran hot
foot to the nearest telephone and sent a
very concise message home. Susan was
becoming acclimated TO this strange,
exciting existence.
Norton arrived in due time, and he
and Jones were mapping out a plan
when Susan S message came.
Good sirl.' said Jones. She's learn
ing. Can you handle this alone. Norton?
They want me out of the house again.
for I believe they were after me as well
as Florence. Half an hour gone"
Trust me- cried Norton.
And he ran out to his automobile. 1t
was a wild ride. Several policemen
mindful. They could take his license
number hundred times for all he
cared. So they had got her? They
could wait till their enemy's vigilance
Stacked and then would strike? But
Susan, The next time he saw Susan
he was going to take her in his arms
and kiss her. 1t might be a new sensa-
ton to kiss Susan. always so prm and
ouiSh. Carey Str"et-that had been her
direction. They had put Florence in a
motor boat at the foot of Carey street.
He was perhaps half an hour behind.
Florence never opened her lips She
stared ahead proudly. She would show
these scoundrels that she was her
fathers daughter. They piled her with
questions. but she pretended not TO
hear
well. pretty bird. we'll make you
speak when the time comes. We've got
you this trip where we want YOU. There
won't be any jumping overheard this
enough time. We've got you and we're
going to keep you"
Let her be- said Vroon moros.ly
We'll put all the questions we wish
when were at our destination" And
he nodded significantly toward the ships
riding at anchor.
Florence felt her heart sink In spite
of her abundant courage. We're they
going to take her to sea again? She
had acquired a horror Of the sea. so
big, so terrible. so strong. She had had
an experience with its sulen power.
They had gone about four miles down
when she looked back lOngingly toward
shore. Something white seemed to he
spinning over the water far behind. At
first she could not discern what II was
As she watched II II grew and grew.
II finally emerged from the illusion OF
gigantic bird into the actuality of IN
everyday hydroplane. Her heart gave
a great bound. This flying machine wa
coming directly toward the launch: il
did not deviate a hairs breadth FROM
tn" line. Fortunately the men wer"
looking toward a huge freighter a quar-.
ter OF a mile farther on. and from thair
talk il was evident that that freighter
was to be her prison bound for where?
Nearer and nearer cam" the hydroplane
Was il for her?
II was Impossible for the men not to
take motto" of the barking Of the on
gines at last
The things heading for u.s.
Nroon stared under his palm It was
not credible that pursuit had taken
place so quickly. To test yOnder man
bird he abruptly changed the course OF
the launch. The hydropIanc veered its
course to suit
Florence heard her name called faint
ly. One Of tho men drew his revolver
but VrOon knocked il out of his hand