The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-11-11

inert, I'm going % bid every ons
goodnight. then I'm going to nsestt-
gate. When I leave you will quietly
send men to all exits to the building.
l want the man who sneezedN and I
want him badly"
Olga departed with Braine, only she
Immediately sought the taxi that
brought her and was drive~ home. It
was always understood that when any
serious exploit was under way here
abouts she was to make her depart
ure at once.
Vroon stationed his men at the e Y
eral exits and Braine went upstairs.
The man who had sneezed, however,
had vanished as completely as If he
had worn that invisible cloak one
reads about in the Persian tales. AS
a matter of fact, after the second
Gneeze he had gone up to the roof,
got out by the trap, and jumped
rather risky business, too-to the next
roof SID had clambered down the fire
escaP<y of the second building. He
was swearing %inaudibly. After all
these days of care and planning, after
all his cleverness in locating the rem
devious Of the Black Hundred, and
now to lose his advantage because
of an uncomfortable sneeze! He would
never dare go back, and just when ne
was beginning to pick up fine bits or
information! So Florence HargreaVe
was going to have a e father In a
day or so? There were some clever
rogues among this band Of theirs; but
their cleverness was we'll Offset by an
equal number Of fools.
Yes, there were some clever rogues,
and to prove this assertion Bralne
secured a taxicab and drove furiously
away, his destination the home Of his
ancient enemy. He dropped the cab
q block or two away and presently
slowed himself away in the summer
house at the left Of the lawn. 1t would
have been a capital idea-that is, If
the other man had not thought OF and
anticipated this very thing. So he
used a public pay station telephone;
and Braine waited in vain, waited
till the lights in the Hargreave house
went out one by one and it became
wrapped in darkness within and moon
shine without.
Braine was a philosopher. He re-
turned to his waiting taxicab, drove
home, paid the bill, smiling grimly,'
and went to bed. 1t was going to be
a wonderful game of blind mans buff;
and it was going to be sport to watch
this fool Paroff blunder into a pit.
The next afternoon Florence and
Norton sat in the summer house talk
ing of the future. Lovers are prone
to talk of that. AS If anything else
in the world ever equals the present!
They talked Of nice little apa rtments
and vacations in the summer end how
much they would save ont at his
salary, and a thousand and saS ot5S7
things which would not interest YOU
at all If I recounted them ~ detail
But they did love each other, and thsg
were going to be married; you Ray Le
certain Of that. They did nrS Gaze
a snap Of the finger what hI.es
thought. They were going to be Eaar-
ried, and that was all there was "a 1t.
OF course, Florence couldn't touch .
penny Of her fathers money. If be,
Norton, couldn't take care of her witt,
out help, why, he wouldn't be worth
the powder to blow him up with.
But, my dear, you must be very
careful" he said. Zones and I will
always be about somewhere. If they
really get hold of you once, God alone
knows what will happen. 1t is not
you, 1t is your poor father they wa1t
to bring out into the open. If thsy
knew where he was they would not
bother you in the least"
Have l really a father? Sometimen
I doubt. Why couldn't he steal into
the house and see me, just once"
Perhaps he dares not. This house
Is always watched, night and day,
though you'll look in vain to discover
any one. Your father knows best wha.
he is doing, my dear girl. You Sea