The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-07-07
The Million Dollar
Mystery
By HAROLD MacGRATH
BY HAROLD MacGRATT4

3 VI
=f=-=========-
and then for the first time noticed the
thick envelope pinned to the child,s
CLOAK. She put the baby into chair
and broke open the envelope.
Name this child Florence Gray. /
will annually send a liberal sum for
her support and reclaim her on her
eighteenth birthday. The other half
\ of the inciosed bracelet will identify |
me. Treat the girl we'll, for shall
watch over her II secret"
Into the fxed routine of her hum
drum life had come q mystery, q tam
taliztng, fascinating mystery. She
had read bf foundlings left on door
steps-from paper covered novels
coniseated from her pupils-but that
one should be PLACED upon her own
respectable doorstep! Suddenly she
smiled back. And there was onthing
more to be done except to bow before
the decree Of fate. Like all prim old
maids, her heart was full OF unrequit-
ed romance, and here was something
she might spend It's foods upon with
out let or .hindranca, Already. she was
hoping that the man or woman who
had left IT might neyer come back.
The next morning she called her
two assistants into her study and ex-
planned what had taken place. There
should be no mystery ON her part
Her tale was accepted without com
ment: In q few days the excitement
died away, and school life went or. as
serenely as before.
The child grew. Regularly each
year, upon certain date, Miss Far
low received registered letter with
money, These letters came from all
parts Of the. world always the same
sum, always the same line-"I am
Watching
Thus seventeen years passed; and
to Susan Farlow each year seemed
shorter than the one before. For
she loved the child with all her heart.
She had not trained young girls all
these years without becoming adept
In the art Of reading the true signs
OF breeding. AS the days went on the.
heart of Susan Farlow grew heavy.
Never mind. aunty," said Florence;
II shall always come back to see you. .
She meant 1t, poor child; but how
was she tosknow the terrors which lay
beyond the horizon?
The house of Stanley Hargreave, in
Riverdale, was the house OF no ordi-
nary rich man, Outside it was simple
enough, but within you learned what
kind of a man Hargreaye was. There
were rare Ispahans and Saruks on the
floors and tapestries on the walls,
with here and there. a fine painting.
The library itself represented for
tune. Money had been laid out Law
ishly but never wastefully, It was the
home OF a scholar. a dreamer, a wide
traveller. "a
In the library, stood the master of
the house, idly lingering some papers
which lay on the study table. He
shrugged at some unpleasant thought,
settled his overcoat about his shout
ders, took his hat, and walked from
the room, frowning slightly. The
butler, who also acted in, the capacity
Of valet, always within call when his
master was about, stepped swiftly to
the hall door and opened 1t.
II may be out late% jones'" said
Hargreave.
eyes, SIR
Hargreave stared into his face keen
ly, as II trying to pierce the grave
face to learn what was going ON be-
hind i.
me?" !.
Fourteen years, SIR"
Some day shall need you"
"My life has always been at your
disposal, sir, since that night you
rescued it"
well, l haven't the least doubt that
when / ask you will giye.r
without question, sir. 1t was all
ways so understood"
Half an hour later he got into a tax
icab and directed the man to drive
downtown as far as Twenty-third
street and back to Columbus circle
The bewildering display Of lights,
however, in nowise served to lift the
sense OF oppression that had weighed
upon him all day. South of Forty
second street he dismissed the taxicabi
anastared undecidedly at the brilliant
sign OF a famous restaurant. He was
neither hungry nor thirsty; but there
would be strange faces to study and
music.
1t was an odd within. He had not
entered Broadway restaurant in all
these years, He was unknown. He
belonged to no clubs. Two months
was the longest time he had ever re-
NAMED in New York since the dis
posal Of his old home In Madison ave-
nue. and his resignation from his club.
This once, then. he would break the
law he had written down for himself
Boldly he entered the restaurant.