The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-12-23
SYNOPSIS.

Stanley Hargreave. millionaire. after a
miraculous escape from the den of the
O Of brilliant thieves known as the
Black Hundred, lives the life Of a recluse
for eighteen years. Hargreave accidental
Iy meets Braine, leader Of the Black Hun
dred. Knowing Braine will try to get him,
he escapes from his own home by. a bal
loon. Before escaping he writes a letter
to the girls school where eighteen years
before he mysteriouoly left on the door
step his baby daughter, Florence Gray.
That day Hargreave also draws Sl,00,00
from the bank, but it is reported that
this dropped into the sea when the balloon
he escaped in was punctured, Florence
arrives from the girls school. Countess
Olga. Braine's companion. visits her ana
tectives call, but their plot Is foiled by
Norton, a newspaper man. After falling
In their first attempt. the Black Hundred
trap Florence. They ask her for money.
but she escapes. again foiling them. Nor
ton and the countess call on Florence the
next day. once more safe at home. The
visitors having gone. Jones removes a
section Of flooring and from a cavity
takes a box. Pursued by members OF the
Black Hundred. he PUSHES to the water
'front.' and succeeds in dropping the box
into the sea. Accomplices Of Braine kid
hap Florence and hurry her off to sea.
She leaps overheard and Is picked up in a
dazed condition by fishermen. Bratne,
disguised as her father. takes her back to
yea with him. Florence sets fire to the
boat and is rescued by q ship on which
Norton has been shanghaied. Concealed
above the rendezvous of the Black Hun
bred. a man learns of the recovery OF
the box from the sea by a sailor or
ITS subsequent return to the bottom OF the
sea, and he quickly communicates the
fact to Jones. A duplicate box Is planted
and later, secured by the band. but before
its contents are examined the box mys-
teriously. disappears. Finding himself
checkmated at every turn. Braine endeaV--
ors to- enmesh the Hargreave household
In the law in order to gain free access to
the house. The timely discovery Of the
plot by Norton sets the police at the heels
of the pack and results in a raid on the
gangs rendezvous. which. however. proves
to be barren Of results. Following a teie-
phone message Jones received from a
mysterious person whom he addressed as
sir" Florence Is rgain lured from her
home and taken out to sea. Through
Eorton'si daring and skill AS al aviator
Fhe is rescued and returns to her nome IN
time to confront an agent or the Black
Hundred. Through treachery in the Har-
ereave household Florence Is delivered In
10 the hands Of an INSCRIPTIONS doctor.
who Is in the pay OF the Black hundred.
From the faithful Susan Norton learns
that the doctor has declared that Flor-
ence is stricken with smallpox and that he
Is preparing to spirit her away. BY. ACT
ing quickly the rer7rter. with the aid OF
Susan, succeeds in eXtricating the young
woman from the danger after an encoun-
Ter with member Of the gang. The Black
Hundred begin to fear Norton and plan
To dispose Of him. Again the ~unnoticed
butler shows his hard by rescuing Nor
ton and defeating Braine. Braine and
Countess Olga plan a daring attempt to
carture Florence and Merton at a masked
ball given by Princess Parlova. They de.
feat their own plan by o~veranxiety. And
still the golden tinted bank notes repose
TRANQUILITY in their hiding place!