The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-10-16

she could drop to sleep like that. Very
softly she pressed her lips to his hair.
At eleven o'clock the following
night the hall light in the Hargreave
house was turned off and the whole
interior became dark A shadow
crept through the lilac bushes with
out any more sound that a cat would
i have made. Florences window was
open, as the arch-conspirator had ex-
pected it would be. With a small
string and stone as sling he sent
the letter whirling skillfully through
the air. 1t sailed into the girls room.
The man below heard no sound of the
stone hitting anything and concluded
that 1t had struck the bed.
He waited patiently. Presently
wavering light could be distinguished
over the sill of the window. The girl
was awake and had lit the candle.
This knowledge was sufficient for his
need. The tragic letter would do the
rest, that is. if the girl came from
the same pattern as her father and
mother-strong willed and adventu-
rous.
He tiptoed back to the lilacs, when
noise sent him close to the ground.
Half dozen feet away he saw
shadow creeping along toward the
front door. Presently the shadow
stood up as if listening. He stopped
again and ran lightly to the steps, up
these to the door, which he Rugged.
Who was this? wondered Braine.
Patiently he waited, arranging his pos
ture so that he could keep a lookout
at the door. By and by the door
opened cautiously. A man holding
candle appeared. Braine vaguely
recognized Olga's description of the
butler. The man on the veranda sud-
denly blew out the light.
Braine could hear the low murmur
of voices, but nothing more. The con-
versation lasted scarcely a minute. |
The door closed and the man ran
down the steps. across the lawn, with !
Braine close at his heels.
Just rloment, Mr.. Hargreave,"
he called ironically; lust moment"
The man be addressed as Hargreave |
turned with lightning rapidity and |
struck. The blow caught Braine |
above the ear, knocking him fiat. |
When he reclaimed his feet the rumble |
or a motor told him the rest of the |
story.
By the dim light Of her bedroom |
candle Florence read the note which |
had found entrance so strangely and |
mysteriously into her room. Her ia !
Their! He lived, he needed her! Alive |
but in dread peril, and only she could |
save him! She longed to fly to him |
at once, then and there. How could |
she wait till tomorrow night at eight? |
Immediately she began to plan how to |
circumvent the watchful Jones and (
the careful Susan. Her father! She |
slept no more that night.
my Darling Daughter: 1 must see
you. Come at eight o'clock tomorrow ,
night to 70 Grove street, third floor.
Confide in no one, or you seal my |
death warrant
Your unhappy FATHER"
What child would refuse to obey a |
summons like this?
A light tap on the door started her. !
rs anything the matter?' asked |
the mild voice of Jones.
mo. l got up to get a drink of i
water"
She heard his footsteps die away |
down the corridor. She thrust the /
letter into the pocket of her dress,
which lay neatly folded on the chair
at the foot of the bed. then climbed
back into the bed itself. She must |
not tell even Mr. Norton.
Was the child spinning romance |
over the first young man she had ever |
met? In her heart of hearts the girl |
did not know.
Her father!
1t was all so terribly and tragically
against that of child. Both Norton |
and the sober Jones had explicitly |
warned her never to go anywhere, |
receive telephone calls or letters, with |
out first consulting one or the other |
of them. And now she had planned |
to deceive them, with all the cunning |
of her sex.
The next morning at breakfast there |
was nothing unusual either in her ap- |
pearance or manners. Under the |
shrewd scrutiny of Jones she was just |
her everyday self, fine bit of acting |
for one who had yet to see the stage.
But it is born in woman to act, as
= Sc IN n Gnh nd
ence was no exception to the rule.
She was going to save her father.
She read with Susan, played the !
piano, sewed little, laughed, hummed |
and did a thousand and one things |
young girls do when they have the !
deception of their elders in view.
All day long Jones went about like |
an old hound with his nose to the |
wind There was something in the |