The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1914-11-20

her baby" disclosed his Identity she
all but fell upon his neck.
"But what are you doing here,
dressed up as waiter?"
tits q little secret, Meg. wasn't
invited, and the truth is I'm very
desperately in love with the young
lady in whose honor this coaching
party is being given. And
maybe she's In danger"
Danger? What about?"
'The Lord only knows. But show
me about the house. I've not been
here in so long I've forgotten the run
OF It. remember one room with
the secret panel and another with
painting that turned. Have they
changed them?" --.
mo; It is Just the same here as It
used to be. Come along and I'll show
YOU"
Norton inspected the rooms CARE
fully, slowing away in his mind everyl
detail. He might be worrying about
nothing; but so many strange things
had happened that It was better to be
on the side Of caution than on the
side OF carelessness. He left ths
uOuh6 anu TAI hClOdh JQAlu AalAA AAAk
a basket Of wine.
Here Norton; take this TO the
party. I want to reconnoiter."
IAN right, m'ludl Say, Jones, how
much do you think I'd earn at this
= job?" comically.
= Get along with you, Mr.. Norton. ID
I may be the time to laugh, and then 10
may not"
I'm going back into the house and
4 hide behind secret panel I've got
r my revolver. You go to the stables
Il and take try at my car; see II she
o works smoothly. We may have to do
o some hiking Where is the countess
g In this?"
Il Leave that to me. Mr.. Norton" said
2. the butler with his grim smile. BE
d of; they are moving back toward the
house"
So Norton carried the basket around
=. to the lawn. where It was taken from
his hands by the regular servant. He
y sighed as he saw Florence. laughing
70 and chatting with a man who was .
stranger and whom he heard Rd-
~ dressed as count. Some friend OF tho
1T countess. no doubt. Where was ALI this
TO tangle going to end? He wished he
of knew. And what yarn he was going
Id to write some day. It would be read
like one Of Gaborau's tales. He
turned away to wander idly about the
grounds when beyond a clump OF 90
dars he saw three or four men conEeEu-
ing slowly. He got as near a. possible
for when three OF four men put their
| A.. rsAlannr anfrr~a fn.fI.
ly It usually means poker game o.
something worse. He caught phrase
or two as It came down the wind. and
then he knew that the vague suspl-
cion that had brought him out here
had been set in motion by fate. He
heard Florence" and "the old draw
ing ROOM" and that was enough.
He scurried about for Jones. II was
pure luck that he had had old Meg
show him through the house. other
wise he would have forgotten all about
the secret panel In the wall and the
painting. Jones shrugged resignedly.
Were these men of the countess
party? Norton couldn't say.
Norton made his hiding place In
safety; and by and by he could hear
the guests moving about In the room
ri Then all sounds ceased for while. A
door closed sharply.
49,, mo; here you must .stay, youna
NV lady" said a mans voice.
What do you mean, sir?" demanded
for the beloved voice.
int 1T means that no one will return K
be- this room and that you win not b
TO missed until it is too late
re- The sound Of voices stopped al
,,ta ruptly, and something like scuminl
ced ensued Later Norton heard tho bacl
ito Of a chair strike the panel and soma
ing one sat heavily upon it. He wafeaa
vas perhaps five minutes; then he genti'
and slid back the panel. Florence ~
bound and gagged under his very eyel
cd. 1t was but the work OF a moment d
VII liberate her.
and 1T is l, Jim. Do not speak or max
not the least noise. Follow me-"
Nos Greatly astonished, Florence obeyod
and the panel slipped back into plAo,
a. The room behind the secret panel ha
80 80 barred windows. To Florence u q
peared to be a real prison.
80 How did you get here!" she aske
a., breathlessly.
something loiu me 10 Hollow 70,
And something is always going to 70
me to follow you, Florence"
She pressed his hand. It was to hs
as if one OF those book heroes ha
'uie stepped out OF a book; only book b
roes always had tremendous fortune
and did not have to work for q n
iSel' ing. Oddly enough, she was ~
~ afraid.
S 5 Who was the man7 he asked.
inA "The Count Norfeldt Some o.
has imposed upon the countess"
man do you think sol" with q stran,
'neu look in his eyes.