Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-08-15
" Jimi" " the butler murmured.

startled out Of himself "
Is It wrong for me to call Mr.. Norton
Jim?" she asked with bit of banter
=" 1t is not considered quite the proper thing,
Miss Florence, to call a young man by bis
first name unless you are engaged to marry
him, or grew up with him from childhood"
Well, supposlns l were engaged to bimP',
haughtily.
That would be very grave affair. What
have you to prove that he may not wish TO
marry you for your money!"
Why, Jones, you know that haven't a
penny in the world l can call my own There
Is nothing to prove, except your word, that
am Stanley Harsreave's daughter"
No. there is nothing to prove that you are
his daughter But hasn't 1t ever occurred 10
you that there might be a purpose back Of
thisl Might 1t not be Of inestmable value
that your fathers enemies should be left in
doubt? Might it not be a means Of holding
them on the leash? There is proof, ample
proof, my child and when the time comes
these will be shown you. But meantime put
all thought Of marrying Mr. Norton out Of
your head"
" That refuse to do" quietly. al am at
least mistress Of my heart and no one shall
dictate to me whom shall or shall not marry.
love Mr.. Norton and he loves ne kBo4Ing
that | may not be an heiress after al and
some day shall marry him.
Jones bowed This seemed to appear faal
to him, and nothing more was to b. said
Norton did not return to his rooms TIL 7.
He found the telephone call and also noie
in handwriting unfamiliar. He tore off its
envelope aud found the contents 70 be from
the Countess Perigof.
"Call at s tonight" he read. ct have on
important news story for yOu. Tel po one,
as cannot be involved in tn. tuse. CoidiaIly,
Olga, Countess PerigoH.'
Humphl Norton twiddled the note in his
fingers and at length rolled it into ball and
threw 1t into the wostebasket He, tco made
mistake he should have kept th4 note. He
dressed dined, end hurried Of to the apart
ments of the countess.
He arrived ten minutes before Florence and
Susan.
And Jones did some rapid telephonng.
How long, how long, !" the butler NOR
mured How long would this strange combat
last2 The strain was terrific. He slept but
little during the nights for his cars were
always waiting for sounds. He had cast he
chest. into the sea- and ii would take dozen
expert divers to locate it. And now, atop Of
all these worries, the child must fall in love
with the first comer 1t was heartbreoEipg.
Norton, so far as he had learned, was cool
and brave, honest and reliable in pinch but
as the husband Of Stanley Hargreave's daugh-
ter, that was altogether a different matter
And he must devise some means of putting
stop to Il, but
But he was saved that trouble
Mongoose and COBRA that was the game be-
ing played; the cunning of the one against
the deadly venom Of the other. II he forced
matters he would only lay himself open to the
strike of the snake. He must have patience
Gradually they we're breaking the organiaa-
tion, Topping of branch here and there, bot
the peace Of the future depended upon getting
grip on the spine of the cobra himself.
IN The trick was simple. The countess had
news; trust her for that She exhibited a
cabegram, dated at Gibraltar, in which the
British authorities stated definitely that no
such person as William 0rts, aviator, had
arrived at Gibraltar. And then, as he rose,
she rose also and gently precipitated herself
into fuaA tha
appeared In the doorway.
T. Very simple, indeed When woman falls
toward man there Is nothing for him to do
, but extend his arms to prevent her from fall
8 ing. Outwardly, however, TO the eye which
saw only the picture and comprehended not
i the cause, 1t had all the hallmarks Of Gn
afectionate embrace.
" Florence stood perfectly still for moment,
then turned away.
~ ~ beg your pardon!" said the countess
"but a sudden faintine spell seized me. My
heart Is q bit weak" d
Don't mention IT," replied the gallant Nor
ton. He was as innocent as babe as to what
had really taken place.
Florence went back home. She wrote a
brief note to Norton and inclosed the ring
which she had secretly worn attached to q
little chain around her neck.
When Norton came the neat day she refused
to see him 1t was all over. She never wished
to see him again.
" He says there has been some cruel mis-
take" said Jones.
"I saw him with the countess in his arm"
do not see any crusl mistake in that saw
him. Tell him so. And add thst 7 never
wish to see him again.
Then she ran swiftly 10 her room whore
she broke down and cried bitterly AID World
not be comforted by Susan.
In heavens name" dena,ae0 n F.3l.s
lover, what has bappcredf'
The comedy Of the whole ait a. n hs
fact thnt neither af the iva - s.ff..ttG he