The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1915-01-28
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CHAPTER xvi.
Treachery in the House hold.

Treachery in the Household.
The maid stole into the house, won
-dering if she had been seen. She
waited to be loyal to this girl, but
she was tired of the life: she wanted
to be her'own mistress, and the small
fortune offered her would put her on
the way to realize her ambition. What
had she not seen and been of life
since she joined the great detective
force! Lady's maid. cook, ship stew
ardess, flash woman, actress, clerk
and a dozen other employments. Her
pay, until she secured some fat re-
ward, was but twelve hundred a
year; and here was five thousand in
advance. with the promise of five
thousand more the minute her work
was done. And it was simple work,
without any real harm toward Flor
ence as far as she was concerned.
The whole thing rested upon one diff
Guilty; would Jones permit the girls
TO leave the house?
One day Florence found Susan sit
ting In chair. her head in her hands
why. Susan. what's the matter?"
cried Florence. -,
u don't know what is the matter,
dear. but ! haven't felt well for two
or three days. I'm dizzy all the time,
can't read or sew or eat or sleep.
why didn't you tell me?" said Flor
ence. reproachfully. She rang for the
detective-maid. ELLA, l don't know
anything about doctors hereabouts.'
II know good one, Miss Florence.
Shall l send for him."
DO: Susan is ILL.,"
Jones was not prepared for treach-
cry in his own household: SO when
he heard that a doctor had been called
to attend Susan he was without the
least suspicion that he had been be-
traved. More than this, there had
been no occasion to summon doctor
in the seven years Mr.. .Hargreave had
lived here So Jones went about his
petty household affairs without more
thought upon the matter The maid
had been recommended to him as
one OF the shrewdest young women
in the detective business.
Tue doctor arrived. He was real
doctor: no doubt of that. He investi-
gated Susan's condition-brought
about by subtle though not danger
GUS poison--and instantly recon-
mended the seashore. Susan was not
used to being confined to the house;
she was essentially an out.of-doors
littie body. The seashore would bring
her about in no time The doctor sug-
gested Atlantic City because of its
miIdness throughout the year and its
nearness to New York.
I'm afraid she'll have to go alone"
said Jones, gravely.
Il shant stir!" declared Susan II
shan't leave my girl even if am SICK
Susan caught Florence's hand and
pressed it.
Would you like to go with her,
Florence" asked Jones, with shy
glance at the strange doctor. The shy
glance was wasted. The doctor evinced
no sign that it mattered one way or
the other to him.
1T is nothing very serious now"
he volunteered. But it may turn out
serious IL it is not taken care of at
once"
What is the trouble?" inquired
Jones. who was growing fond of Su-
san.
Weak heart Sunshine and good
sea air will strengthen her UP again.
No. no." as Jones drew forth his wal
let. It'll send in my bill the first Of
the month. Sunshine and sea air;
that's all that's necessary. And now.
AN very businesslike; not the least
cause in the world for any one to
suspect that new trap was being
set by the snarers. The maid re.
turned to the sewing room. while
Florence coddled her companion and
made much of her.
Jones was suspicious, but dig In
his mind as he would he could find
no earthly reason for this suspicion
save that this attribute was now in
stinctive. that It was always near the
top. II Susan was i'll she must be
given good care; there was no getting
around this fact. Later, he telephoned
several prominent physicians. The
strange doctor was recommended ss
. good ordinary practitioner and in
good standing: and so Jones dismissed +
his suspicious as-having no hook to
hang them on.