The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-01-13
Copyright. 1914, by Harold MacGrathl
CHAPTER XXI.
a Night of Adventure.

CHAPTER XXI.
"A Night Of Adventure.
The federal government agreed to
say nothing, to put no obstacles in the
way Of the Russian agent, provided he
could abduct his trio without serious
ly clashing with the New York police
authorities. It wa a recognized fact
that the local police force wanted the
newspaper glory which would attend
the crushing of the Black Hundred.
It would be an exploit. But their glory
was nil; nor did Servan take his trio
back with him to Russia.
Many strange things happened that
night, the night of the final adven-
ture.
Florence sat in her oom reading.
The book was "Oliver Twist" not the
~pleasantest sort Of book to read un-
der the existing circumstances. Sew
eral times-she had reached the place
where Fagin overheard Nancy's con-
fession-she fancied she heard doors
closing softly, but credited it to her
imagination. Poor Nancy, who want
ed to be good but did not find time to
bel Florence possessed a habit ia
miliar to most of us; the need of APP
pies or candy when we are reading.
So she rang the bell for her maid,
intending to ask her to bring up some
apples. She turned to her reading,
presently to break OF and strike the
bell again. Where was that maid? She
waited perhaps five minutes, then laid
down the book and began to investi-
gate. Il
There was not a servant to be found
in the entire house! What in the
world could that mean?, Used as she
was to heartrending suspense. she was
none the less terrified. Something had
taken the servants from the house.
From whence was the danger. to come
this time? Where was Jones? Why
did he not return al he had promised?
1T was long past the hour when he
said he. would be back. )
She went into the library and picked
up the telephone. She was told that
MIR. Norton was out on ar assignment,
but that he would be notified the mo-
ment he returned. She opened a draw
5er in the desk. She touched the a u
tomato, but did not take it up. She
left the drawer open, however.
Earlier, at the newspaper Office that
night, Jim went into the managing ed
TORS office and laid a bulky manu-
script on that ~gentleman's desk.
Is this it?"
It is" said Jim.
You have captured them?"
No; but there is met about them
from which not one shall escape.
There's the story Of my adventures. of
the adventures of Miss Hargreave and
the butler, Jones. You'll find It e1-
citing enough. You might just as well
send 1t up to the composing room. At
midnight I'll telephone the introduce.
ton. It's a scoop, Don't worry about
that
The editor rifled the pages.
"a hundred and twelve pages, 800
words to the page; man it's a novel!"
It'll read like one
.'Sit down for a moment and let me
skim through the first story.
At the end of ten minutes the editor
laid down the copy. He opened a draw
er and took out two envelopes. The
blue one he tore up and dropped into
the waste basket. Norton understood
and smiled. They had meant to dis
charge him If he fell down. The other
envelope was a fat one.
Open IT, said the editor. smiling a
little to himself.
This envelope contained a check for
$500, two round-trip flrst-class tickets
to Liverpool, together with innumer-
able continental tickets such as are
issued to tourists.
why two?" asked Jim, ~innocently.
Forget it, my boy, forget it. You
ought to know that in this office we
don't employ blind men. The whole
staff is on. There you are, a fat check
and three months vacation. Go and
get married; and If you return before
the three months are up I'll fire you
myself on general principles"
Jim laughed happily and the two
men shook hands. Then Jim went
to complete the big assignment.
Five minutes later Florence called him
up to learn that he had gone.
What should she do? Jones had
told her to stay in the house and not
to leave 1t. But where was he? Why
l did he not come? What was the mean
ing Of this desertion by the servants?
khe wandered about aimlessly, looking
t Of windows, imagining forms in
shadows. Her imagination had
1t deceived, her; she had heard doors
close softly.
Susan, Susan!" she murmured; but
Susan was in the hospital.
OLIVER TWIST" What had possessed
her to start reading that old tale
again? She should have read some
thing of a light and joyous character.
After half an hours wandering about
the lonely house she returned to the
Z library, feeling that she would be
safer where both telephone and re-
yolver were.
And while she sat waiting for she
. knew not what, her swiftly beating