Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1915-06-22

OF course, Florence read the per.
sonal" She took the newspaper at
once to Jones, who smiled grimly.
You see, trust YOU"
"And so long as you continue to
trust me no harm will befall you. You
were left in my care by your father.
am to guard you at the expense of my
life. Last nights affair was a miracle.
The next time you will not find it SO
easy to escape"
Nor did she.
There will be no next time grave
ly. But l am going to ask you di-
rect question. Is my father alive?n
The buffers brow puckered. Il have
promised to say nothing, one way or
the other"
She laughed
'Why do you. laugh?"
Il laugh because If he we're dead
there would be no earthly reason for
your not saying so at once. But [ hate
money, the name of it, the sound of it,
the sight of it, 1t is at the bottom of
all wars and crimes. l despise it,"
1.-THE root of all evil. Yet it per-
forms many noble deeds. But never
mind the money. Let US give our at
tention to this personal Doubtless it
originated in the same mind which
conceived the letter Your father
would never have inserted such a per
sonal What! Give his enemies a
chance to learn his secret? No. Or
the other hand | want you to show this
personal to ali you meet today, Susan
the reporter, to everybody. Talk about
it. Say that you wonder what you
shall do Trust no one with your real
thoughts"
mot even you, Mr.. JONES' thought
the girl as she nodded.
"And tell them that you showed 1t
to me and that l appeared worried"
That night there was a meeting OF
the organization called the Black Hun
bred. Braine asked if anyone knew
what the Hargreave butler looked like
II had glimpse of him the other
night; but being unprepared, might
not recognize him again"
Vroon described Jones infinitely.
Braine could almost see the portrait
.Vroon, that memory OF yours is
worth lot of money" was his only
comment
Il hope it will be worth more soon. .
II believe I'll be able to recognize
Mr.. Jones if 1 see him. Who is he and
what is hep
"He has been with Hargreave for IA
years. There was a homicidal case in
which Jones was active. Hargreave
saved him. He is faithful and uncom-
municative. Money will not touch him.
If he does know where that million is,
hot irons could not make him own up
to it. The only way is to watch him,
follow him, wait for the moment when
he'll grow careless. No man is always
on his mettle; he lets up sooner or
later
HE is being watched, as you know"
Vroon nodded approvingly. "The cap
tain of the tramp steamer Orient, by
the way, was seen with a roll of
money. He was in one of the water
front saloons, Dragging how he had
hoodwinked some one"
did he say where he'd got the
cash?" asked Braine.
"They tried to pump him on that,
but he shut up. Well, we have agreed
that FELTON, shall watch from the street
and Orloff from the window Orloff
will whistle if he sees Jones removing
anything from any of the rooms. The
rest will be left to FELTON,"
And, FELTON,, my friend said
Braine softly-he always spoke softly
when he was In deadly humor-"FeI
ton. you slept on duty the other night
Hargreave stole up, consulted Jones'
and got away after knocking me down
ThG next failure will mean short shift
Be warmed"
Il saw only you, sir. So help me.
was not asleep. saw you run down
the street after the taxicab. | did moi
see anyone else"
| Braine shrugged. Remember what
said"
FELTON, bowed respectfully and made
his exit. He wished in his soul that he
might some day catch the master mind
free of his eternal mask 1t was an
iron hand which ruled them and there
were friends Of his (Feltons) who had
mysteriously vanished after a brief
period of rebellion. The boss was a
swell; probably belonged to clubs and
society which he adroitly pilfered. The
organization always had money When
ever there was desperate job to be
undertaken, Vroon simply poured out
the money necessary to promote It..
Whenever Braine and Vroon became
engaged in earnest conversation they
talked Slav. Braine was never called
by name here; the boss, simply that
Well. ten per cent of a million was a
hundred thousand. This would be
equally divided between the second
ten of the Black Hundred Another ten
per cent would go to 80 members; the
balance would be divided between
Vroon and the boss. But his soul re-
belled at being ordered about like so
much dirt under another mans feet.
He would take his ten thousand and
make the grand getaway.
The next afternoon the princess
called upon Florence. Nothing was