Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1915-06-22
Copyright. 1914. by Harold MacGrathI

She stopped, recognized him, and
without word ran across the street
to the automobile and climbeA into the
tonneau. Jones followed Immediately.
"Home!"
street, shone palely for second under
the corner lamp, and vanished.
"Ah, child, child! groaned the man
at her side, all the tenseness gone
from his body. He was Jones again.
Still she did not speak but stared
ahead with unseeing eyes.
No further reproach fell from the
buffers lips. 1t was enough that Goo
had guided him to her at the appointed
moment He felt assured that never
again would she be drawn into any
trap. Poor child! What had they said
to her, done to her? How, in God
name, had she escaped from them who
never let anybody escape? Presently
she would become normal, and then
she would tell him.
Il found the lying note You dropped
it."
Horrible, horrible!" she said almost
inaudibly.
What did they do to your"
He said he was my father. !.
He put his arms around me. ,
And | knew"
knew what?"
That he lied l can't explain
Don't tryi"
Suddenly she laid her head against
the buffers shoulder and cried 1t
was terrible to hear youth weep in
this fashion. Jones put his arm about
her. and tried to console her.
"Horrible!' she murmured between
the violent hiccoughs. Il was wrong,
wrong! Forgive mel"
Unconsciously the arm sustaining
her drew her closer.
Never mind he consoled. Tell no
one what has happened. Go about as
usual. Don't let even Susan know.
Whatever your poor father did was for
your sake. He wanted you to be
happy, without care in the world"
Il promise" And gradually the sobs
ceased. But feel so old, Jones, so
very old. l threw over the lamp. l
threw a chair through the window.
They thought that it was who had
jumped out. That gave me the neces-
sary time. l don't understand how l
did it. I wasn't frightened at all till
I gained the street"
They found Susan still seated in the
chair, the automatic in her lap She
had not moved in all this time!
Braine paced the apartment of the
Princess Perigoff. From the living
room to the boudoir and back, fully
twenty times. From the divan Olga
watched him nervously. He was like
tiger, fresh in captivity. All at once
he paused in front of her.
do you realize what that mere chit
/ did,"
II do.
| Planned to the minute. We ha6
her; seven of US; doors locked, anC
all that. No weeping, no wailing;
could not understand then, but l dc
now. It's in the blood, Hargreave was
as peaceful as a ST. Bernard dog, till
you cornered him, and then he was a
lion, O, the devil! Slipped out of our
fingers like an eel. And across the
street, Jones in racer! / never paid
any particular attention to Jones, but
from now on | shall. The girl may or
may not know where the money Is, but
Jones does, Jones does! Two men
shall watch. FELTON, on the street and
Orloff from the windows of the de-
serted house. With opera glasses he
will be able to take note of all that
happens in the house during the day.
He will be able to see the girls room.
And that's the important point 1t was
a good plan, little woman; and 1t
would have been plain sailing II only
we had remembered that the girl was
Hargreave's daughter. Be very care
full hereafter when you call on her. A
night like this will have made her sus-
picious Of every one. Our hope lies
with you. Anything on your mind?'
Eyes. Why not insert a personal in
Tic Herald Su6 drew some WTlLIuS
paper toward her and scrubbed a few
words.
He read "Florence-the hiding
place is discovered. Remove it to a
more secret, spot at once. S. H."-He
laughed and shook his head. 'I'm
afraid that will never do"
IF she reads it, Jones will. The man
with the opera glasses may sec some
thing There's a chance Jones might
become worried"
well, We'll give it chance"
1t was midnight when he made his
departure. AS he stepped into the
street, he glanced about cautiously.
On the corner he saw a policeman
swinging his night stick. Otherwise
the street was deserted. Braine pro
ceeded jauntily down the street.
And yet, from the darkened doors OF
the house across the way. the figure o.
a man emerged and stood contemplat
ing the windows OF the Perigoff apart
ment. Suddenly the lights went OUT