Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1915-02-10

4
here IN. SO long I've forgotten the run
.of 1t. iii remember one room with
the secret panel and another with
painting that turned. Have they
changed them L 3 Il
No; It Is Just the same here as It
used to be. Come along and Ill show
yot. II 1}5..s
Norton inspected the rooms care
fully, slowing away in his mind every
detail. He might be worrying about
nothing; but SO many strange things
had happened that 1t was better to be
on the side Of caution than on the
side of ttcarelessness. He left the
house and ran across Jones carrying
aabasket Of wine III e H
Here, Norton; take this to the
parity want to reconnoiter."f
s""All right, m'lud! Say, Jones, how
much do you think I'd earn at this
Job? comically. sssa #fs Aa
sssl" Get along with you, Mr.. Norton It
may be the time to laugh, and then it
may not a55
I'm going back into the house and
hide behind secret panel I've got
my revolver. You go to the stables
and take try at my car; see If she
works smoothly. We may have to do
some hiking. Where is the countess
In this?" sSa
Leave that to me, Mr.. Norton" said
the butler with his grim smile. BE
off they are moving back toward the
house, II. sI
SO Norton carried the basket around
to the lawn, where it was taken from
his hands by the regular servant. He
sighed as he saw Florence, laughing
and chatting with man who was q
stranger and whom he heard ad.
dressed as count. Some friend of the
countess, no doubt. Where was all this
tang.c going to end? He wished he.
knew. And what yarn he was going
to write some day. It would be- read
like one of Gaboriau's tales. He
turned away to wander idly about the
grounds, when beyond clump of ce-
dars he saw three or four men convers-
ing slowly. He got as near as possible,
for when three or four men put their
heads together and whisper animated
ly it usually means a pokersgame or
something worse. He caught phrase
or two as it came down the wind, and
then he knew that the vague suspi.
clon that had brought him out here
had been set in motion by fate. He
heard Florence: and "the old draw.
ing room" and that was enough. l
He scurried about for Jones. It was
pure luck that he had had old Meg
show him through the house, other.
wise he would have forgotten all about
the secret panel in the wall and the
painting. Jones shrugged resignedly.
Were these men of the countess:
party? Norton couldn't say. sRs
Norton made his hiding place in
safety; and by and by he could hear.
the guests moving about in the room.
Then all sounds ceased for while. "A
door closed sharply. II.
No; here you must stay, young
lady, said a mans voice. 80.
af What do you mean. sir" demanded.
the beloved voice. I
1T means that no one will return to
this room and that you will not be
missed until it is too late aa rs
The, sound of voices stopped alb
ruptly, and something like scufflings
ensued. Later Norton heard the back,
| of chair strike the panel and some
one sat heavily upon it., He waited
perhaps five minutes; then he gently:
| slid back the panel. Florence .sat
bound and gagged under his very eyes,
1t was but the work of a moment to
| liberate her. !.
Tt is !, Jim. Do not speak or make
! the least noise Follow me-
| Greatly astonished, Florence obeyed;
and the panel slipped back into place.
The room behind the secret panel had
barred windows. To Florence it ap-
peared to be real prison. ~.
How did you get here?" she asked
breathlessly. m
I Something told me to follow you.
And something is always going y tell
me to follow you, Florence A,
She pressed his hand. It was to her
as if one of those book heroes had
stepped out of a book; only book he
roes always had tremendous fortunes
and did not have to work for liv-
ing Oddly enough, she was not
afraid. AZ
Who was the mau?' he asked.
| The Count Norfeldt. Some one
has imposed upon the countess !
DO you think so?" with strange
look in his eyes. 6.
What do you mean?"
Nothing just now. The idea is to
get out of here just as quickly as we
can. See this painting?" He touched
a spot in the wall and the painnng
slowly swung out like a door. !" Come;
Wesmake our escape to the side lawn
from here" 54sdt siSft5
At the, stable they were confronted
with the knowledge that Norton's car
was out Of commission; Jones could do
nothing with it.gThen Norton suggest