The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1915-01-08

turned to his waiting taxicab, drove
home, paid the bill, smiling grimly,
and went to bed. 1t was going to be
a wonderful game Of blind mans bun,
and 1t was going to be sport to watch
this fool Paroff blunder Into pit.
The next afternoon Florence and
Norton sat in the summer house talk
ing of the future. Lovers are prone |
to talk of that AS If anything else |
in the world ever equals the present!
They talked of nice little apartments
and vacations In the summer and how |
much they would save out Of his
salary, and a thousand and one other
things which would not interest you
at all If l recounted them in detail
But they did love each other, and they
were going to be married; you may be
certain Of that They did not care
a snap of the finger what Jones
thought. They we're going to be mar
ried, and that was all there was to 1t.
OF course, Florence couldn't touch a
penny Of her fathers money. If he,
Norton, couldn't take care of her With
out help, why, he wouldn't be worth
the powder to blow him up with.
But, my dear, you must be very
careful" he said. Jones and / will
always be about somewhere. If they
really get hold of you once, God alone
knows what will happen. 1t is not
you, It is your poor father they want
to bring out into the open. If they
knew where he was they would not
bother you In the least"
Have really a father? Sometimes
l doubt. Why couldn't he steal into
the house and see me, just onceT'
Perhaps he dares not. This house
"a always watched. night and day,
though you'll look in vain to discover
any one. Your father knows best what
he is doing, my dear girl. You see,
met him years ago in China; and
when he started out to DO a certain
thing he generally did It. He never
botched any of his plans. So we all
must wait Only I'm going to marry
, you all the same, whether he likes It
or not The rogues will try to impose
t upon you again; but do not pay any
? attention to notes or personals In the
papers. And It was a lucky thing that
r l was on the freighter that picked you
up at sea. shall always wonder how
: that yacht took fire"
. 80 shall l." replied Florence. her
;, brows drawing together in puzzle
e ment. Sometimes think must have
e done It. You know. people out Of their
heads do strange things. l seem to
see myself as in a dream. And this
| man Braine is a scoundrel!"
| YES; and more than that, he is
the dear friend of the countess But
| understand, you must never let heI
| dream or suspect that you know BY
| lulling her into overconfidence some
| day she will naturally grow careless
| and then well have them all l think
| l understand what your fathers idea
| is: not to have tlAem arrested fol
! blackmail, but practically to extermin
ate them, put them in prison for sucf
terms of years that they'll die there
When you see a snake. poisonous
| one, don't let It get away XIII It
Well, must be of to work"
And you be careful, too. You ar
in more danger than I am"
But I'm a man and can dodg
Al quick" he laughed. picking up his hat
What a horrid thing money Isl /
hadn't any money. nobody woul
bother me-"
Il would" he smiled. He wanted L
kiss her, but the eternal Jones Nigh
N be watching from the windows; an
so he patted her hand instead an
walked down the graveled path t
the street.
It was difficult work for F1orenc
to play at friendship. She was lik
q her father; she did not bestow It o
every one. She had given her frient
ship to the Russian, the first real bi
AS friendship in her life. and she ha
nd been roughly disillusioned. But If tn
of. countess could act, so could she; an
- Of the two her acting was the mol
,xt consummate She could smile an
Ire laugh and Jest, all the while her hea,
He was burning with wrath.
all One day, a week or so after h
Ter meeting with Norton in the summ'
en-. house, Olga arrived, beautiful
nd gowned, handsome as ever. The
Abc WAS uOl lu6 ACh1b lOuNn VI Nhc a0NC
lid turess in her makeup. Florence hs
he Just received some mail. and she hs
of dropped the letters on the library tab
i've to greet the countess. She had open'
i them, but had not yet looked at the
yer contents.
but They were chatting pleasantly abo
an inconsequent things, when the ms
came in and asked Florence to con
les, to Miss Susan's room for a momeI
inc Florence excused herself, wonderil
sly what Susan could want. She forg
his the mail.
,ab AS soon as she was gone the couI
lily ess, certain that Jones was not luz
ner ing about, picked up the letters al
uld calmly examined their contents; a.
II among them she found this RENAL