The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-04-08

visible Ink. At last! Hargreave was
alive; this letter settled all doubt in
her mind on this question. Alive!
And not only that, but the girl and
Jones were evidently in communica-
ton with him. She summoned q
waiter, made q secret sign, and he
bowed and approached. She slipped
the letter into his hand and whis-
pered: Show that at the cave to-
morrow. It is in invisible ink and
meant for Hargreave."
Hes alive?" Ee- .a+.
Positively"
Very WELL" The waiter bowed and
strolled away nonchalantly. .. -.
Braine was In Boston over night,
otherwise the countess would have
taken the mysterious note at once to
him. She remained for perhaps
quarter of an hour longer and then left
the garden. She would have taken the
letter to her own apartment but for
the fact that the chemicals needed
were hidden in the cave.
Now it happened that Florence went
out for her early ride the next morn
ing, and crossing a field she saw
man with a bundle under his arm.
The sun struck his profile and limned
1t plainly, and Florence uttered a low,
cry. The man had not observed her.
So, very quietly, she slipped from the
horse, tethered it to tree, and started
after the man to learn what he was
doing SO far from the city. She would
never forget that face. She had seen
1t that dreadful night when the note
had lured her into the hands Of her
enemies. The face belonged to the
man who had impersonated her father,
It occurred to her that she might,
just as well do little detective work
on her own hook. She had passed
through so many terrifying episodes
that she was beginning to crave for
the excitement, strange az this may.
seem. Like q gambler who has once
played for high stakes, she no longer
found pleasure In thimbles and needles
and pins. She followed the man with
no little skill and at length saw him
approach q knoll. stoop. apparently
press q spring, and hole suddenly
yawned. The man vanished quickly.
and the spot took on again its vir-
ginal appearance. A cave. Florence
had the patience to wait. BY and by
the man appeared again and skunk
away.
When she was sure that he was be-
yond range, she came out from the
place Of concealment- crept up the
knoll, and searched about for the magic
handle of this strange door. Diligence
her, and she soon found
herself in large, musty, earth-smell-
ing cave. Loot was scattered about,
and there were boxes and chairs and.
q large chest. Men evidently met
here, possibly after some desperate.
adventure against society. She found
nothing to reward her hardihOod, and
as she was in the act of moving to-;
ward the caves door she beheld with
terror that it was moving!
She was near the chest at that mo,
ment The cave was not a deep onesi
There was no tunnel, only q wall.
Resolutely she raised the lid Of the
chest, stepped inside. and drew the.
lid down. She was just in time. The
door opened and three men entered
talking volubly. They felt perfectly.
secure in talking as loudly as they:
pleased. To Florence 1t seemed al
most impossible that they did not
hear the thunder Of her heart? Strain,
her ears as she might, she could gath
or but little Of what they said, except:
III Hargreave had this paper We
might all be put on the defensive. To
an outsider It is blank paper. But
the boss will be able to read it.
The speaker moved away from the
vicinity of the chest and she heard:
no more.
Very deity Florence raised the lid:
just enough to peep out. The man
who had been talking was putting the,
note In his hip pocket. AS he turned
toward the chest he sat down on the
soapbox Immediately in front of the
chest. An inspiration came to the girl,
an exceedingly daring one. She took
her liberty in her hands as she ex-
the cave aided her. When she crouch
ed down again the magic paper was
hers.
It seemed hours to her before the
men left the cave. AS she heard the
hidden door jar in closing she raised
the lid and stepped out. breathing
deeply. The paper she had purloined
was indeed blank, but Jones or Jim
would know what to do with It. And
wouldn't they be surprised when she
told them what she had accomplished
all alone? Her exultation was of short
duration. She heard the whine Of the
door on its hinges. The men were re-
turning. Why?
They were returning because they
had discovered q woman's shoeprint
outside. It pointed toward the cave,
freshly, and there was none coming
away. To reenter the chest would be
foolhardy. It would be the first place
the men would look. She glanced
about desperately. She saw but one