The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1915-04-22

Why not wait Lea Mr.. Jones re
turns!" she suggested patiently.
And let the man ! love die?"
~vehemently.
AT least you will leave word where
you are going, Miss Florence"
THE Queen hotel. And If you say
another word III discharge you. Come
Susan"
There happened to be a taxicab con
veniently near las Vroon took care
there should be-, and Florence ut once
engaged it.. She did not see the man
hiding in the bushes. The two young
Women stepped into the taxicab and
were driven Off. They had been gone
less than five minutes when Jones re-
turned with his purchase, to find the
house empty of its most valuable asset.
he was furious, not only at the maid,
who. he realized, was virtually help
less, but at his own negligence.
In the midst of his violent h~arangue
the bell sounded. In his bones he knew
what was going to be found there. 1t
was a letter on the back Of which
was drawn the fatal black mask. With
shaking fingers he tore open the en-
velope and read the contents:
Florence is now in our power. Only the
surrender of the million will save her.
Our agent will call in an hour for an an
sWer.
THE BLACK HUNDRED.
As a matter of fact, they had wanted
Jones almost as badly as Florence.
but her desire for a book-some
popular story Of the day-had saved
him from the net. The letter had
been written against this possibility.
Jones became cool, now that he
knew just what to face. The Queen
hotel meant nothing. Florence would
not be taken there, He called up Nor
ton. 1t took all the buffers patience,
however. as it required seven different
calls to locate the reporter.
Meantime the taXicab containing
Florence and Susan spun madly toward
the water front. Here the two were
separated by an effective threat. Flor
ence recognized the man Vroon and
that to plead for mercy would
be a waste Of time. She permitted
herself to be led to a waiting launch.
Always when she disobeyed Jones
something like this happened. But
this time they had c~unningly struck
at her heart, and all thought Of her
nprSnnDl E0fatu hno,r,n -, ,.tl;-u
For the present she knew that she was
in no actual physical danger. She
was merely to be held as a hostage.
Would Susan have mentality enough
to tell Jones where the taxicab had
stopped? She doubted. In an emer-
gency Susan had proved herself a
n]onentity. a bundle of hysterical
thrills.
AS a matter of fact, for once Flor
ence's deductions were happily wrong.
When the chauffeur peremplorily de
posted Susan on the lonely country
road, several miles from home. she
ran hot-fOOt to the nearest telephone
and sent a very concise message
home. Susan was becoming acclimated
to this strange, exciting existence.
Norton arrived in due time. and
he and Jones were mapping out a plan
when Susan's message came.
Good girl" said Jones. She's
learning. Can you handle this alone. |
Norton? They want me out Of the
house again, for | believe they were
after me as we'll As Florence. Half
an hour gone"
Trust me-" cried Norton.
And he ran out to his auto. 1t was
a wild ride. Several policemen shouted
after him, but he went on unmlndful.
They could take his license number
a hundred times for az! he cared. SO
they had got her? They could wait
til their enemy's vigilance Stacked
and then would strike? Bur Susan. |
The mex time he saw Susan he was
going to take her in his arms and kiss |
Is I1SssEN -