American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-05-20
CHAPTER XXI.
A Night Of Adventure.

Wy VI INC HubblaH agent, PROVIDED ne
could abduct his trio without serious.
y clashing with the New York police
authorities. II wal a recognized fact
that the local police force wanted the
newspaper glory which would attend
the crushing Of the Black Hundred.
II would be an exploit. But their glory
vas nil: nor did Se-van take his trio
back with him to Russia.
Many strange things happened that
night. the night OF the final adven.
ture.
Florence sat In her room reading.
The book was "Oliver Twist" not the
D~leasantest sort Of book to read un.
der the existing circumstances. sev
sral times-she had reached the place
where Fagin overheard Nancy's con.
fession-she fancied she heard doors
closing softly, but credited 1t to her
imagination. Poor Nancy. who want
ID to be good but did not find time to
bel Florence possessed a habit IA.
miliar to nest of US; the need Of ap.
plss or candy when we are reading.
So she rang the bell for her maid.
intending to ask her to bring up some
apples. She turned to her reading.
presently to break on and strike the
bell again. Where was that maid? She
Waited perhaps five minutes. then laid
down the book and began to investi-
gate.
There was not IA servant to be found
In the entire house! What In the
world could that mean? Used as she
vas to heartrending suspense. she was
anLe .he - ..r..aei. Something rad
aken the sery@.ses from the house.
From whence was the danger to come
this time? Where wal Jones? Why
lid he not return as he had promised?
II was long past the hour when he
said he would be back.
She went into the library and picked
10 the telephone. She was told that
ar. Norton was out on an assignment.
but that he would be notified the mo-
ment he returned. She opened a draw
or In the desk. She touched the au-
tomato, but did not take It up. She
left the drawer open. however.
Earlier. at the newspaper anice that
night, Jim went into the managing ed
ltors ONCE and laid a bulky manu-
script on that gentleman's desk.
lis this TT"
TT is." said Jim.
"You have captured themY"
mo; but there In a net about them
nom which not one shall escape.
There's the story of my adventures. of
the adventures OF Miss Hargreave and
the butler. Jones. you'n find II ex-
citing enough. You might Just as well
send II up to the composing room. At
midnight I'll telephone the introduce
tion. It's q scoop. Don't worry about
that"
The editor riffied the pages.
"A hundred and twelve pages, 800
words to the page: man It's u novel;"
"It1l read like one"
"Sit down for a moment and let me
skim through the irst story"
At the end of ten minutes the editor
laid down the copy. he opened a draw
or and took out two envelopes, The
blue one he tore up and dropped into
the waste basket. Norton understood
and smiled. They had meant to dis
charge him II he fell down. The other
envelope was a fat one.
"Open H." said the editor. smiling a
little to himsclf,
This envelope contained a check for
$4,000, two round-tsip iirstcfass tickets
to Liverpool. together with innumer-
able continental tickets such M are
issued to tourists.
"Why twoY" asked Jim. innocently.
Forget II. my boy. forget H. You
ought to know that in this office we
don't employ blind men. The whole
stan Is on. There you are. n fat check
and three months vacation. Go and
get married: and II you return before
the three months are up I'll fire You
ayself on general principles"
Jim laughed happily and the two
men shook hands. Then Jim went
forth to complete the big assignment.
Five minutes later Florence called him
up to learn that he had gone.
What should she dor Jones had
told her to stay In the house aud not
to leave n. But where Wa hef Why
did he not GOMEZ What WAS the mean.
tag OF this desertion by the servantsY
She wandered about aimlessly. looking
out OF windows. imagining forms In
the shadows. Her Imagination had
not deceived her: she had heard doors
close softly.
Susan. susan!" she murmured: but
Susan was In the hospital.
"Oliver TWIST" What had possessed
her to start reading that old tale
again! She should have read some
thing Of a light and Joyous character.
After half an hours wandering about
the lonely house she returned to the
library. feeling that she would be
safer where both telephone and re,
volver were.
And while she sat waiting for she
knew not what. her swiftly beating
heart sending the blood into her throat
20 that II almost suffocated her. a man
turned into the street and walked
noiseiessly toward the Hargreave
place. He passed a man leaning