Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-01-28

Ut something that fills you with terror
You are shaking now as you talk"
But it's not fear. uncle; it's the utter
incredibility Of the thlng!"
ION my word I've no solution to Of.
fer, except that the heat OF your hand
might have acted upon some chemical
in the cardboard" ,..t
That's absurd! But I'm going to
stick to II. But for the little blister on
my palm could easily believe that l
had been dreaming"
She retired to her boudoir. and Has
sam Ali went forth into the, night
The. following day Zudora sought
Storm. Would ne go with herr He
certainly would. despite appearances
The word rather amused, her. She
was serenely Indifferent as to what
her neighbors said or thought Of her
The general run Of them EYED her'sus-
piciously, perhaps just because she
possessed beauty and attractivenegs.
1t was only. idle people who gossiped;
busy persons always minded their own
business. At any rate. the place was
such a short jaunt out Of town that
they could return each evening.
As John knew little or nothing about
chemistry, 1t was beyond his power to
reason out the problem Of the burning
| photograph The two were on the way
to the old house when the second
phenomenon occurred
''Zudora. your hat!"
|. whats the matter with itT
"It'S On tiFe!"
Storm tore the hat from her head
ON it..
III be tinker dammed!' he explod:
ed. allow did that happen? ] wasn't
smoking and even then spark could
not have set fire to a hat like that
FMy dear girl, my advice Is little old
New York on the next train. A pho
tograph starts burning In your hand.
your hat flames up on your head.
There's some devilment going on that
neither like nor understand. Who
are these old menu
ZudOra shook her head dazedly. She
had paid $50 for that hat. she thought
with grim humOr.
LET us go back home" he'urged.
"NO. John 1intend to find out what
all these strange things mean. You
can go back If You wish"
"Hang 1t, I'm thinking Of your
81 know that. John. But / do not |
want any failures to my credit due to |
lack Of spirit. I'm going to see what
this means. have an idea that
shall never find any diamond"
I'm glad you think that" he replied.
my dear jri. some one is aiming at
you. PERHAPS some friend OF that chem
list Craig or whatever his name was
To tell you the truth, 1t is for that sort
of reason that did not want you to
go into this detective business There's
always some one hiding around the
corner with reprisal But you are de
termined to 70 to the end Of this?"
absolutely determined"
~ might kidnap YOU
"If you had kidnapped me months ago,
John. | should have been II happy wo
man." she said sadly but now it's
too late. I've got to go on. just got to
am sorry that | cannot explain any
more to you You've got to trust me
wholly"
~ do. girl. only worry for your
'afety In Rui1e like this a woman I
s given no more chance than u man.
md she IL handicapped because she Ii a
She can't fight like man
when she's In corner. The very I
lOthes on her interfere with her free
Iom of action All right. but there's
ne thing that's got to be. settled here =
nd now
"And what IL thatT' still eyinR the
at
THAT shall always be Ia on your
ases. somewhere in the background
Vhere can hear you call when you .
eed me" 4
II shall be glad Of that. John" Y
III you'd only marry me and settle
be whole blISiDessT
81 will some day. Surprising that n
e now make that call we started out b
} make" q
The two old collectors admitted IN u
IRA and Storm. and they began imme- n
ately TO ply her with questions. Iuany
which seemed odd to Storm. No: .,
idorn admitted that as yet she had
Il picked up any clew Had she
EN- to the pawnshops7 No Had she
own the photograph to any one YETI =,
lie had not shown II to living soul -
nd out Of the corner OF her eye she ~
ted the look Of surprise which was
between the two This
ince. swift as it was. gave her a -
w. but one which had no signifi ue
nee, so far as the missing diamond 'e,
is concerned. She az once determin
to say nothing about the burning 81
the nll''f".--.'LL ~ i1v uaL
On