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

L y.
q child any longer. You are woman,
brave and patient; and know that l
could trust you with any secret have
or own. But sometimes person may
have q secret which Is not his and
which he hasn't any right to DIS
close"
She became silent for awhile. II.
hate money" she said. Il hate it..
hate it,"
ITS mighty comfortable to have IT.
around sometimes" he countered.
CAS- in my case, for instance. II 1
were Door and had to work no one;
would bother me-"
81 would" he declared, laughing;
Come; let's throw off moods and go:
into town for tea at the Rose Garden;
and If you feel strong enough Well
trip the light fantastic"
They had been gone from the house,
less than an hour when man ran
up the steps of the veranda and rang
the bell. Jones being busy at the rear
of the house, the maid came to the,
door.
"Is Miss Hargreave in?" the stran-
ger asked.
NO." abruptly. The door began to-
close ever so slowly.
do you know where can find
herr"
The maid eyed him with covert KEEN
ness; then, remembering that the re-
porter was with Florepce, said: Il
believe she Is at the Rose Garden this
afternoon"
THAT is in town."
eyes,"
Thanks" The man turned abruptly
and ran down the steps.
The maid ran back to Jones.
'Why didn't you call me?" he de-
manded impatiently.
There wasn't time"
did you tell him where she was?
Eyes. But shouldn't have told him
If Mr.. Norton had not been with Miss
Florence"
Jones ran to the front, dashed out,
eyed the back of the man Fastening
down the street, smiled, and returned
to his work, or, rather, to the maid.
He took her by the shoulder, whirled
her about, and shot look into her
eyes that quailed her.
always call me hereafter, no mat
ter what I'm doing. That man has
never laid eyes on Florence and has
no idea what she looks like. Why did
you drug my coffee the night of that
.ball?"
She stepped back.
"And how much did they pay you
for letting that doctor send Florence
to Atlantic City? l know everything.
Hereafter, walk straight. II you play
another trick I'll kill you with these
two hands. And listen and tell this
to your confederates: I always know
every move they make; that is why no
one is missing from this house. There
is traitor. Let them find him IL they
can. Will you walk straight. or will
you leave?"
I'll will walk straight" she fal.
tered. "The money was too big q
temptation"
did they give it to your"
Eyes. And more to stay here. But
this Is the first bit Of dishonest work
I ever did"
well, remember what I have said.
Another misstep and I'll make an end
to you. Don't think I'm trying to
scare you. You've Witnessed enough
to know that It's life and death In
this house. Now run along"
At the Garden Jim and Florence
sauntered among the crowd. not hav-
ing any particular objective point In
view.
"Sh!" whispered jim.
what is it,"
"Olga Perigon Is yonder in boz. ::
Very we'll; let US go and sit with.
her. Is she alone?"
Apparently. But don't you think
we'd better go elsewhere?"
my dear young man." said Flor
ence with mock loftiness, "Olga PERL
goff has written me down as q sim.
pie young fool, and that is why, sooner'
ior later, I'm going to put the shoe
on the other foot You and Jones
have coddled me long enough. Inas-,
much as am the stake they are play
ing for, intend to have something
more than speaking part in the
play"
"All right; you're the admiral" he
said with pretended lightness.
So the two of them joined their
subtle enemy, conscious Of Jingle.
of zest as they did so. On her part.
the countess was always suspicious OF
this sleepy-eyed reporter. She never
could tell how much he knew. But
of Florence she was reasonably GER
tain; and so long as she could fool
the pretty infant the suspicious Of the
reporter were a negligible guam
tity. She greeted them effusively and
offered them chairs. For half an hour
they sat there, chatting inanities, all
the while each mind busy with deeper
concerns.
When the man in search Of Flor
ence eventually arrived and asked the
v,oopooor ~ tho po rdon ~ ho knew