Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-01-15

why not wait t:u Mr. Jones re
turns?" she suggested patiently
And let the man ! love die?"
yehemently.
AT least you will leave word where
you are going, Miss Florence"
THE Queen hotel. And if you say
another word I'll discharge you. Come
Susan"
There happened to be taxicab con-
veniently near (as Vroon took care
there should be>, and Florence at 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 harangue
the bell sounded In his bones he knew
what was going to be found there. 1t
was 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 matter of fact they had wanted
Jones almost as badly as Florence,
but her desire for 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 effeetive threat. Flor
ence recognized the man Vroon and
knew that to plead for mercy would
be a waste of time. She permitted
herself to be LED. to waiting launch.
Always when she disobeyed Jones
something like this happened. But
this time they had cunningly struck
at her heart, and all thought of her
i personal safety became as nothing.
For the present she knew that she was
| in x,1z Io
was merely to be held as 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
nonentity, bundle of hysterical
thrills.
i AS matter of fact, for once Flor,
ence's deductions were happily wrong
When the chauffeur peremptorily 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 plan
when Susans message came.
Good grill" said Jones. ''She's
learning. Can you handle this alone
Norton? They want me out of the
house again, for I believe they were
after me as well as Florence. Hal
an hour gone."
Trust mel" cried Norton.
And he ran out to his auto. It was
wild ride. Several policemen shouted
after him, but he went on unmindful
They could take his license numbel
a hundred times for all he cared. 81
they had got her? They could wal
til their enemy's vigilance Stacked
and then would strike? But. Susan
The next time he saw Susan he wa
going to take her in his arms and kis'