The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-01-06

I
aiken the servants from the house.
from whence was the danger to come
his time? Where was Jones? Why
idid he not return as he had promised?
1t was long past the hour when he
said he would be back.
She went into the library and picked
up the telephone. She was told that
Mr.. Norton was out on an assignment,
but that he would be notified the mo-
ment he returned. She opened draw
er in the desk. She touched the au-
tomato, but did not take it up. She
left the drawer open, however.
Earlier, at the newspaper office that
night, Jim went into the managing ed
itor's Office and laid a bulky manu-
script on that gentleman's desk. =
rs this it?"
1T is" said Jim.
''You have captured them%
mo; but there is a net about them
from which not one shall escape.
There's the story of my adventures, of
the adventures of Miss Hargreave and
the butler, Jones. You'll find It ex-
citing enough. You might Just as we'll
midnight I'll telephone the introduce
ton. It's a scoop. Don't worry about
that"
The editor riffled the pages.
"A hundred and twelve pages, 800
words to the page; man it's novel;!
It'll read like one"
"Sit down for a moment and let me
skim through the first story"
At the end Of ten minutes the editor
laid down the copy. He opened draw
er 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 if he fell down. The other
envelope was a fat one.
open it, said the editor, smiling a
little to himself.
This envelope contained a check for
$4,000, two round-trip first-class tickets
to Liverpool. together with innumer
able continental tickets such as are
issued to tourists.
why two?" asked Jim, innocently
Forget it, my boy, forget it. Yor
ought to know that in this office We
don't employ blind men. The whole
staff is on. There you are, fat checl
and three months vacation. Go ant
get married; and if you return before
the three months are up I'll fire yol
myself on general principles"
Jim laughed happily and the tw'
men shook hands. Then Jim wen
forth to complete the big assignment
Five minutes later Florence called hin
up to learn that he had gone.
What should she do? Jones ha
told her to stay in the house and no
to leave it. But where was he? VIII
did he not come? What was the NEAR
ing of his desertion by the servants
She wandered about aimlessly, lookin
out of windows, imagining forms i
the shadows. Her imagination ha
not deceived her; she had heard door
close softly.
Susan, Susan!" she murmured; BIT
Susan was in the hospital.
"Oliver TWIST" What had possesse
her to start reading that old tai
again? She should have read som
thing of a light and joyous characte
After half an hours wandering abol
the lonely house she returned to tn
library, feeling that she would /
safer where both telephone and r
volver were.
And while she sat waiting for ST
knew not what, her swiftly beatir
heart sending the blood into her thro;
so that it almost suffocated her, ma
turned into the street and wake
noiselessly toward the HargreaN
place. He passed a man leanir
against a lamppost, but he new
turned to look at him.
This man, however, threw away h
cigar and hot-footed it to the neare
pay station. He knew in his soul TIL
he had Just seen the man for who
they had been hunting all these veal
but strenuous weeks-Stanley Ha
greave in the flesh! Half an ho1
after his telephone message the chi
of the Black Hundred and many less
lights were on their way to the hou'
of mystery. Had they but known!
Now, the man who had created tn
tremendous agitation went serene
on. He proceeded directly end fea
lessly to the front door, produced
latchkey and entered. He pass
through the hall and reception roo
to the library and paused on Il
threshold dramatically. Floren
stepped back with a sharp cry
alarm. She had heard the hall do
open and close and had taken it
granted that Jones had entered.
There was a tableau of short dul
ton.
Don't you know me?" asked t
stranger in singularly pleasant volt
too many times. She shook her he
defantly. though her knees shook
that she was certain that the lea
touch would send her over.
81 am your father, child"
Florence slipped unsteadily behi
the desk and seized the revolver viii
lay in the drawer. The man by t
curtains smiled sadly. 1t was a SIN
that caused Florence to waver a /
Still she extended her arm.
you do not believe me?" said t
man, advancing slowly.
mo. I have been deceived too ma
times, sir. Stay where you are. Y
will wait here till my butler retur
Oh, if / were only sure!" she blu
out su6(Aenly and passionately. "Wl
proof have you that you are what }
say?"
He came toward her, holding out
hands. This, that you cannot sh,
me. All, the damnable wretch,
What have they done to you, my chi
to make you suspicious of every OF
How l have watched over you in
street, will tell you what only Jol
and the reporter know, that the az
tor died, that 1 alone was rescu
that 1 gave Norton the five thousa1