Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1915-06-04

ing shadows. This did not impress the
reporter at the time; he had no other
thought but the story. Jones then
sat down beside the reporter and
talked in an undertone When he
had done he took Norton by the elbow
and gently but forcibly led him down
to the front door and ushered him
forth. Norton jumped into his taxicab
and returned to his rooms, which
were at the top Of the huge apart
ment hotel He Immediately called up
his managing editor.
Hello! This is Norton. Put Griffin
on the Hargreaye yarn. I'm off on
another deal"
But Hargreave was a friend of
yours" protested the managing ed
flor.
81 know it. But you know me well
enough, Mr.. Blair. | should not ask
the transfer If 1t was not vitality i'm
portant
20, very we'll"
I'VE sha'n't be scored"
eff you can promise that, don't
care who works on the job. viii you
be in the office tonight"
IF nothing prevents me-"
We'll, goodby."
Norton filled his pipe, drew his
chair to the window, and stared at
ahe great liner going down to sea.
Lord, Lord!" he murmured. Then
he smiled and chuckled. Some bright
morning he would have all New York
by the ears, the police running round
in circles, and the chiefs of the rival
sheets tearing their hair. What a
story! Four columns on the first page,
and two whole pages Sunday.
And all of sudden he ceased to
smile and chuckle.
In the living room of the Princess
Olga Perigoff's apartment the mistress
lay reading on the divan There was
no cigarette between her well shaped
lips, for she was not the accepted type
of adventuresss In fact, she was not
an adventures; she was really the
Princess Perigoff, Her maiden name
had been Olga Pushkin; but more of
that later.
When Braine came In he found her
dreaming with half closed eyes, He
flourished an evening newspaper
"Olga, even the best of US make
mistakes. Here, just glance over
this."
The Russian accepted the newspas
per and read the heading Indicated:
"Aeronaut picked up Tar out at sea,
Slips ashore from tramp steamer. Had
five thousand in cash in his pockets"
"Hargreave escaped"
mot necessarily" she replied. IF
1t was Hargreave> he would have had
more than five thousand in his peck
cts. My friend I believe it an at.
tempt to fool you: or 1t is another
man entirely" She clicked her teeth
with the tops of her polished nails.
There are two young women in
the house. What the deuce can that
fnean?"
1.-TWO young women? o! then ev-
erythfng's as simple as daylight. Kat
rina Pushkin, my cousin, had child"
Child? Hargreave had child?
What do you mean by keeping this
fact from me?" he stormed.
"It was useless till this moment He
probably sent for her yesterday; but
In his effort to escape had to turn her
over to his butler. We shall soon
learn whether Hargreave is dead or
alive. We can use the child to bring
him back"
The anger went out of his eyes.
You're wonder, Olga"
But you should have gone with
Vroon last night. He does everything
just as you tell him. When they re-
ported that Hargreave had visited
Ort's hangar you ought to have pre-
pared against such coup as flight
through the air"
II admit it. But daughter! Well,
can bring him back" with sinister
laugh. "By the Lord Harry, have
him in my hands this time, that Is, IL
this girl turns out to be his daughter.
A million? Two, three, all he has in
the world ! want you to pay visit
right away. Watch the butler, Jones.
He'll lie, of course; but note how he
treats the girl; and If you get the
chance look around the walls for a
secret panel. He might not have car
ried away the cash at all, only enough
for his immediate needs, which would
account for that five thousand on the
man picked up at sea. If could only
get inside that house for an hour!"
IT believe I'll call at once. Leo,
was Hargreave the mans real name?'
Braine laughed. '"That is of no vital
consequence. He will be Hargreave
till the end Of the chapter, dead or
alive. You can tell me the news at
dinner tonight"
So, later. when the butler accepted
her card at the door, loath as he
might be, there was nothing for him
to do but admit her.
Whom do you wish to see
madam" stepping back into the shad
ow.
Miss Hargreave. I'm an old friend
of her mothers"
There is no such person here"
To, xxyho III Lok 4,