Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-02-12

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
manager of the garden If he knew
Miss Hargreave by sight the manager
pointed toward the box The man
wound his way in and out of the idlers
and by the time he reached the box
Jim and Florence had made their de-
parture. The man bowed, approached.
and asked If she was Miss Hargreave.
For moment the countess suspected
trap. Then it appealed to her mind
that If there was no trap it might be
well to pose as Florence, If cnly to
learn what the outcome might bel
Yes. What is wanted?" she asked.
The man took letter from his
pocket and handed it to Olga, saying;
Give this to your father. He knows
how to read it."
Before she could reply the r.ar had
turned and was hurrying away.
Olga opened the note, her heart
beating furiously. 1t was utterly
blank. AT first she thought it was
hoax. Then she happened to remem-
Der that there was such thing as in
visible Ink. At last! Hargreave was
alive; this letter settled all doubt in
her mind on this question. Alive.
And not only that, but the girl and
Jones were evidently in communica-
ton with him. She summoned a
waiter, made a secret sign, and he
bowed and approached. She slipped
the letter into his hand and whis-
pered: Show that at the cave to-
morrow. 1t is in invisible ink and
meant for Hargreave."
Hes alive?"
Positively"
"Very WELL" Fhe waiter bowed and
strolled away nonchalantly.
Braine was in Boston over night,
otherwise the countess would have
taken the mysterious note at once to
him. She remained for perhaps a
quarter of an hour longer and then left
the garden. She would have taken the
letter to her own apartment but for
tho fact that the chemicals needed
were hidden in the cave.
! Now it happened that Florence went
} Oh. for her early ride the next morn
log, and crossing field she saw q
7 man with bundle under his arm
} The sun struck his profile and limnet
} it plainly, and Florence uttered a low
7 cry. The man had not observed her
} So. very quietly, she. slipped from the
, horse, tethered it to tree, and started
after the man to learn what >he wal
] doing so far from the city. She woult
never forget that face. She had seel
7 it that dreadful night when the not
a had lured her into the hands of he
enemies The face belonged to tn
man who had impersonated her father
t 1t occurred to her that she nigh
K Just as we'll do little detective worl
on her own hook. She had passe
|. through so many terrifying episode
d that she was beginning to crave TO
o the excitement, strange as this ma
b seem Like a gambler who has one
n played for high stakes, she no longe
found pleasure in thimbles and needle
e and pins. She followed the man wit
y no little skill and at length saw hiI
n approach knoll, stoop, apparentl
press a spring. and a hole suddenl
yawned. The man vanished quickl.
and the spot took on again its vi
: ginal appearance. A cave. Florenc
b had the patience to wait. BY and
the man appeared again and slun
X away.
When she was sure that he was b.
r yond range, she came out from th
L place of concealment, crept up th
n knoll, and searched about for the magi
r handle OF this strange door. Diligenc
e rewarded her. and she soon foun
, herself in large, musty, earth-smel
| ing cave Loot was scattered abou
| and there were boxes and chairs an
| a large chest Men evidently m,
| here, possibly after some desperat
| adventure against society. She four
| nothing to reward her hardihood, ar
| as she was in the act Of moving t
| ward the caves door she beheld wit
| terror that it was moving!
| She was near the chest at that m
4 ment. The cave was not deep on
i There was no tunnel, only a wa
II Resolutely she raised the lid of Il
i chest, stepped inside, and drew Il
Il lid down. She was just in time. tt
II door opened and three men entere
i talking yolubly. They felt perfect
II secure in TALKING as loudly as tht
II pleased. To Florence it seemed {
H most impossible that they did n
| hear the thunder Of her heart? Stra
H her ears as she might, she could gat
II u hut little of what they said, excep
H "If Hargreave had this paper v
h might all be n,.t on the defensive. 7
H an outsider 1t is Blank paper. B
II the boss win be able, to s7ad it. 81.
H The speaker moved away from II
II vicinity of the chest and she ilea
II no more.
II Very deftly Florence raised the
just enough to peep out. The mi
who had been talking was putting Il
note in his hip pocket. AS he turn
toward the chest he sat down on L
ed soapbox Immediately in front of t
chest. An inspiration came to the gi
an exceedingly daring one. She to-
es her liberty in her hands as she {
is- ecuted the deed. But the dimness
~ the cave aided her. When she crouc
ng ed down again the magic paper W
he hers
1t seemed hours to her before t
he men left the cave. AS she heard t
hidden door jar In closing she rails
cir the lid and stepped out, breathi
gle deeply. The paper she had purloin
TT, was indeed blank, but Jones or J
OF would know what to do with it. A
1er wouldn't they be surprised when g
~~-~-~-~~~~-~~~~~-~~>~