The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1915-01-15

unending mystery annd secrecy have
a set purpose at back. Only. It does
just seem as ~ should go mad some,
times with waiting and wondering"
And If the truth must be told, it
is the same with me. We have to
wait for them to strike. Shall / get
you something new to read? am
going down to the drug store and
they have a circulating library"
Get me anything you please. But
I'd feel better with a little sunshine"
That's universal" replied Jones,
gong into the hall for his hat.
Had the telephone rung again at
that moment it is quite probable that
the day would have come to a close
as the day before had. monotonously.
But the ring came FIVE minutes after
Jones had left the house
Us this the Hargreave placer"
"Yes," said Florence. "Who is it?"
This is Miss Hargreave talldng?"
Eyes"
"This. is Doctor Morse. am at the
Queen hotel Mr. Norton has been
badly hurt, and he wants you and
i.
not tell just how serious the injury is.
He is just conscious. Shall I tell him
you viii come immediately"
Eyes, yesl"
Florence snapped the receiver on
the hook. She wanted to fly, fly. He
was hurt. How, when, where?
"Susani Susan!" she called.
what is it, Florence?" asked Susan,
running into the room.
Jim is badly hurt. He wants me to
come at once o. Susan! I've been
dreading something all day long" Flor
ence struck the maids bell. MY
wraps. You will go with me, Susan"
where. Miss Florence" asked the
maid, alive to her duty.
Where? What is that to your" de-
manded Florence, who did not know
that this maid was a detective.
"Why not wait till Mr.. Jones re-
turns?" she suggested patiently.
|. And let the. man l love dieY
vehemently.
AT least you win leave word where
you are going, Miss Florence
1.-THE Queen hotel And if you say
another word I'll discharge you. Come
Susan"
There happened to be a taxicab con
veniently near Gas Vroon took care
there should be-, and Florence at once
engaged it. She did not see the MAI
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 thu
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 harangu
the bell sounded. In his bones he knew
what was going to be found there.
was a letter on the back of whicl
was drawn the fatal black mask. Wit
shaking fingers he tore open the Ell
velope and read the contents:
..-gs-
Florence is now in our power. Only tn
surrender of the million viii save he
Our agent will call in an hour Tor an an
THE BLACK HUNDRED.
AS matter of fact, they had wante
Jones almost as badly as F1orenc'
but her desire for a, book-sOm
popular story of the day-had save
I him from the net. The letter ha
been written against this possibilit.
3 Jones became cool, now that b
knew just what to face. The Quee
hotel meant nothing. Florence woul
not be taken there. He called up No
ton. It took all the buffers patienc
however. as It required seven differer
calls to locate the reporter.
;, Meantime the taxicab containin
b. Florence and Susan spun madly towar
the water front. Here the two wei
separated by an effective threat. Flo
ence recognized the man VrOon an
knew that to plead for mercy woul
- be a waste of time. She permitte
- herself to be led to a waiting launc
- Always when she disobeyed Jon'
something like this happened. 81
y this time they had cunningly struC
at her heart, and all thought of h
personal safety became as nothin
For the present she knew that she WI
y in no actual physical danger 81
was merely to be held as a hostae
Would Susan have mentality enoul
n to tell Jones where the taxicab h
stopped? She doubted In an emit
gency Susan. had proved herself
nonentity, a bundle of hysteriC
thrills
AS a matter of fact, for once Fl
ence's deductions were happily wrol
When the chauffeur peremptOrily
posted Susan on the lonely count
road. several miles from home, S
ran hot-foot to the nearest telepho
and sent a very concise MESA
home. Susan was becoming acclimat
to this strange, exciting existence.
Norton arrived in due time, a
he and Jones were mapping cut a pl
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