Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1915-07-09
Indeed. m1ssY-

mite out OF ner, out she mad beauti-
fdl ring on her finger. She wants
Susan and me to 60 to the opera with
Ter tonight. VIII that be all right"
Jones gazed abstractedly at the rug.
Whenever a problem bothered him he
seemed to find the so rtion in the deli
cate patterns of the Persian rugs. FL
nally he nodded. Il see no reason
why you should not go. Only, watch
out"
jones. there is one thing that will
make me brave and happy. Will you
tell me if you are in direct commu-
.nication with my father?"
Yes, Miss Florence, he answered
promptly. But do not breathe this
to a single SOUL neither Susan nor
Norton"
Il promise that. But, ah! hasten
the day when he can come to me
without fear"
THAT is my wish also"
You need not call me miss. Why
should your"
1T might not be wise to have any
one hear me call you thus Familiarity"
he objected gravely.
please yourself about that Now !
must telephone Jim"
"Jim?" the butler murmured.
He caught the word which was not
intended for his ears. But for once
Jones had been startled out of him
self
is it wrong for me to call Mr. Nor
ton Jim?" she asked with a bit of
banter.
"It is not considered quite the prop
er thing, Miss Florence, to call a
young man by his first name unless
you are engaged to marry him, or
grew up with him from childhood"
We'll, supposing we're engaged to
him." haughtily.
That would be a very grave affair.
What have you to prove that he may
not wish to marry you for your
money!"
why, Jones, you know that /
haven't penny in the world l can
call my own! There is nothing to
prove, except your word, that l am
Stanley Hargreaves daughter"
No, there is nothing to prove that
you are his daughter But hasn't it
ever occurred to you that there might
be purpose back Of this? Might it
not be of inestimable value that your
fathers enemies should be le"- in
doubt? Might 1t not be a means of
holding them on the leash? There is
proof ample proof my child; and
when the time comes these will be
shown you. But meantime put all
thought of marrying Mr.. Norton out
of your mind"
That I refuse to do" quietly. 81
an at least mistress of my heart:
and no one shall dictate to me whom
shall or shall not marry. love Mr..
Norton and he loves me, knowing that
may not be an heiress after all. And
some day | shall marry him.
Jones bowed. This seemed to an
pear final to him, and nothing more
was to be said.
Norton did not return to his rooms
till seven. He found the telephone
call and also a note in handwriting
unfamiliar. He tore off the envelope
and found the contents to be from the
Countess Perigoff.
call at eight tonight" he read. 81
have an important news story for you.
Iell no one, as | cannot be involved
In the case. Cordially, Olga, Countess
Perigoff."
Humph! Norton twiddled the note
IN his fingers and at length rolled it
into a ball and threw it into the waste
basket. He, too, made a mistake; he
should have kept that note. He
dressed, dined, and hurried off to the
apartments of the countess.
He arrived ten minutes before Flor
ence and Susan.
And Jones did some rapid telephon-
ing
How long, how long." the butler
murmured. How long would this
strange combat last? The strain was
terrible. He slept but little during
the nights, for his ears were always
waiting for sounds. He had cast
the chest into the sea, and it would
take dozen expert divers to locate
1t. And now, atop of all these wor-
ries, the child must fall in love with
the first comerl 1t was heartbreak-
ing. Norton. so far as he had learned.
was cool and brave, honest and reli-
able in pinch; but as the husband
of Stanley Hargreave's daughter, that
was altogether different matter. And
he must devise some means of putting
stop to it, but
But he was saved that trouble.
Mongoose and cobra, that was the
game being played; the cunning of
the one against the deadly venom of
the other If he forced matters he
would only lay himself open to the
strike of the snake. He must have
patience. Gradually they were break
ing the organization, looping off a
branch here and there, but the peace
Of the future depended upon getting
a grip on the spine of the cobra him
self.
The trick was simple. The count
ess had news; trust her for that. She
II, 4