The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1915-03-25

Man cannot let go In that fashion; IL
Is a sign OF weakness; and he dared
not let ever Susan see any sign OF
weakness In him.
So the reporter had found her. and
she was safe and sound and on her
way to New York? Knowing by this
time something OF the reporters cour-
age, he was eager to learn how the
event had come about. When he had
not had a telephone message from
Norton in 4S hours, he had decided
that the Black Hundred had finally
succeeded in getting hold of him. IL
had been something OF a blow; for
while he looked with disfavor upon
the reporters frank regard for his
charge, he appreciated the fact that
Norton was a staff to lean On. and had
behind him all the power of the press,
which included the privilege OF going
everywhere even if one could not al
ways get back.
AS he folded the telegram and put
it into his pocket, he observed the
man with the opera glasses over the
way. He shrugged. Well, let him
watch till his eyes dropped out of his
vas intended for his eyes. Still, it
was irksome to feel that no matter
when Or where you moved, watching
eyes observed and chronicled these
movements.
Suddenly. not being devoid Of a
| Sangn nf drU hnnnnr InnnS StnnnAH
over to the telephone and called up
her h~ighness the Princess Perigoff.
Who is ito"
He was forced to admit, however
reluctantly, that the woman had a
marvelously fine speaking voice.
1T is Jones, madam"
'Jones?"
Mr.. Ha~rgreaye's butler. madam"
20! You have news Of Florence?"
Yes" 1t will be an embarrassing
day for humanity when some one in
vents a Photographic apparatus by
which two persons at the two ends OF
the telephone may observe the facial
expressions Of each other.
What is it? Tell me quickly"
Florence has been found, and she
is on her way back to New York. She
was found by Mr.. Norton, the report,
err"
Il am so glad, Shall come up at
once and have you tell me the whole
amazing story?"
1t would be useless, madam, for /
know nothing except what | learned
from a telegram | have just received.
But no doubt some time this evening
you might risk a call"
Ring up the instant she returns.
Did she say what train?"
NO, madam" lied Jones, smiling.
He hung up the receiver and stared
at the telephone as if he would force
his gaze in and through it to the
woman at the other end. Flesh and
blood. Well, greed was stronger than
that. Tr~eacherous cat, Let her play;
let her weave her nets. dig her pits.
The day would come, and it was not
far distant. when she would find that
the mild eyed mongoose was just as
deadly as the cobra, and far more
cunning.
The heads of the Black Hundred
must be destroyed. Those were the
orders. What good to denounce them.
to send them to q prison from which,
with the aid of money and a tremen-
dous secret political pull. they might
readily find their way out? They must
be e~Xterminated, as n kills off the
poisonous plague rats OF the Orient.
A woman? In the law OF rcprisal
there was no sex.
Shortly after the telephone episode
(which rather puzzled the princess)
she received a wire from Braine, which
announced the fact that Florence and
five had escaped and were coming to
vised her to meet the train en- route.
She had to fly about to do 1t.
When Captain Bannock released
Rralne, he had been in no enviable
frame of mind. Tricked, fooled by the
girl, whose mind was as unclouded as
his own! She had succeeded In bribing
a coal stoker, and had taken him un,
awares. The man had donned the dis
guise he had laid out for shore APP
proach, n the blockhead Bannock
had never suspected. He had not rec
ognized Norton at all. 1t was only
when Bannock explained the history
Of the shanghaied stoker that he real
lied his real danger. Norton! He must
be pushed of the board. After this
episode he could no longer keep up
the pretense OF being friendly. Nor.
ton, by n rare stroke OF luck, had
forced him out into the open. So be
1t. Self-preservation is In no wise
looked upon as criminal. The law may
have its ideas about 1t. but the in
dividual recognizes no law but it's own.
1t was Braine whom he loved and ad-
mired, or Norton whom he hated as
a dog with rabies hates water. With
Norton free, he would never again
dare return to New York openly. This
meddling reporter aimed at his ease
and elegance.
He left the freighter as soon as a
boat could carry him ashore. The
fugitives would make directly for the
railroad. and thither he went at top
speed, TO arrive ten minutes too late.
"Free!" said Florence, as the train
began to increase its speed.
Norton rpachad ryor anI natt1I