The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1915-01-25


walt TOT tnem to strike. Shall I get
you something new to read? 1 am
going down to the drug store and
they have 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 1t 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.
rs this the Hargreave placer"
Yes" said Florence. who is it?'
This is Miss Hargreave talking?"
YES"
This is Doctor Morse am at the
Queen hotel. Mr.. Norton has been
badly hurt, and he wants you and
Mr.. Jones to come at once We can
not tell just how serious the injury is
He is just conscious. Shall ptell him
YOU VIII COMO Immediately!
Eyes, yes!"
Florence snapped the receiver on
the hook. She wanted to fly, fly. He
was hurt. How, when, where?
Susan! 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 you?" 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 1 love die?"
vehemently.
"At least you will leave word where
you are going, Miss Florence"
THE Queen hotel. And if you say
another word I'll discharge you. Come
Susan"
There happened to be taxicab con-
veniently near (as Vroon took care
there should be), and Florence at once
engaged it. She did not see the man
hiding in the bushes. The two young
women stepped into the taxicab and
were driven off. They had been gone
less than fva r,jnufoS Whom Tomas ro
turned with his purchase, to find the
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 harangue
the bell sounded In his bones he knew
what was going to be found there. It
was a letter on the back of which
was drawn the fatal black mask. With
shaking fingers he tore open the en-
velope and read the contents:
surrender of the million will save her
Our agent will call in an hour for an an
swer.
THE BLACK HUNDRED.
AS matter Of fact, they had wanted
Jones almost as badly as Florence,
but her desire for a book-some
popular story of the day-had saved
him from the net. The letter had
been written against this possibility.
Jones became cool, now that he
knew just what to face. The Queen
hotel meant nothing. Florence would
not be taken there. He called up Nor
ton. 1t took all the buffers patience.
however, as it required seven different
calls to locate the reporter.
Meantime the taxicab containing
Florence and Susan spun madly toward
the water front. Here the two were
separated by an effective threat. Flor
ence recognized the man Vroon and
knew that to plead for mercy would
be a waste of time. She permitted
herself to be led to waiting launch.
Always when she disobeyed Jones
something like this happened. But
this time they had cunningly struck
at her heart, and all thought of her
personal safety became as nothing.
For the present she knew that she was
in no actual physical danger. She
was merely to be held as hostage.
Would Susan have mentality enough
to tell Jones where the taxicab had
stopped? She doubted. In an emer-
gency Susan had proved herself
nonentity, a bundle of hysterical
thrills.
AS a matter of fact, for once Flor
ence's deductions were happily wrong.
When the chauffeur peremptorily de-
posted Susan on the lonely country
road, several miles from home, she
ran hot-foot to the nearest telephone
and sent very concise MESSAGE