The Spectator., 1916-04-28
girl had started. It was like falling

ride did you hear pistol shots last night?"
 "I heard some noise, but I was so sleepy I didn't try to figure out what it was"
 Did you, Jones?'
 Yes, Miss Florence. The shots came from the street. A policeman came running up later and said he saw two automobiles on the run. But evidently there wasn't anybody hurt. One has to be careful at night now adays. There are pretty bad men abroad. Did you enjoy the ride?"
 Very much. But there were spots of blood on the walk near the corner.
 "Blood?" Jones caught the back of chair to steady himself.
 Yes So some one was hurt. Oh, let's leave this place!" impulsively. Let us go back to Miss Farlow's- You could find a place in the village, Jones. But if stay here much longer in this state of unrest I shall lose faith in everything and everybody Whoever my fathers enemies are, they do not lack persistence. They have made two attempts against my liberty. and sooner or later they will succeed l keep looking over my shoulder all the time. If l hear noise jump"
 Miss Florence. if I thought it wise. you should be packed off to Miss Far lows this minute. But not an hour or the day or night passes without this house being watched. l seldom see anybody about I can only sense the presence of a watcher. At Miss Far lows you would be far more like a prisoner than here. l could not ae company you. 1 am forbidden to de sert this house.
 My fathers orders?"
 Jones signified neither one way nol the other. He merely gazed stolidly at the rug.
 That blood!" She sprang from her chair. mortified. Tt was his! He was here last night, and they sho' him, O."
 There, there, Miss Florence! The man WAS OHly SllSlIlS NouhNSN' where they never will look for him. Then Jones continued, as with an CT fort: Trust me. Miss Florence. II would not pay to run away. The whole affair would be repeated else where. We might go to the other end of the world, but it would not serve us in the least. It is not question or escape. but of who shall vanquish the other. There is nothing to do but re main here and fight, fight. fight. w have put four of them in the Tombs to say nothing of the gunmen. Thar Is what we must do-put them in a safe place. one by one, till we reach | the master. Then only may we breathe in safety But if they watch so do we There is never moment when help is not within reach, no mat ter where you go. So long as you do not deceive me, no real harm shall be fall you. Don't cry. Be your fathers daughter, as am his servant"
 Il am very unhappy" And Flor 1 ence threw her arms around Susan and laid her head upon her friend S l shoulder.
 Poor child!" Susan, however, rec ognized the wisdom of Jones state ments. They were safest here. l The morning rides continued. To the girl, who loved the open. it was glorious fun. Those mad gallops along the roads, the smell of earth and | s,x I4 second best moments of her day. The | first? She invariably blushed when she considered what these first best moments were. He was brave young man, good to look at, witty. and al ways cheerful. Why shouldn't she like him? Even Jones liked him Jones, who didn't seem to like any | body. It did not matter whether he was wise or not; worldly point of view was farthest from her youthful 1 thoughts. It was her own affair; her own heart.
 l Five days later, as she and the rid ing master were cantering along the road, enjoying every bit of it. they heard the beat of hoofs behind. They drew up and turned. A rider was ap- preaching them at run. It was the head groom The man stopped his horse in a cloud of dust.
 Sir, the stables are on fire!"
 "Fire?"
 All the riding masters savings were invested in the stables. The fact that he had solemnly promised never to leave Florence alone. and that he had accepted generous bonus slipped from his mind at the thought of fire. a terrible word to any horseman. He wheeled and started off at breakneck speed his head groom clattering be- hind him.
 Florence naturally wondered which of two courses to pursue; follow them. when she would be perfectly helpless to aid them, or continue the ride and save at least one horse from the ter TOT of seeing flames. She chose the latter. But she did not ride with the