The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-25

from the window when the attendant returned With him a mddle-aged man, with the pointed beard and alert, professional manner of a physician. It needed no introduction to define him Doctor Ludlow, the head of the institu- ton. Mona at from her chair, and drew him apart from Mary, who sat looking from the window, apparently oblivious to the others entrance.
 May I talk to you in private?" the girl asked indicating her companion with a little gesture. The doctor nodded, and led the way into a long inner corridor into which the outer office led
 My sister is suffering from severe nervous shock explained Mona. T don't know just how serious it may be, but I have come to the con- clusion that she needs expert attendance and treatment-and your institution has been recom- mended to me as one where she will receive the best of I should like to discuss her with you, and if we arrange terms, per haps-"
 Doctor Ludlow nodded sympathetically, evi. dently not at all ayerse to the suggestion of a patient. For few moments Mona ex- plained, with wonderfully improvised complete ness, the details of her sisters" malady, and then the doctor set forth the terms of the insti- tuition, and the treatment which he endeavored to administer to patients of the character described to him. Mona purposey haggled somewhat over the terms, and the two were deep in the discus sion of the subject when from somewhere in the building came the sounds of violent scuffle, and the shouts of a
 The next moment haggard figure burst into the corridor, with uniformed attendant hanging to his arms, and endeavoring to drag him back It Rowland Maxwell.
 With muttered curse, Doctor Ludlow spran0 back from Mona's side and rushed toward the struggling pair. Before he could reach them, Maxwell, with sudden twist, had jerked him. self free from the attendants arms and hurled the guard limping into Without word Doctor Ludlow flung himself Maxwells shoul- ders, and the two swayed back and forth, Lud- low, forcing the refractory patient" back into the hall from which he had escaped
 Mona could hear the scuffle continuing be- hind the door. She hesitated for moment and then, stealing forward, tried the handle. It turned in her hand and the door swung open Maxwell had been thrown into chair almost unconscious while Ludlow disappearing through another door at the end of the corridor evidently in search of achievements. Mona that for the time at least the coast clear. With swift glance in the direction which Ludlow had taken, she to Maxwells side, and as the man stared up at her stupidly in kind of vague recognition, she whispered briefly: Help is near! Pretend to be subdued, and watch for the appearance of friends tonight
 It four o'clock in the afternoon when the machine again rolled through the spiked trance gateway of the Restview Sanitarium. Mary gazed about her with open uncertainty and hesi- tancy, but Mona met the situation serenely. She confident that if the other girl were running into peril, she had made arrangements that would extricate her before serious results could happen. And they were playing for stakes that demanded certain element of risk! Everything went well and that night Mary admitted Mona, with two paid keepers into the institution. They held up the guard and quieckly found Maxwell's
 
 It in the early morning when the au- tomobile drew up again before the entrance of the Grand Hotel. Mona's plans had already been made and a hasty consultation with the bewild- cred Maxwell had brought nasty assent from him. Covering the fnancier in long automo- bile duster, and pulling cap well down his face, the two girls proceeded with him through the lobby and to the elevator, without any ink ling of the missing mans reappearance reaching the night clerk at the desk When the three safe in the sitting-room of the girls suite, Mona cka hnd onI6l 6lyy fnr Mo pf <In events of the past twenty -four hours-and the fnancier, beginning to from his dis quieting experience, added such details necessary for thorough understanding of the situation. Mona's surmse that he had been kid mapped by enemies the market correct. His disappearance had been engineered by Messrs. Durkin and Wentworth, following his refusal to aid them in their scheme to force down the mar ket Maxwell paced restlessly back and forth the his keen mind, restored to normal, began to appreciate the full enormity of what had been done, and how much he owed to the quick wit of his two young friends.
 We will, of course, keep my reappearance secret until we see how the market breaks" he decided, but we had better get someone out to the internal sanitarum without delay Your must be about exhausted with his vigil and besides if Wentworth Durkin think to phone the place, they will learn at what has happened. We must guard against that hap pening until we ready to spring our little sur prise"
 Maxwell's little Surprise" when it was fin ally sprung at about noon, proved all that could have been desired. The two consprators lit orally caught red-handed and suffered them- selves to be led into custody without word. Even when they met Doctor Ludlow at the police sta tion their stupefaction and bewilderment were great that they accepted this last crushing blow without word With the sudden reappear- of Maxwell, the artificial dehated stock jumped back to normal with surprising bound, and the fnancier returned to his hotel late in the afternoon, the whole very well satisfied with the days developments
 His first action to summon Mary and Mona, and they stepped into the room, he pressed into their hands two checks.
 q took the liberty of investing few hun dred for you in Muniton Stock before I sent the market up again he explained. ''I thought you were entitled to profit by what you have done" And then before they could utter word of thanks he produced telegram from his desk
 My secretary has been unexpectedly de- tained. But I have decided not to wait for hi report on your plans. You may count fully prepared to cooperate with you, young ladies, in any prospect which you may recommend to me-" An hour later, in the privacy of their room, Mary threw herself into Mona's arms with . little laugh of sheer delight.
 Ut too good to be true-doesn't it, dear?"
 T fancy you will find these checks will seem true enough when you present them at the bank" returned the more practical Mona.