The Spectator., 1916-05-19

ain; and so long as she could fool he pretty infant the suspicious of the reporter were negligible quan- ity. She greeted them effusively and offered them chairs. For half an hour hey sat there, chatting inanities, all he while each mind busy with deeper concerns.
 When the man in search of Flor snce eventually arrived and asked the manager of the garden If he knew Miss Hargreave by sight the manager pointed toward the box. The man wound his way in and out of the idlers md by the time he reached the box linn and Florence had made their de- 1arture. The man bowed, approached. and asked if she was Miss Hargreave. For moment the countess suspected l trap. Then it appealed to her mind hat if there was no trap it might be we'll to pose as Florence, if only to earn what the outcome might be.
 "Yes. What is wanted?" she asked.
 The man took a letter from his pocket and handed it to Olga, saying: Give this to your father. He knows now to read it."
 1 BefoSe she could reply the man had turned and was hurrying away.
 Olga opened the note, her heart beating furiously. It was utterly blank. At first she thought it was hoax. Then she happened to remem- Der that there was such a thing as in- visible ink. At last! Hargreave was alive; this letter settled all doubt in her mind on this question. Alive. And not only that, but the girl and Jones were evidently in communica- ion with him. She summoned waiter, made secret sign, and he bowed and approached. She slipped the letter into his hand and whis- pered: show that at the cave to- morrow. It is in invisible ink and meant for Hargreave."
 He's alive?"
 Positively"
 "Very we'll" The waiter bowed and strolled away nonchalantly.
 Braine was in Boston over night, otherwise the countess would have taken the mysterious note at once to him. She remained for perhaps a quarter of an hour longer and then left the garden. She would have taken the letter to her own apartment but for the fact that the chemicals needed were hidden in the cave.
 Now it happened that Florence went Nlt Fl ri ing, and crossing a field she saw man with a bundle under his arm. The sun struck his profile and limned It plainly, and Florence uttered low cry The man had not observed her So. very quietly, she slipped from the horse. tethered it to tree, and started after the man to learn what he was doing so far from the city, She would never forget that face. She had seen it that dreadful night when the note had lured her into the hands of her enemies. The face belonged to the man who had impersonated her father.
 It occurred to her that she might just as well do little detective work on her own hook. She had passed through so many terrifying episodes that she was beginning to crave for the excitement, strange as this may seem Like a gambler who has once played for high stakes, she no longer found pleasure in thimbles and needles and pins. She followed the man with no little skill and at length saw him approach a knoll. stoop, apparently press a spring, and hole suddenly yawned The man vanished quickly. and the spot took on again its vir- ginal appearance. A cave. Florence had the patience to wait. By and by the man appeared again and slunk away.
 When she was sure that he was be- yond range, she came out from the place of concealment, crept up the knoll, and searched about for the magic handle of this strange door. Diligence rewarded her. and she soon found herself in large. musty, earthsmell- ing cave. Loot was scattered about, and there were boxes and chairs and a large chest Men evidently met here possibly after some desperate adventure against society. She found nothing to reward her hardihood, and as she was in the act of moving to- ward the caves door she beheld with terror that it was moving!
 She was near the chest at that mo- ment The cave was not a deep one. There was no tunnel. only a wall. Resclutely she raised the lid of the chest. stepped inside, and drew the lid down She was just in time. The door opened and three men entered, talking volubly. They felt perfectly secure in talking as loudly as they pleased To Florence it seemed al- most impossible that they did not hear the thunder of her heart? Strain her ears as she might, she could gath CT but little of what they said, except
 If Hargreave had this paper we might all be put on the defensive, To an outsider it is a blank paper. But the boss will be able to read it. :" The speaker moved away from the