The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-07-20
CHAPTER XIV.
The Hand of the Law.

prince Cdllcu an
and ordered him to find Miss
Guile's footman at once. When
he returned to the table she
was again reading the note.
at is really quite thrilling, isn't it?'
she said, and there was still a quaYer
of indignation in her voice. Are you
not mystifed?"
mot in the least" said he promptly,
and drew a chair up close beside hers.
ITS as plain as day, Your father has
found you out, that's all. Let's read
it again" and they read it together.
"a word to the WISE" it began. 1.-TWO
men from a private detective concern
have been employed since yesterday
in watching the movements Of your
companion, for the purpose of safe
guarding her against good looking
young men, | suspect. / have it from
the most reliable of sources hat her
father engaged the services of these
men almost simultaneously with the
date Of our sailing from New York. 1t
may interest you to know that they
followed you to st. Cloud in a high
power car and no doubt are watching
you as you read this message from
your faithful friend, who likewise is
not far away"
Il should have anticipated this, Mr.,
Schmidt" she said ruefully. at is
just the sort of thing my father would
do"
You seem to take it calmly
enough"
Il am quite used to 1t. l would be
ing person who made it his business
to steal me. There is no limit to the
ransom he could demand"
you alarm me-" he declared. mo
doubt these worthy guardians look
upon me as a kidnaper. am in
clined to SILVER"
"'All's well that ends well,'" quoth
she, pulling on her gloves. 81 shall
restore you safely to the bosom Of the
Ritz, and that will be the end of it,"
al almost wish that some one would
kidnap you. Miss Guile. 1t would af-
ford me the greatest pleasure in the
world to snatch you from their
clutches. Your father would be saved
paying the ransom, but l should have
to be adequately rewarded. I fancy,
however, that he wouldn't mind pay
ing the reward / should hold out for"
~ am quite sure he would give you
anything you were to ask for, Mr..
Cob - caid che goi1v uyou would
be reasonable, Of course"
"I might ask for the most precious
Of his POSSESSIONS" said he, leaning
forward to look directly into eyes
that wavered and refused to meet his.
"Curiosity almost makes me wish
that / might be kidnapped. / should
then find out what you consider to be
his most precious possession" she
said. and her voice was perilously
low.
q" think l could tell you in ad-
vance," said he, his eyes shining.
T-I prefer to find 1t out in my W
way, Mr.. Schmidt" she stammered
hu-riedly. Her confusion was i'm
mensely gratifying to him. There is
no telling what might have happened
to the Prince Of Graustark at that
moment If an obsequious attendant
had not interviewed with the earthly
information that the car was wait
ing.
The car shot across the bridge and
was speeding on its way toward the
Bots when Robin ventured a glance
behind. Through the little window
in the back of the car he saw a big.
swift moving automobile not ore
than a quarter of q mile in the rear.
"Would you like to verify the re-
port of my friend Gourou?" he asked.
his voice quick with ex~hilaration.
She knelt with one knee upon the
seat and peered back along the road.
"There they are!" she cried. She
threw the veil back over her hat as
she resumed her seat In the r
Her eyes were fairly dancing with
excitement. The warm red lips were
parted and she was breathing quick
ly. Suddenly she laid her hand over
her heart as II to check its lively
humping. "Isn't 1t splendid? We
are being pursued-actually chased
by the manhunters OF Paris! Oh. I
was so happy in my life. Isn't
1t great?"
at Is g~lorious." he cried exult-
antly. "Shall / tell the chauffeur to
hit 1t up a bit? Let's make 1t a real
chaser"
eyes. do! Well see II we can give
them the slip; isn't that what you
call 1T"
Robin gave hurried directions
through the speaking tube TO the at
tentive footman.
Miss Guile then took command OF
the flight. She called out the instruc-
lions to the driver. and her knowledge
Of the intricate routes through the
/ mark af00d fhem wall IN hand II vyaa