Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-03-30

ing, who hurried toward her eagerly.
II think I have found way to help
you she said impulsively. II have
remembered that father has at home
book with the names of the members
of The Fifteen and their secret by
words, minutes, and so on. That book
ought to let us know who the mys-
FERROUS head of the milk trust is. We
can then force him to come out into
the Open"
Good" echoed Harding, with en-
thusiasm. "When you have the book
let me know"
IT WILL" the girl promised, and then
she caught her breath sharply. Just
behind them stood Stanford Stone
with a slight smile on his lips.
She felt that Stone was watching
her intently as she passed out of the
Office, and she quickened her pace.
But her mind was made up.
"I'll find the book" the girl decided,
land then take father to our home in
the mountains. Mr.. Harding can
come there for it,
This decision made, she lost no time
in carrying it out. Her search for the
journal of the Fifteen was short one,
as she knew the book was in her ia
theirs private desk in the library and
had not been removed since his seizure.
With the little red covered book in
her possession she rushed preparations
for their departure to the mountains
ca hot Inv, r.a
evening she and her father We're on
their way and a note had been sent to
Harding telling him where he could
reach them.
1t was at 10 o'clock the next morn
ing that Dorothy, reading to her ia
ther in the CHEEKY living room of their
little country home, glanced up to see
the figure of Stanford Stone entering
the rustic gate of the grounds. She
stopped abruptly. The precious book
was in the bosom of her dress, but she
knew that Stone would stop at moth
ing, not even physical violence to her.
to gain possession of it. Her glance
Travelled swiftly about the room. On
a table lay her fathers silk hat. With
quick movement Dorothy caught up
the hat and slipped the book into the
lining just as Stanford Stone was an
nounced,
Dorothy spoke few words of care
less greeting to him and left him alone
with her father. Hardly had the door
closed behind her when Stone bound
ed from his chair and sprang to the
side of Mr.. Maxwell There was muir
der in his eyes.
Course you." he growled Where is
that book!"
Terror sprang into the eyes of the
helpless old man, and then came for
tunate interruption. Voices sounded
from outside, and Dorothy and Robert
Harding appeared. Stone quickly
changed his attitude and was gently
stroking Maxwell's hair when the cou-
pie entered the room.
II am going to take your father into
the grounds for little air, Miss Doro-
thy" he said Catching up Maxwells
hat, to the girls dismay, he caught the
handle Of the wheel chair and pushed
it ahead Of him.
Stone escorted Maxwell to the edge
of the grounds without uttering a
| word, his mouth set in q hard, grim
line. A gang of laborers had been at
work on a rustic bridge spanning high
| gully, at the bottom of which gushed
an angry little torrent. Stone pushed
| Maxwell's chair out on to the edge of
| the bridge and glanced about him
| swiftly, debating as to the best meth
cd to force speech from the closed lips.
| A man in overalls was occupied in re-
| moving some of the old planks from
! the center of the bridge preparatory
| to substituting new and stronger ones.
| AS Stone watched him the man put on
| his hat and started off whistling, evil
| IDENTITY for nails or tools to complete
his task, leaving a gaping hole perhaps
| six feet across.
Hardly was the laborer out of sight
| when Stone darted toward the opening
| thus exposed and hastily pulled back
| into place the old boards, adjusting
them in such way that they would
| be dislodged with the slightest weight
| placed upon them. AS Stone strolled
back to the chair Dorothy and Hard
ing appeared from the house. Stone
scowled, and then. turning his back
idly dropped Maxwell's hat over the
bridge to determine the distance to the
water below and ascertain whether a
fall through the rotten timbers Of the
bridge would be fatal
81 thought you might like to see Mr..
Harding for few minutes, father, be-
fore he goes. But where is your hat?
You will catch cold"
II am afraid, Miss Maxwell, that it
is up to me to get your father new
hat" broke in Stanford Stone. II acct
dentally knocked it off the bridge"