The Spectator., 1916-05-26
CHAPTER xxx.
Bralne Tries Another Weapon.


 as he paced the living room of the apartment of the countess, "is re- venge. I've been checkmated enough. Olga; they're playing with us."
 That is nothing new" she replied. shrugging. At the beginning warned you. l never liked this affair after the first two or three failures. But you would have your way. You wanted revenge at that early date; but l cannot see that you've gone for ward. Has 1t ever occurred ,to you that the organization may be getting tired, too? They depend solely upon your invention, and each time your invention has resulted in touching nothing but zero"
 'Thanks!"
 70, I'm not chiding you. I've failed, too"
 Are you turning against me?" he demanded bitterly.
 Do my actions point that way?" she countered. "No. But the more l view what has passed, the more dis heartened grow. It has been series of blind alleys, and all we have sue ceeded in doing Is knocking our heads. I can see now that all our failures are due to one mistake"
 And what the devil Is that?" he asked. irritably.
 We were in too much of hurry at the beginning. Hargreave prepared himself for quick action on your part"
 And If had not acted quickly he would have started successfully on one of his world tours again, and that would have been the last of him. and we should never have learned of the girls existence. So there's your argu. ment"
 Perhaps you are right But for all that we have not played the game with any degree of finesse."
 "Bah!" Braine lit cigarette and smoked nervously. "I can't even get rid of that meddling reporter. He has been as much to blame for our fall ures as either Jones or Hargreave. admit that in his case judged hastily. I believed him to be just an ordinary newspaper man, and he was clever enough to Hull my suspicious. But I'm going to get him, Olga, even if 1 have to resort to ordinary gun man tricks. If there's any final reck- oning. by the Lord Harry, he shan't get a chance in the witness stand"
 And I begin to think that that It. tie chit of girl has been hoodwink- ing mo all along. By the way. did you find out what that letter said?" she asked after a pause.
 Letter. What letter."
 She sprang from her chair. Do you mean to say that they have not told you about that?" Olga became great ly excited.
 Explain" he said.
 Why, was at the garden day be- fore yesterday, and a man approached and asked If was Miss Hargreave. Becoming at once suspicious that something very important was about to happen. l signified that l was Miss Hargreave. The man slipped a paper into my hand and hurried of. l took a quick glance at 1t and was dum- founded to find 1t utterly blank of writing. At first I thought some joke had been played on me, then 1 chanced to remember the invisible ink letters you always wrote me. Under standing that you were to visit the cave in the morning. I had one man at the garden take the note. And you never got It."
 Some one shall pay for this care lessness. I'll call up Vroon and Jack son at once. Wait just moment"
 He went to the telephone. A low muttering conversation took place. Olga could hear little or none of 1t. When Braine put the receiver back on the hook his face was not pleas ant to see.
 That grill"
 "What nowf"
 Tt seems she had been out horse back riding that morning. She had seen one of the boys cross the field and suddenly disappear: and she was curious to learn what had become of him. With her usual luck she stum- bled on the method of opening the door of the cave and went in. She must have been nosing about. She didn't have much time. though. as the boys came up to await me. Evidently she crawled into that old chest and in some inexplicable maaner purloined the letter from Jackson's pocket. They left to reconnoiter: and 1t was then that Jackson discovered his loss. When Florence heard them returning she jumped into the we'll. And lived through that tunnel! The devil is in it!"
 "Or out of it. since we consider him our friend"
 And I had her in my hands. note and all!"
 'But with all that water there will not be any writing left on the letter."
 Invisible ink is generally indelible and impervious to the action of wat CT; at least the kind use is. I'd give thousand for sight of that