The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-05-13
CHAPTER .Il.-continued.


| "You might, but you won't. You will
accompany me to the bank; you will
stand at my elbow while l cash 1T;
you will then enter a motorcar with
me and drive to some deserted spot
outside Chicago; you will leave the
auto, and thus give me chance to
escape. All this while I shall have
the dynamite; one false move and III
blow us to kingdom come. Your life
| is worth ten thousand dollars, take
it. Mines not Do / make myself
clear?"
Excessively. And now for the
check" Without moving his head
from the back of the chair Otis pro-
duced a private check book and a
| fountain pen, and, feeling the way
with his fingers, filled out check
for ten thousand dollars. what
name?" he asked.
make it payable to bearer"
every we'll"
| ''Father!'
A pair of portieres at the rear of
the room were held far apart, and in
| the aperture stood a girl. Without
| turning-hiS back was toward her
Fitzhugh knew who she was. He had
heard her voice before. AS she spoke
his uplifted hands dropped swiftly
and concealed the newspaper package
beneath his coat. Then he turned,
and, even as he knew he would, looked
| into the pansy-blue eyes OF the girl
with the Titan hair.
There was dramatic tableau. Fitz-
hugh, every Nerve and muscle tense,
stood looking at the girl. Otis, who
had not moved watched him. The
girl looked from one to the other in
| quiringly. She seemed to know intu-
itively that something very unusual
had occurred.
Otis was first to speak.
''Will you excuse us, Kathleen? This
gentleman and l have little business
to transact
81 did not intend to interrupt, ia
Their. l thought you were alone"
She went out, closing the portieres
! behind her. Otis wrote "bearer" on
the check, shipped it from the book
and stood up. He held out the check
without saying word.
Fitzhugh took the slip of paper,
studied it refiectively. There was no
questioning its genuineness. 1t called
for ten thousand dollars, and the call
was as authoritative as a govern
ment bond. Suddenly he drew
deep breath, folded the check, and de-
liberateIy tore it twice across. He
dropped the pieces on the table,
picked up his hat, and without fur
Their word walked from the room.
In the hall he found Kathleen Otis.
'This is not the first time," said he
in his best dramatic manner, you
have saved me from myself. thought
I'd tell YOU"
She stepped back, looking at him
curiously. Tim afraid / don't un-
| derstand you. I don't think even
know YOU"
Its hardly possible"
"What were you doing in there?"
she interrupted. 81 know something
was wrong! and" She broke off,
and with impulsive courage fairly
shot question at him. "Were you try
| ing to blackmail my father?"
"Some people might have called it
something worse" he replied easily !;
and he was thinking: "She's beauti-
ful-beautifuI This must be the sort
men go crazy over. The sort men do
things for"
"What were you doing?" she in
sisted.
"Why so inquisitive?" he countered
She looked annoyed. "W-wouId you
mind telling me your name?" she
asked, and dug her nails into her
palms upon feeling her cheeks burn
| ing.
He asked pointedly: "Can you recall
the 'dirtiest young man. you ever saw?'
She bit her lip and stepped back
from him. She was scarlet to her
temples. ''Yes-yes, I remember You
now. You are the one gave dollar
to yesterday. / believe you said your
name was Fitz-Fitz something or
other?'
"Fitzhugh.'
"Oh, yes-Daniel Fitxhugh! I re-
member perfectly now"
SIN glad you do"
Then he became aware that Symng-
ton Otis was standing in the doorway
of the library. AT sight of the nan
whom he half believed a dangerous
| Iunatic taking the unthinkabe liberty
| Of addressing his daughter Otis cool
ness had vanished, his restraint
snapped.
FitZhugh took the girls hand, and
In a vibrant voice, pregnant with far
more significance than the words 1t
/ uttered, said, II will not say gOOdby
but au reyoir." Then he turned and
left the house. The front door had
scarcely closed behind him before Otis
wheeled upon his daughter.
"What did that man say to you?" he
/ demanded.
/ why, n-nothing of any Importance.