Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-04-13
CHAPTER iI.-Continued.

''You might, but you won't. You will
accompany me to the bank; you will
stand at my elbow while l cash it;
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 L shall have
the dynamite; one false move and I'll
blow us to kingdom come. Your life
Is worth ten thousand dollars. l take
1t. 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 q 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"
"Very we'll"
"FatherP'
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 a 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-
ltively that something very unusual
had occurred.
Otis was first to speak.
"Will you excuse us, Kathleen? This
gentleman aud l have a little business
to transact"
81 did not intend to interrupt, IA
Their. 1 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 a word.
Fitzhugh took the slip of paper,
studied it reflectively. There was no
questioning its genuineness. 1t called
FOR ten thousand dollars, and the call
was as authoritative as a govern
nent bond. Suddenly he drew a
deep breath, folded the check, and de-
liberately tore 1t twice across. He
dropped the pieces on the table.
picked up his hat, and without a fur
Their word walked from the room.
In the hall he found Kathleen Otis.
''This is not the first Sime," 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 1 don't un-
derstand you. l don't think / even
know you"
Its hardly possible"
"What were you doing in therer'
she interrupted. II know something
was wrongI and" She broke off.
and with impulsive courage fairly
shot q question at him. "Were you try
ing to blackmail my father?"
'Some people might have called 1t
something worse" he replied easily
and he was thinking: "She'S beauti-
ful-beautiful This must be the sort
men so crazy over. The sort men do
things for"
anfp
Sisted.
"Why so inquisitive?" he countered.
She looked annoyed. "W-would you
mind telling me your nameT" she
asked, and dug her nails into her
palms upon feeling her cheeks burn
ing.
BE asked pointedly: Can you recall
she 'dirtiest young man you ever saw?'
She bit her lip and stepped back
from him. She was scarlet to her
temples. "YeS-yes. l remember you
how. You are the one gave dollar
to yesterday. l believe you said your
name was Fitz-Fitz something or
pther?"
"Fitzhugh."
"Oh, yes-Daniel FftZhughi I re.
member perfectly now"
I'm glad you do"
Then he became aware that Syminc.
ton Otis was standing in the doorway
Of the library. At sight of the man
whom he half believed a dangerous
lunatic taking the unthinkable 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 II
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 your" be
demanded.
why. n-nothing Of any Importance
why?" She laughed nervously, like
child caught in some petty misde.
meanor.
Go 10 your room. That man was q
maniac. He might have killed you
Where's Noonan?" He rang serv.
ants bell. ran to the hall telephone
rustled through the telephone direc,
tory, and got the Chicago avenue DO.
lice station on the wire.