in i i i sssa? a
(Cep/rlght, KM t
CHAPTER I.
A Call In the Night.
There are few things darker than *
country read at night, particularly II
one does net kuo u the lay of the
land. It 1b not difficult to traverse a
kno>t;> path; .no matter how dark It
It, one is ablo to f.nd the way by the
aid of a mental photograph taken In
the daytime. Cut ctipposlng you have
never been over the rocd In the day
tirno, that you kr.ow nothing whatever
of lta topography. whore It dips or
rises, whero It narrows or '?? Vou
find yourself lii the samo unhappy
state of mind Its a b !nd-man suddenly
throat into a etrar.ee house.
One black niftht, along a certain
country read In the heart of Now Jer
sey, in tbo days ?hsn tho only good
reads were city thoroughfares and
country highways wore routes to lim
bo. a csrri?no v'ent forward cautious
ly. From time to time it careened
like a fcI;-r.t-notn birge in a beam sea.
The wheels and springn voiced their
ansukh Continually; for It. was a good
rnrrtare. to michmts
"and Uummocke.
" Faster, faster!" came a muffled
voico from tho Interior.
'-31r, I irre rot drive any faster."
replied tho ccnchmss. "I can't see the
horses' heads, sir. let alone the road.
I've blown cut the lamps, but I can't
see the road any bclicr lor that."
"Let ?4io bcnica have their heads;
they'll find tho way.' It ccn't bo much
far&cr. You'll sea Ilchts."
Tho cc^chnan atcra In his teeth.
All right. This men who woe In ?uch
a hurry would pmbably s-and Iftcnf till
Ir'.o the ditch. Save for the few atari
Kbyte, ho Elpht h.~vo been driving
Rcclzebub'o co.'./h in the bottomless
pit. Birck velvet, everywhere black
velvet. -A Triad war blowing, and yet
the blac!;r.cts was so thick that U
cavo to tho coachman tho sensation of
jpild suaocailcn.
liy and by, tbrocsli tho trees, he
saw n flicker of light It might or
might not bo tho destination. He
cracked his whip recklessly and the
nlffl IW Ml
"Why, You Cherubl", Cried the Old
Maid.
ferriage lurched on two wheels. The
nin In tho carrleso balanced himself,
ctrcfully, ?o that the bundle In hi*
arms should cot bo undul> disturbed.
Ilia arm* achcd. lie stack his bead
out of the window. '
"That's the place," ha aaid. "And
?. hen you drive up make as llttl* nola*
am Jos eta."
"Tea. sir." called down tho dflrer.
When the carriage 'drew up at Its
Journey's end the tqan Inside lumped
out and h istetwd toward the sates. .
He scrutinized tbo ?Un on one of the
poru. This waa tha place:
HISS FARLOW'fl PETVATB SCHOOL.
bucdlo In bis ar.na stirred and
he Lorried' op the path to the door
of tbo house, lie selxedtbe Rodent
knocker and struck aareral Mines. Ma
then placed tho bundle on the steps;
and ran back to tho waiting carrtaca.
Into whlcb Be ctrppod. s
"OS with you I"
.tthrt's f word, air. Mark*
w*.e*n mifcj your truta." : l,W
"Do you think you could OttrJMF
place ajtalnf ; ,? vvjT
rouldnt get me on this pike
axalu. #lr, tor a thousand; not mdl'
r lUraM lUaQraU)
of the upper balls to see If all h?r
charge* were In bed, where the rules
of the school conflued them after 8:30.
It was at this moment that she beard
the thunderous knocking at the door.
The old maid felt her heart stop
beating for a moment Who could It
be, ai this time of ulghtT Then the
thought came swiftly that ptrhaph the
parent of some one of her charges was
111 and this was U>e summons. Bull
ing her fears, she treat resolutely to
tile door and opened It.
? "V.'bo-ls It?" ehe called.
' No one answered. Bbe cupped bar
band to ber ear. She could hear the
clatter of horses dimly.
"Well!" she exclaimed; rather an
grily, too.
She was In the act of closing the
do^r when the light from the ball dis
covered to i?ix the huudle on the
steps. 8he stooped and touched It
"Good heavens, it's a child!"
Bbe plcko< the bundle up. A whim
per came fitom it a tlrnd little whim
per of protest She ran back to the
reception room. A faundllng! And
on hnr doorstep! It vas Incredible.
W(iat In the world should she do? It
would create a scandal and hurt the
prestige of the achool. Some one had
mistaken ber select private school
for a farmhouse. It was f right/ Ulf
Then she unwrapped the child. It
was about a yaar old, dlmplod and
golden haired. A thumb was In Its
rosebud mouth and Its blue eyes
looked up trustfully Into ber own.
"Why, you cherub!" cried the old
maid, a strange turmoil in her heart.
She caught the child to her breast, and
then for the first time noticed the.
thick envelope pinned to the child's
cloak- She put the. baby Into a chair
and broke open the envelope.
"Name this child Florence Gray. -I'
win (end annually a liberal sum for
her support aud reclaim her on ber
eighteenth birthday. The other halt
of the inclosed bnwtlet will idontify
me. Treat the girl well, for I shall
watch over her In secret." ? -
Into the Axed routine %f her hum
drum Ufa had coma ? mystery, a tan
talising, fascinating mystery. Bbe bad
read of foundlings left' on doorsteps
? tram paper covered novela confis
cated from her pupils ? but that one
should bo placed upen ber own r?
spectablo doorstep! Suddenly she
smiled down at the child and the
child smiled back. And thcrs waa
nothing mora to be donu except to
bow before the decrees of- fata. Like
'all prim old malda. her heart waa fun
of unrequited romance, shd here was
something she might spenJ lis floods
upon without lot or hindrance. AI
nady she waa hoping that the man or
woman who had left It mtght^ever
coma back.
ino cnim crew, ueguinrly moo
rear, upon a certain dale. Mlaa Farlow
received a roglatfcred letter with
money. Thr.ro lcttors came from all
part* of the world; always the same
??art), always the same lino? "I am
watching."
. Thua -seventeen years passed; and
to Susan Farlow each year seined
shorter than the ono before. For sho
loved the child with all hnr heart. 8h?
had not trained young girls all theso
yean without becoming > '^ut In tho
art of madlog the true alt * breed
ing. There waa no ardlal -.leod In
Florence; the tact waa omphaalxed
by her exquisite face, her email hand*
and foot, her spirit aitd gentleness.
And now, at any day. aome one with a
broken bracelet might come for her.
Aa the day* went on the heart of 6u
aan Farlow grew heavy.
"Never mind, aunty," aald Flo: .je;
"I shall always corce back to sea you."
She meant it, pocr "child; but how
waa ahe to know the terrora which lay
beyond tho hortaon? \ .
? * ? e ^ve ? ? ? .
The house of Stanley Hargreavo,
la Rlverdale, waa the house ot no or
dinary rich man. Outaldo It waa aim.
pie enough, but within you loaned
v/hat kind of. a man Hargreavo waa.
There were rare tapahans and Baraks
on the eddrw .atifctieeUiea on the
walla, and here and there a Ono paint
ing. The library itself represented *
fortune. Money bad been laid (rat
lavishly bat never waa'lfully. It waa
the home ot a -scholar, a dreamer, ?
wldo traveler. ?.?
mWM
dlspoci.l, sir. since that night ytjo rc*
cu?d xae." t
"Wall, I haven't the leant doubt that
when I ask you will giro."
"Without question, air. It waa *1
Wftya ao understood."
Hargreave's glance sought the mir
ror, then the snillelets face of bta
man. Ha laughed, but the sonqd con
rayed no Kan or mlrtb; then be
turned and wast d^wn'tha steps slow
ly, Uka a man border x( with aone
thought which was not altogether to
hta liking. He had aent an order lor
hla cair. but had Immediately couiit?r
tnanded It. He would walk till he
grew tired, ball a taxlcab, and take a
ma up and down II road way- ? The
wonderful Illumination might prcve <11
rertlng. For 18 years nearly: aiid
now it waa as natural (or hli to
throw a glance ovor his cbouldor
whenever bo left the hou*e as it v>a
for bin to breathe. The average npn
would hare grown careless during ell
this* years: but Hargrenve was not
an |(r#ftge man: be was, rather, an
extraordinary Individual. It waj hla
lire In exchange for eternal vlgUuco,
and bo knew end acccplcd tho (act.
Half an hour later he got Into n
' taxlcab and directed the man to drlva
downtown as far as Twenty-third
street and back to Columbus circle.
The bowllderlng display of JlghU, bow
ever, In nowise served to ll(t (be ue:' u
or oppression that h?<i v.righod upen
blm all day. 8outh of Forty-second
street he dismissed tho taxlcab and
stared ' undecidedly r.t tha bMlilant
sign ot a tamoua.rebtaur.-int He w~s
neither hungry nor thirsty; but there
would be strango taccs to study and
music.
It was an odd whim. He bad not en
tered a* Broadway restaurant la oil
these years. Ha was ^unknown. He
, T)>* Istreductlen* W?re Made.
belonged to no clubs. Two months
*M the longest time bo hud ever re
mained In New -York since tba dU
posal cf hi* bid home In Madison
avenue end hit resignation from b<?
clttb*. Tht* once. then, be VduM break
the law he bad vrrlttira down for
himself. Boldly be entered the res
tan rant
Some time ' before Hsrgrcavo sur
rendered to tbe restless spirit of re
bellion, bitterly to repent fcr It later,
there came Into this restaorwit a. man
"and r. woman. Tboy were both fvl
denUy well knotm/for the bead waller
waa obsequious and hurried them over
to tbe best tab]* be had left and took
the order himself.
The man possessed a keen. Inteltl
C?nt face. You might hero marked
him for a successful lawyer, for there
''Was ar. earnestness about his expres
sion which precluded u U/i of Idle
ness. HI* age might have been' any
where between 40 end SO. Tit*, 'shoul
ders were broad and the bands which
lay clasped upjra tlx table were slim
but muscular; Indeed, everything
about him suggscted bidden strength
and vitality. HI* companion was
small, handsome, and i<nl mated. 71cr
frequent gestures and mutable Aye
brows betrayed her foreign birth. Iler
age was a matter of lmpottanco to no
one 'bat herself.
They were at coffee when sh* said:
"There's ? young man coning toward
m. He Is looking at yon."
Tiie man turned, instantly his" no*
lighted up with * friendly smile of
recognition.
"Who is It?" aha asked.
"A chap worth knowlag; a rcport?*,l
Just a lltle out of tl J ordinary. I'm
going to 1 1> trod boo him. You nover
can tell. We might need him some
'Ahi Norton, hovy 'um ftM?. v-figS
"Oood (Teeing, Mr. Bralne." The
reporter, catching eight of a pair of:
dasxtlcg eyes, hecltatsd.1.
-The Prince** Perigolf. Norton.
Totfro in no hunr, *r* your WftF'H
"Not sow,** umlled vhe reporter.
. "Ah I" said the prtaca**. Interested.
It was the rid compliment said In an
unusual, way. It pleased her.
Tbe reporter sank Into i chair;
vn?*n Inactive h? wa* rather .4
dreamy-eyed sort of chap. II* pes
nen*d that San. accomi>ll?htnont o(
talking' upon oae subject and think
ing upon another at the aamn time.
So while k* talked gayly with ? tha
on varied thimee, :<ls
busy speculating upon
wavo his band; uaw alio &e open
wonder op We reporter's pleasant
mmd. ?
"Who la yoar friend. Norton?"
Hroioe asked tnrtltrorently, hln kead
styi unturned.
"fltanley llarjreave. Met him to
Hongkong when I waa Bent pver to
handla a part of the revolution War
correspondence stuff. KlrM. time I
aver ran across lilio on H roadway at
night. Wt'va since had some pow
wows over soma rare books. Queer
old oock: brave aa ? lion, but as quiet
as & mouse."
"IlookUb, eh7 j*y kind Drip* him
.over." Vnderneath the table Bralne
maneuvered to touch the foot Of .the
princess, i *?
? "I don't know," said tho leporter
dubiously. "Ho might aay no, and
that would c Eibarrnas Uie whole lot of
lis. Ho'a a bit of n hermit \ I'm sur
prised to ?co him hero."
"Try," urped tho princess. "1 like
to DMt men who cro hermits."
"I "haven't tho lcsst doubt about
thit," the reporter lathed. tl'U try:
but don't blame mo if I'm rebiffed."
He left tho table with evident re
luctance and approacbcd Hargtrave.
Tho two sl'oojt hands cordially, tor the
elder man was rather fond of thls<
m'rdl?y of Information known as Jim
Norton. ? |
"Hit down, boy: tit down. You're
lust tlie tl Jd of a man I'v* been want
icg tn tnik to trwlfiht."
"Wouldn't you rather talk to a pret
ty women?" - ' ? '
'Tin. on old man."
"Dah! That's a hypocritical bluff,
and you know It. My friends at the
next table hlrve asked me to bring
you' over." , . -
"I do not uaually cars to meet
etninfets."
"Ajttke an exception una once. said
the roportor. who had teen Hrnlno'e
eyes change and was curious to know
v. !?y tii? arpeorance at Hargrcave In
the Winter' btd brousht about that
mctally gleam. Htre were two
tinMuo men; ha desired to see them
tan to face.
"This once. My fault : I ought not
to b-j here: I feol out of place. What
a life though, you reporter* load! To
meet 111 tig} and pres.'dents and great
flranc'.ers. socialists and scarcU
icls, tho whole Vcalo of life, ano to
t-isp in no ItWJple on thp back aa II
they wcro everyday frlcnda!"
"New you're making {ojb of me. For
one 1 -.It ig thera are -always twenty
thick brogans ready to kick mo down
(ho stops; don't forget that"
Hnrgrcave laughed. .'iComo, then;
let tis get It oror w';l)-"
Tho introductions were made. Nor
ton felt rzthcr chn^rK*. So far as
hoeocld see. the tr.o men wore total
strangero. Will. It wr.s all In the
rnme. Nine out of ten opportunities
for tfte big storjrwere fake slams ;
bu; he.wes always willing to risk, the
labor "these nine entailed for the rake
Of the tenth.
At length Braliie glanced at Ms
watch, r.nd the princess nodded.
4dleax.w6're said. Inrlde the taxleab
llralno leaned back with a deep, aud
ible sigh, .'
"What it la?" aha asked. V ...
'-'"The lock of the devil's own."* . he
said. "Child of th* Steppee. lor yean
I've fljy.n about Soaa end continents,
through vallevn and over mountains?
for wbatT For tho sight/of the face
of that man we h;nc Just left. At
first -glance I wasn't sure; but the
sound of his voice was enough. Olga,
the next time you see that reporter,
tli row you t arms around his r.cca and
l:lss him. Whet did I teU you? With
out Norton's help 1 would not 'have
boeq sure. I'm going to leave you at
your apart moot." - ' ?
"The man of tho Block Hundred?"
;?feKn$QMgs^'; *:$?-' : ?.
i^Tho man, -who deserted and defied
tho Black Hundred, who broke his
vowa, ' and nover' juld a kopeck for
the prlrllege; the man who had been
tippo luted for the supror.io work and
who r?n awn 7. In thoso days wo need
ed moo of his stamp, and to ?.icom
pllsh this (hi.../
"lucre wins n womnit," uho itati?
ruptcd, with n toueb" of bitterness.
"Always tho woman. ' AnS she was
as clever and handsome 28 yea arc."
"Thank*, v'Vnotlassi' . . "
, "All, va?IV Ironically. "Sometimes
'you r.lBh yon could aattle down, marry
r.nd liave a ifamJly! Your cloinosticlty
would last about a. moalh.^; v .
Sho q-pdo no fretort because she+ec
ognlr-j the truth of this otstemont.
"Inere's an emerald 1 know of," ho
mid mmlnatlraly. "It'u qjlte poa
r Iblo that you may be wearing it with
in p. trg -iajfSr: , *
"l am mad over them. There Is
something in the grey a strait that fas
eiaste^iSo. I can't rcrtst it." ? ,
"That's because, oomcnthcre in tho
far past, your oncostors vera orien
tals. Here wp am. tit tto yiM to
""a* atoMI on ? be SS
jsasr?.??swK
v ? ~ .? j- - ? /?-;v ^
fcuew r0-.?t IJtRlne li/jiftd 'like.. JT?
alone re;.\c!re<l aal^aoya ?av? to the
man designated as the ehlef. who was
only Braleo's lleutruant. Tbo>.a?k
ml the lnslgnifc m'Um Ulyl* Hon
dyad, an organisation *ljh kU th<f ram.
ifkatluus oi tY.e Camcrra without thrlf
abiding stupidity from Jfce nteiujulua
lion ?jf u klcfc down to the rotiherj
of ? country post ciHee, nothing im
ioo f.rnat or tot eni-Il for tl?eir n*U.
Their fod dwells In the heart* ot all
tpon' and la MM greed.' ja. ' V ?
The ordinary buslocea ovar, ? lb*
chlcf dismiss e& tha man, and ba and
limine alono remained : :
^woon. I have found Ulm," sold
Braine. ? ?
>"Thero are but fewfwblch oner* ?
"Elgbtcon years ago, In 8t. Pelen
tan" ,
"I remember. Tbo millionaire'* eon.
Did ho recognise your*
"I don't Vnw(. Probably he did. But
ha i.Iway* liad gend nerves. He' la
being followed at thla moment. We
RhaM strike quick; for If ho recognised
me li?' will art qulclc. Ho 1* cool and
brute. Yon remember bow be bravod
i\a that night la IVunfia. Jumped boldly
through tbo \rfndow at thc rlsk of
breaking his neck. He landed safely;
that Is tho r<nly; Reason bo eluded no.
Millions ? and they .slipped through our
flngore. If J could only find eome routi
to' his heartl ' Tbo lure we bold out
to him la dejid." ,v' ; ? '
"Or in tba fortress, which la the
same thing. V/bnt 1 rn your plans T"
"1 hate in mind lom-thluR likc this."
And Hargrwave was working out bl>
plant", tooj abd be waa Jfflit aa muoh
-of ? general aa tlralne. Ho aat at his
library tabUi. the maxillary musclos
In his Jav a working. So titer had found
hltuf Wtfl, he had broken the. law
of his own making and he must suffer
tho conrequenccs. Pralne. who waa
MenahlHoff la Kurala, ? Sebwartx In
Germany. Moadosa In Spain, Cartuecl
In Italy, and Du Kola In France; ao
the rogue 'had found him oit> Vmfi
fool ibkt-he had been I High spirited,
full or thoie youthful dentins of doing
good in the. iforld, ho bad Joined what
he Jiad believed a great secret so
clairstlc movement. to learn that hf
had been trapped by p band of bffr
llant tblcTcs. Kidnapers and assaaal.
nators for hire; the Black Hundred;
fiends from Topbetl For nearly
eighteen yean tio had eluded them,
ror he kneir' that directly or Indirect
ly thoy would never ceaM to hunt for
him: ,*nd an Idle whim had toppled
him Into their clutclves. '
lie wrote several letters feverishly.
Tbo last waa addressed to Miss Bcsan
Fcrlowand read: "Dear Madam: Send
Florence Clruy to New Toi-k. to arrive
bore Frldey morning. My half of the
bracelet will bo Identification. In
closed Bnd cash to aquare accounts."
Hit would get together all his available
fund*,- recover his child, and fly to the
?nds of tho world. He 1 would tire
them out They would find that the
rcnceful dog waa a bad animal to
rouse. He rang tot the faithful Jones.
"Jones, they hare found me," he
said; simply. J ? ' "''.'C- ?.;> . -
"Yon will need me. then J"
f. "Quite possible. Pleaae mil these
And Ihm weH talk It over- No doubt
soma ? ono la watching outside. He
Careful." .
"Very good, ?lr." 2 .
Hargrcave bowed bis head In hit
Join.d What H? Rfl.v.rt to Bo a
Groat 8oel*ll??lc Mov.m.nU
hand*. Mauy limna ho had Journayed
So His school and hung about Uio
FMt*. straining his tyti toward' tha
worry groups of younK girl.. Which
among them *ta? bin. heart of hl?
hearu blood ol hi. blood? TJ.?t ?ho
might Aov?r b. drawn tn'j, thin
Hi LTgrwLve corcrcd a good ol
ground, but during *11 this time bin
right band n?rrr lert the automatic. In ,1
bla oreicsat pocket, except at these
momenta wheti h? ?u obliged to alrd
bla shocks. Ho ft ould ahoot and mako
inrjulrlee cfterward. ? . ?
Tit, away ;?* young girl and
companion got on the- train which wss
to carry her to Nc?f "Vortt, the great
dream city she was always longing to
see.
And the spider wove Ms web. ;? ' A
Hargrove readied bom* at night.
Ha pet the money lo the safe nod was
telephoning wbeta Jones entered and
handed bla master an unstamped note. . .
"Where did you get Uttir J ?>'
"At the door, air. I lodge that the
house ta surrounded". ?
Hargreave read the note. It stated
briefly that *11 his movements during
the day had/^en noted. It waa known
that he bad collected a million in pa
per money. It he surrendered this he
would be allowed twenty-four hours
before the real chaso began. , Othfr
wise he should die bf'rve midnight.
Hargreave crashed the note In hla
Li. ? ' ? *?-? ? ; ? rissBE^i
Vltlttd the Htnnsr of an Avtstori
ltinO- Turf might kill him: there
?:?? a chance c( their accomplishing
tin t; but never clioutdtheytoseh his
daughter'^ fart one. ...
"Jo-irt, you co to tho rear door and '
I'll toko a look out of tho front. \\?
httTg. >n hour. I' know the breed.
T?Vil watt Ull .-'ildnight and then
forcij their ???>? In-"
Hargreave raw a doxen shadows In
tho front yard. '
"Ma all about the back yard,"
whltpefcad Jones down the ball.
The natter eyed the man.*
? ' Very welt, <Ir." replied the UUter*
vrlth* undent.-indxp, am ready*
Tho master went to the safe, etnptlod
It ct'lla contents, crossod tho hall to
the bedroom, and closed tho door softly
behind him, Jones haying enteicd the'
room through another door to bo
fool any ponolhlo 'watcher. After a
lp?g wjille, perhaps an boar, the two
'Joan emerged from the room Irora tlie
same doors they bad entered. So whis
per i-d die watcher to hll~< ft leads bo
low.
"Hargreare U going upstairs." :
"Let him go. Lot him tdku a look
at us from the upper wlndowt. Ue
*111 understand that nothing but wings I
will Bavo him."
ailor.ee. Dy and by a watcher re
ported thai ho beard the scuttle ot the
roof ''%?? /- ' ' ?|
"look!" another cried, startled.
A bluish glare came from tho roof.
"Mo- a shooting off a Roman candle!"
Tbey never sow tho man-mado WiM
till It alighted upon the rcor. Thoy
nevjr thought (.(^hooting at' It till It
had taken wing! Then" thoy rushed
the doora ot the house. They mado
abort work of Jones, whom they tied
up llko a ChrlaLnas fowl and plumped
roughly Into a oholr. They Ijroko open
-?frsmSi, to fcd It ?=pty. A*A-*I?He.
the Rogues were rummaging; about tho
'room; Venting their splto upon many a ?
treasure they eould'tivtKer (appreciate
nor understand, -a man frck the out
side burst In. |
'Tlve old man Is dead ami, tho money
*s at tho bottom of the <eesn! V?? \
punctured her. Uho'a goatf" " .yi
A Uiln, Inaerutatilo ?mll<( stlrrod the
llpe ot tho mau bound litl |he chair.
\ CHAPTER 1 1.1
The Matter's win.
;t Vrooa faced Harireave't butler eom
berly. The ono reason (why Bralofc
made this man bis lleutehant was be- '
'omis? Vroon aiivays followed tho let
tor of hla lijctructlni B to the flnal pe
Hod; he never sidestepped or added ,
any frill* or innovation^, of his ovtj.