Show the dollar M asel y by HAROLD MAC GRATH illustrated from scenes in the photo drama 0 of f tha same name lw ity tile Thanh r film company comp groy copyright 1914 by bil barald AGra tb CHAPTER A night of adventure the federal government agreed to say any nothing to put no obstacles in tile the way of tho the russian agent provided lie he could abduct hl his orld trio without seriously hing now york police ati atu too IOB it was a fabe tact that 0 trio o local police force wanted the newspaper glory which would attend the crushing of the atack hundred it would be I 1 an exploit dut but their glory was wag nil nor did take his trio bick back with him to russia many str ngo things happened that night tho the night of the final laventure florence sat in her room rending reading tho the book was oli oliver ver twist not tho sort bort of book to read under the ex existing asting several times she had reached the tho place where Fagin overheard nancys confession she fancied sho she heard doors closing softly but creal credited ted it to her imagination poor nancy who wanted to be good but did not find time to bet bo 11 florence orenco possessed a habit familiar to most of us the peed need of at apples oi or candy when wo we aro are reading so bo she ahe rang the bell for her mald maid intending to ask liar her to bring up some applet she turned to lied her reading presently to break oft and strike tho the bell again where was that maid t sho she waited perhaps five lain ute then laid down we the hook and began to 0 o investigate there was not a servant to bo be found in tho the entire house what in the world could that mean used as she ahe was to heartrending suspense su she elio was none cone the leas terrified something had taken tho the servants from the houi from whence was the danger to cono come this alm time where wasi was jones WILY wh did ho he not return n as hii had promised t it was long past the hour wh alin u lo 10 falche eald he would bolback boback she went into the library and picket up the telephone she was told that mr norton was out on an assignment but that he would be roti fled the moment menthe he returned she opened a drawer in the desk dask she touched the automatic to but did not take it up she left eft the drawer open however earlier at the newspaper office that bight jim went into the mart managing aging editors office and laid a bulky manuscript on that gent lemans desk Is IH this it it ts Is said jim you have captured them no but there Is a net about them from which not one shall escape theres the thi story of my adventures of the adventures of miss Ilar greave and tho the butler jones jonea find it ex cuing enough YOU might just as well send it up to t the cam composing posing room at midnight ill telephone the introduction its a scoop dont worry about that the editor raffled riffled the pages A hendred and twelve pages words do to the paga mallit man its B a novel novell I 1 I 1 read like one sit down tora fora tor a moment and let mo me alm through the first story at the ond end of ten minutes tile the editor la laid id owns down the copy lie he opened a drawer and took out two envelopes the blue iuis one bb tore up and dropped into the wastebasket waste basket notion norton understood and smiled they had bad meant to ills dla charge him it if he fell down thu other was a tat fat one open it said the editor smiling a little to himself this thin envelope conral ned a check for 2500 two round trip first class clasa tickets to liverpool to together jether with innumerable continental tickets suc such it as are issued to tourists why two asked jim innocently forget it my boy forgot forget it you ought to know that in this office we dont employ blind men the whole staff ehatt Is on there you ou are a tat fat check and three months vacation go and get married end it II you return before the three months are up il it fire you myself on general principles jim laughed happily and the two men shook hands then ihen jim went forth to complete the big assignment five minutes later florence called him up to team leam that he had gone what should she do jones jonea had bad told her to stay in the house and not to leave it hut but where was he why did he be not come what was tile the meaning of this desertion by the servants she wandered about aimlessly looking out of at windows ima ining forms in the shadows iler her i i agitation agi nation had not deceived her she had heard doors close softly susan susan she murmured but susan was in tho the hospital oliver twist what had posse possessed aced her to start reading that old tle again she should have read something of a light and joyous character alter after halt half an hours wandering about via tho croly house she returned to the feeling that she would bo be ar effer arrer where both telephone and re valver were and while slip sat gat waiting for she A jew not what her swiftly beating steart sending tile the blood into her throat Is that it almost suffocated her bar a man mod fia to the tha street ind and val rd noiselessly toward the ahe hargreave place lie ho passed to tl man leaning A against a lu but he never amo turned to look at him this man however horev r threw away ills his cigar lind end hot fo footed sted it to the nearest pay station lie iio knew in his soul that lip hp had just seen the man for whom they had been hunting all these weary but strenuous weeks stanley ilan har gr groove aia in the flesh 1 halt half an hour after his telephony message the chief of the black Hundred and many lesser lights wore on their way to the house of mystery lad had they but known knotul 1 now the man who had created this tremendous agitation went serenely on ile he proceeded directly and fearlessly to tb the front door produced a latchkey and entered lie he passed through the hall and reception room to the library and paused on the threshold dramatically florence stepped jack back with a sharp cry of alarm she had heard beard the hall door open and close aind a nd had taken it for granted that jaaes had entered there was a tableau of chort abort duration dont you know me mot asked tho the stronger stranger in a singularly pleasant voice florence had been lar imposed posed upon too many times she bho shook her head defiantly though her knees shook so that she was certain that the least touch would send her over 1 I am your father child florence slipped unsteadily behind the desk and seized the revolver which lay in the drawer the man by the curtains smiled sadly badly it was a smile that caused florence to waver a bit still she extended her arm you do not believe me said tho the man advancing slowly N I 1 havo have been deceived too many haws sir air stay atay where you are you will wait here till my butler returns oh it I 1 were only surel sure she burst ou out h suddenly and passionately what proof lave ave you that you are what you say 71 ile ho came toward her holding out his hands this that you cannot shoot me ali ah the damiane wretches wretch ost what have they done to you my child to make you suspicious auspicious of every one ilow how I 1 have watched over you in the street I 1 will tell you what only ones onea and the reporter know that the avla avia tor died that I 1 alone was rea rescued cued that I 1 gave norton the five thousand that I 1 watched the windows of the russian woman and overheard nearly every plot that was wa latched hatched in tho the council chamber of the black hundred 15 mk K k the clean life of the reporter told that I 1 was voa shot in the arm while crossing the lawn one night and now we have the scoundrels just where wo we wan want t them they will be in this house for me within halt half an hour and not one of them will leave it in freedom I 1 am your father florence I 1 am the kanely father who has spent the best years of his life away from you in order to secure your safety cant you feel fed the truth of all this no no nol please do not approach any nearer stay where you atie are at that moment the telephone rang with the revolver still leveled she picked up the re colver er hello fello I dellol who Is it itt oh jim jim come at oncel once I 1 am holding at bay a men mo who says sayo he Is my father hold him where he Is s you saya say all right I 1 will come quick jim muni murmured lured the man still advancing van cing cling lie he roust must have that revolver yer the poor child might spoil the whole affair so what jones jonas tells me la is true that you are going to marry this reporter chapt chap she did no not t answer Wi with thor or without my consent if only he would drop that fearless smile she thought with or without consent she abild what in the world can I 1 isay to you to convince you he cried the trap Is set act but it if darlne and his men come and find us like this good heaven child we ore are both lost come coma I 1 stay cher you are at that moment she heard a soud sou d at the door her gaze roved and it was enough for the man lie he reached out and caught her arm she tried to tear teal herself loose my aly child in lads gods name listen to reason reasons they are arc entering the hall and they will have us both suddenly florence know knew she could not have told you why but there was an appeal in the mans voice that wrt wont to her heart you aro are my father fathe r yes yea besl yea dut but youve found it out just a trifle too late my dear quick this side of the desk brains and his men dashed into the library olga entered leisurely both of 0 them yelled yelle d brains exultantly both of them together what luckl luck there was a sharp fierce struggle and when it came to an end ilar greave was trussed to a chair ali ah so we meet again Ilar hargreave Harg greave reavo said braine shrugged what he wanted ats time A milli milliant ont wo we have you whore where la Is it 11 or ill twist your heart before your eyes rather father forgive mel me 1 I understand my child where Is it itt draine bragne seized florence by the wrist and swung her toward him dont tell him father dont mind me said the ga girl rl bravely bragne smiling his old evil smile drew the girl close it was the last time lie he ever touched her look Loo kl I 1 screamed olga every one turned to see joni jones as face peering between the curtains there was an ironic smile on the butlers lips the face vanished after cried brains releasing florence after him mimicked a voice ra the hall the curtains were thrown back suddenly jones appeared and jim nil nd the russian agent and a dozen police inen tableau I 1 drains was the only man who kept his bis head lie he floored norton smashed a window and leaved leaped out the blow dazed norton but he be was on his bis feet almost instantly and followed bragne through the window across the lawn the two sped with an exchange at 0 shots which emptied both automatics but did no damage bragne headed for his auto ilo ile jum jumped ed in only to bo be hauled out again by the furious reporter A hand to hand fight followed and tho the clean life of the reporter told there my angelic friend I 1 believe that the game gains Is up there Is one shot left in this automatic if you make any attempt to escape ill let you have it not to kill but to disable you and your precious countess will sail tomorrow morning tor for the baltic and from there you will go to the lead mines ile ho dragged his prisoner toward the house houlle your troubles are over my child said hargreave Harg reavo as ho he pressed floronce florence to his heart and nd mine have begun murmured the countess dut but I 1 have hava still one shot the police stood encircling her calmly she opened her handbag and took out her it was wall a thick and leavy heavy silk one swiftly she unscrewed the top of her walking stick it will be seen now that the carrying of it was not an affectation extracted a vial and threw it violently to the floor an overpowering sweet odor filled the room jones knowing how bow deeply versed brains was in art oriental poisons and narcotics made a det desperate but futile effort to tear down a curtain to throw over the liquid but even in the effort he felt his senses going the last he was vas conscious of was a mocking laugh but the entrance ot of jim dragging bragne after him shocked all the banter out of the coun countess tees sho she turned and rushed madly for the stairs without having the least idra idoa how she was waa to manage an escape from the upper stories she had thought bragne tree free As she flew up the all tho the past returned all her warnings to that stubborn ll 11 lin tn this was the end 1 the horrors of at the cold and the deadly damps of the mines fo forever reverl jim still holding the battered conspirator spi watched her flight in amazement lie ho could not understand till he pushed brains into the library and the vanishing odor assailed ills his nostrils what these fumes were he never know but they proved to bo transitory five minutes sufficed to bring all back to their senses for the while they forgot olga IHs man Is mine said nodding toward braine iloa iles your without charge said jim im an american citizen said bragne who realizing what the future held readily preferred a long prison term in america to the horrors horrors of russian russia crile your certificate has been destroyed st said and the state department considers your papers vol i because you obtained them under tilso oaths you are am an undesirable citizen and the republic Is happy to learn that you will be taken off its hands and because added norton you have laid too kanj many mines in the blackballing re business and the government dos dais not propose to have them made known to the public through a long and useless trial it was a long run old top but right Is IB right and by the way I 1 want you to meet mr jedson jedeon formerly of scotland yard lie he indicated jones jonea who it arted yos yes went on tho the reporter 1 I recognized him long ago it to Is true said cald taking joics joncs jon 9 hand in hta his own acarl ago I 1 emelo ed cd him to watch my at fairs and very well hats has he done so and to you you wretch turning upon the haggard braille listen there li Is a million and you have hare been within a foot of it a dozen times it has been under your very nose do you ro member poes foes purloined letter ifal hal under your very bosn within touch ol of your handl hand now take him away mr the police will be satisfied with the prisoners they rave so presently Ilar hargreave greave jones florence and jim were alone that smile which had revealed to florence her fathers identity stole over his face again lie put his hand on jims shoulder and beckoned to florence arp arf you really anxious to marry this young mana roan florence nodded well then do so and RO go to europe with him on your honeymoon and as all a wedding present to you both tor for every dollar that he ban baa I 1 will add a hundred and when allen you get tired ot of the escape of countess Coun teeB olga travel you will both come back hero to live the dlack black lI hundred undred has ceased to exist and now said jones shaking his bli shoulders well said Ilar greave my business la is done still jones paused go on said Ilar hargreave greave soberly well the truth Is air ivie grown used to you and it if let me play the butler till the end I 1 ceball be roost mast happy 1 I was going to suggest it norton took florence by thi the hand band and drew her away where are you taking me met she asked im going to take this pretty hanl of yours and put it flat fiat upon and it if you dont believe it follow me she followed THE END |