The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-03
THE
HOLLOW OF Her HAND
BY GEORGE BARR McUrcHEoN
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.

SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.
Chaiiis Wrandall is iound dead In road
house. His widow. accidentally meeting the
girl Het,y Castleton. who had accompanied
him TO the inn tho night before. offers her
| nome. The two women return from q 40.
trip. and Leslie wrandali tho dead mans
brother. falls desperately in love with her
horror. Smith. n detective. suspects Mrs
Wrandail Of having committed the murder.
put onerS to drop the trail Tor price Mr..
WrandaIl. the elder. disconcerts the sleuth
by clever fasehood, but Mrs. wrandeil
had tried TO give her chance" Brandon
Booth. a friend Of Leslie $. !,
with tho girl. who returns his love but re-
day he will understand why. She confesses
another artist: She eonvinoes Mrs. wrandail
Innocence. Leslie again urges his Huit and
Mrs Wrandal insists that the girl accept
him Upon her refusal. the two women scp
a nou,s the girl going to ENGLAND. WHITTIER
him that only Mira. wrandalI mas tho right
America to learn II. In i.ucer rms she meets
who tells her that 1t is rumored that Booth
and Mrs; Wrandal are to be married. Mean
suaded Mrn. wrandali to tell tho girls
story,thht i1etty Castlcton went TO the hotel
with Wrandnll. believing that they were 10
be married there. and that She killed him in
defense of her honor Mrs. Wrandal also
the Girls moral innocence. she had tried to
mmarrS heE TO Leslie as a punishment to the
to her. Booth writes long. carefully word
/ ed letter to tho girl saying that he Is com
! tectivc. informs Mrs. Wrandsii that the no
nee suspect a showgiri named Ashley OF
save tho girl, who is dying, from an .anc.
Mrs Wrandall tells the whole story TO her
Sy moob M t, ea sn ana The two assisted
suspected woman Mrs. Wrandail auffers "A
nervous breakdown and Miss Castleton re.
] abroad. i-I n
caring on her death that she knows
h Mo n m.e MMTI ss ea, Tetusns dvas
her father is coming TO America.
/ Perhaps he means to surprise you.
old man." said Booth, with n smile
that Leslie did not In the least inter-
| pref.
| with furtive glance at the girl
whose back was toward them he got
/ up from his chair and came quite
close TO Booth, frowning slightly as
he plucked at his mustachc with ncr-
Vous fingers. Lowering his voice to
cautious half-whisper. he inquired:
II say. Brandy. what do you know
about him? is he on the level, or is
he damned old rascal?"
Did you lend him any MONEY!"
asked Booth, with Il malicious grin.
| Leslie guiped a hne PRESENTATIONS
broke out on his forehead "Yes, /
did" he replied. and. on reflection.
slyly kicked himself on tho ankle.
making sure. however, that Hetty was
| still looking the other way. 60 on.
Break 1t rudcly. He's no good, CHI? y
shark, chg"
Believe me, ] don't know anything
about him, Les said Booth, with a
sudden feeling of loyalty TO the col
oneis daughter He may pay up"
Leslie snapped his fingers while
they were OH the way TO his upper lip.
and almost missed his mustachc by
| the DEPRESSION. Al any rate, he seem
ed TO he fumbling for II.
Il did it on her account" he OK
plaincd, nodding his head in IIetty's
direction. He thought hard for mo-
ment. ''of course, he won't be such
blithering fool as 10 come over hero
will he?"
get what wanted at home, as he very
obviously did" said Booth pitilessly
| How much was it?"
| Leslie waved his hand disdainfully.
oh. few hundred pounds, that's nil.
No harm done"
Arc YOU going TO California this
winter for tho nying:' asked IIetty.
coming toward them.
Sara entered at that juncture, and
they all sat down TO listen for half
an hour to Leslie's hsrangue ON the
way the California meet was being
inismanagcd. at the end Of which he
departed.
| lie took Booth away with him, much
/ to that young mans disgust.
DO you know. Brandy. old fellow"
said he as they walked down Fifth
Avenue In the gathering dusk OF the
| early winter evening, ever since I've
begun to suspect that damned old
! humbug of q father of hers. I've been
congratulating myself that there Isn't
the renotest chance OF his ever bccom-
ing my father-inlaw? And, by George,
you'll never know how near was 10
leaping blindly into the brnmblcs.
What close cali I had!"
| Booths sarcastic smile was hidden
by tho dusk. He made 10 pretcnse of
openly resenting the meanness Of
spirit that moved Leslie to these cad
dish remarks. He merely announced
in dry, cutting voice:
! ~ think Miss Castleton is to DO con
graduated that her injury is no great
er than nature made 1T in the begin
/ ming"
What do you mean by 'nature'?"
t?'
"Obviously"
we'll, why add insult to injuryT'
| by Jovel oh, ] say, old mani:
| They parted at the next corner. AS
| Booth started TO cross over to the
Plaza, Leslie called out after him:
II say, Brandy, just second, please.
Arc you going to marry Miss Castle
| ton?'
II am"
"Then 1 retraot the scurvy things
+ said back there. 1 asked her to mar
ry mo three times and she refused me
| three times. What L said about tho
brambles was rotten. I'd ask her
again if / thought she'd have me.
There you are. old fellow. I'm rot
ten cad, but 1 apologize to you just
the same"
you're learning, Leslie said Booth,
| taking the hand the other held out to