Omaha daily bee., 1915-04-25
cHApTER XVII


Not q clue had been left by the kid
napers when they had 10 mysteriousiy
spirited Elaine away from the apart
unent Of WI Fang. She had disappeared
az completely as ~ hhe had vanished
into the thin air.
Kennedy was frantic. WI and Long
Sin themselves seemed 20 have vanished.
too. Where they held her. what had
happened TO her. was a sealed book. And
yet. no move OF ours was made. no matter
how secret. that II did not seem 10 be
known 20 them II was az though n
wierd. uncanny eye glared at US. watch
ing everything.
Craig neglected no possibility in his
eager search. He even visited the little
house IN the country which Elaine had
given 20 Aunt TAbby, and spent several
hours examining the collapsed Bubter-
ranean chamber In the vain Hope that
Il might yield a clue. But Il had not
II was half filled with debris from
above, where the pillar mad given away
that night when we had all nearly lost
our hves. sim, there was enough room
In what remained Of the cavern 90 that
we could move about
Kennedy had even dus away Some Of
the earth and rock In the hope Of dis
covering some trace OF the strange Wis
itor whom We had surprised At work.
But here. also, he had found nothing.
II was maddening What might At any
moment BE- happening 70 Eiaine--and ne
poweriess TO help herr
Unescapably. ne was forced 70 the con.
eluslcn that not only Eiaine's amazing
dieappeeran-e. hut the tragic succession
OF events which had preceded Il, had
been caused, In some way. by the curl
ously ergraved ring which Aunt Joseph
Inc had taken from her.
Craig had taken possession OF the mys.
tic rims himself ana now. forced back
on this sole clue. u had occurred 70 him
that II tho ring were 80 valuable, other
attempts would. without doubt, be made
70 set possession Of Il.
i came into the laboratory, one after
noon, 10 find Kennedy surrounded by lew
eleFs tools. hard az work making an ex
act copy Of the ring.
What do you think OF Il. waiter7'' he
asked. holding up the replica.
Perfect" replied. admiringiy. What
are you going to do with it?"
Il can't say-yet." answered Kennedy.
forlornlv hut n I understand these CIT
nese criminals az all. know that the
only way We can ever track them A.
through some trick Perhaps the replica
VIII sugFsst something 10 us later"
He placed the copy IN a velvet llneA
box closely resembling that In which IN.
real ring lay. and dropped both into his
pocket
LET'S zee n Aunt Jossphine has =.
eefvee any word" he remarked abr,n,l,,
Putting On his hat and coat, ana noddinr
70 me 10 follow
Kennedy ana I we're not the opl, v..,,.
ora 20 the subtsrranean chamber Syhsrs
Il had seemed that the clue TO the clutch
Ing HANDS millions mlght be found.
IL was ss though that hidden. watching
eye followed us. The night after our own
unsuccessful search. WI Fans. accom-
Panied by Long Sin. made his way into
the cavern.
As they flashed their electric buu..
eyes shout the place. they could see
readily that we had already been digging
there
WI examined the safe which haA been
broken into. while Long Sin repeated his
experiences there.
And you say there was nothing else
n itT' demanded Wu.
Nothing but the ring which they got
rom me-" replied Long Sin. ruefully.
stranse-very strange" ruminated WI.
tiil regarding the empty strong box.
Long SIN was now going over the walls
the cavern infinitely. his closest,
leady black eyes examining every square
'1ch o. n
sudden low cultural exclamation
laused Wa 70 turn quickly. Long Sin had
Uncovered. back Of the debris. a small
sblong slot, cut into the rock. Above Il
we're some peculiar marks
WI hurried over 10 his hsnehman. and