Omaha daily bee., 1915-04-25

'ishsd EySs the Hidden MIilIons Of
hing Hand.
tightly. mounted the stairs and entered
her room. She locked the door carefully
ana put the jewelry case under her pill
low. Then she switched off the light.
The moment jennings footsteps ceased
downstairs in the library, a small piece
of the vase seemed to break away from
Ythc rest of the mosaic, as though 1t were
knocked out from tho inside Then a
large piece fell out, and another.
At last from the strange hiding place
a 1.-THE figure, as shing as though bathed
in oil, naked except for a loin-cloth,
seemed to squirm forth like a serpent.
II was WI Fang-the watchful eye which,
literally as we'll as figuratively. had been
leveled at us IN one form or anther ever
since the KIDNAPPING of Elaine.
Silently he tiptoed to the doorway and
listened There was not a sound. Just
as noiselessly then he went back to the
library table and, muffling the telephone
bell. took down the receiver He wills
pered a number. waited, then whispered
some directions.
A moment later he wormed his way out
Of the library and into the drawing room
On he went cautiously, snake-like, up
the stairs. until he came to the door Of
Aunt Josephine's room.
He bent down and listened. There was
no sound except Aunt Josephine's breath
ing. Silently he drew from a fold in the
loin-cloth a screwdriver and removed the
screws from the hinges of the door.
Quickly he pushed the bedroom door
open. pivoting it on the lock. just far
enough open so that he could slip
through.
Creeping along the floor like a reptile
whose sign he had assumed, he came
nearer and nearer Aunt Josephine's bed.
As he paused for a moment his quick eye
seemed TO catch sight of the bullying lump
under her pillow. His long, thin hand
reached out for It,
Aunt Josephine moved restlessly in her
sleep. Instantly he seized a murderous-
looking Chinese dirk fastened 10 his side
and raised II above her head ready 10
strike on the slightest cutlery. She moved
slightly, and relapsed into a sound sleep
again.
Holding the knife above her, WI slowly
and quietly removed the Jewel case from
under her pillow.
In country roadhouse Long Sin was
waiting patiently. The telephone rang.
and the proprietor answered. Long Sin
was at his side almost before he could
hand over the receiver. II was Long
Sins master. WI.
Beware" came the whispered nessaRe
over the wire Kennedy has made a
fa'se ring. I'll get the real one. BY the
great devil of Cobb, you must cut him off
1T Is done" returned Long Sin, hang
ing up the receiver In great excitement.
He hurried out of the room and left
the roadhouse Down the road I'm an
automobile, bound between two China
men, one at her head and the other at
her feet. was Elaine. wrapped around IN
blankets, not even her face visible. Tho
guards looked up startled as Long Sin
streaked out Of the shadow to the car.
''ouick'" no ordered. The master win
set the ring himself. win take care
OF Kennedy"
An instant and they were gone. while
LONG SIN skunk back into the shadows
from which he had come
Through the underhrush the wiIv China
man made his way to an old barn, which
STOOD pack at some distance from the
road and entered the front door. There
was another door In the rear and one
quite large window.
In the dim light OF a lantern hanging
from rafter could be seen several large
barrels in corner. Without a nnoment,s
hesitation Long Sin seized a bucket ana
placed II under the spigot OF one OF the
barrels. The liquid poured forth into the
bucket. and he emptied the contents on
the floor. filling the bucket again ana
again and swinging II right and left An
every direction until the barrel had finally
run dry
Then he moved over 10 the window
which he examined carefully. Satisfied
with what he had done. he drew a slip of
paper from his pocket and hastily wrote
note. resting the paper on an old box.
When he had finished writing he folded
up the note and thrust il into a little
hollow-oarved Chinese figure, which he
took also from his pocket.
These were. apparently. his emergency
preparations which he was ready TO exc
cute in case he received such a message
from his master a. he had actually re-
eeived.
extinguished the lantern. letting the
moonlight stream fitfully through the
single window. Then he left the barn,
with both front and rear doors open.
Taking advaltage Of every bit Of shelter
he made his way across the field in the
direction 81 the crossroads. finally drop
pins down behind huge rock some yards