Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-11-19
little daughter. The death Of the father.

that
NO. ma'ann, she can't, and nobody's
going Ia drive her crazy by suggest
nr that She can: lcastw,yS not whii.
fi.atricc and Jimmy are on the job
We returned To our reading with
hopcfulncSs and new courage, and then
| cam. upon the will and provisions
under which Alice Mastcrs's fortune
Was regulated. That told the story.
on her marriage. Alice MaSterS's hus-
band was 10 control her fortune. ON
her death IL was to go To charity.
If for any reason she remained single
and became mentally incapacitatcd, tn.
entire administration of hcr fortune
should he in the hands Of her guar
dams
Wen, Beatrice" said Jimmy. when
had read him the will. this tells the
story. Wells is dead If Allie. goes
insane. there's nobody to question
Harvey about the way he invests the
MaSterss money. Now the thing is
10 see that Alice doesn't x" insane.
and tina, Collins doesn't go to the chair
for a crime another man committed
Are YOU game to follow Uncle
Jimmy's advice? Say, We might steal
a new column and name II that. con-
cludcd the irreprcssiblc j. Il
was game, Jimmy explained his
plan to mc--aud while he went To call
for David wineate--,he man Alice
went out to encourage the unhappy
girl in that Very rcnunciation.
II this seems cruel do not Judge me-
There WAS indeed method in our mad
ness and IL WAS TO save harricd
and tortured girl from madness
When ! arrived at the Harvey place
was welcomed hy the servant with
an air which made me realize that he
iclt the game was in their hands, and
mat my efforts were fulfil. and not to
be feared
persuaded Alice To take little
walk about r!le grounds The girl
WAS distraught and nervous from hct
experience Of the night before
oh. Miss Fairfax. DON'T deceive me
nave Authorizations. I'm not fiji To
marry. Don't give me false hope. I,ll
be harder To reconcile myself in the
ehd. think ! must give David up.
Am right"
Trailing us merciiessly behind the
heavy shrubbcry could glimpse
Jenkins.
knew he was listening. And said
the thing Jimmy had convinced me 1t
was my duty TO say: YES. dear.
think YOU ought to give W MIR Win
gate. II is the only fair thing to do.
You must return his ring and tell him
it is tho end"
Alice looked AT me with wide-cycd
horror Her face blan, he'd beyond
white to sort OF duh grayncss Her
eyes grew so dark that il seemed az
If tho pupils widened and Hooded 10
let IN the full tide of her horror.
must give him up" She just
breathcd H.
And saw Jenkins creeping away
IN triumph I" tell his master Of VIC
tory.
Alice. you have nothing in the world
10 make you unhappy. Your mothers
insanity was caused bv falI which
TOOK place when YOU were five wears
"Id. You arc not going insane in spite
u the cruel efforts Of a mcrcilcss man
TO brighten YOU into insanity
gu are going to marry David Win
gate and be very happy. Ru, frs,
you must take part in "a day Of strange
occurrences. and YOU must absolutely
trust MIR Barton and me witbont
another word OF explanation. VIII Won
do this?" -"
The color flooded bacl, 70 Nice.
pale lips and cleansing tears brinmcd
,'er wide eyes. was answered even
before excited words trcmblcd pcll
nell about my ears
moment later from out OF tho
shrubbcry stepped David WinGatc ana
.,nnmN And nay answer was complete
The lovers forgot Jimmy and mo in
the joyful relief of what they knew
Mice Welded herself happily to tho
arms stretched out 10 take her
Ana tho" romance was nut aside
while We told Alice our plans and ar.
ranged to SGT cold -bloodedly about tho
capture Of our criminal
Alice and went in to have tea win
Harvey. In tho meantime. Jimmy and
N" detective. whom hc had brought
with Dim. seized Jenkins and placed
him under arrest. just after he had
escorted m" 10 the door in response
/" . rather abrup, dismissal from
i,n
m" ont Of tho way. Thcn Alice re-
turned from bidding mo farewell and
won't into tho library TO read.
iialf an hour passed and all OF us
waited Jimmy. who was hidden In
'hc bedroom where he had spent 50
much of the previous evening. waited
tor what he felt sure must take place.
~ last ,mpnticncc At his servants
delay moved Harvey. and hc came into
the room and opened tho door Of his
closet of horror. When ne withdrew.
a mottled snake skin was stretched
over his right forearm. With It's
heady eyes and its dartiuc tongue. II
Was frarsomc- looking object. .Ie
thrust his arm under his coat. crept
down the stairs and hid behind tho
heavy curtains on the left OF the stair
way
a little later Alice Masters finished
reading and started for tho stairway.
Of falling body And then David
WinEatc. gun In hand. stepped to the
window cmbrasure and. quite ignoring
his faintiuG iiaucco. reached behind tho
curtain and dragged ont her guardian.
over his right forearm was the notified
skin Of snake.
In quick staccaio Jimmy Barton and
:, detective entered on tho scene. and
Harvey found himself hand:uffcd aud
helpless. ! wonder il there was any
thing more horrible for him to face
in AL that came after than the mo-
ment when Alice Mastcrs's rcproach
tui ewes focused on his abnormally
CARRIED arm, and her lips curled in
scorn as Harvey whimpered: "Arc YOU
going to arrest ME for playing nrdc-
teal Joke ON my ward
Jimmy Earton answered, NO. Mr..
Harvey. but this gentleman aud are
going TO put YOU through the third
degree.
Then they led Harvey away and
haudcuffed him to his own bed. jimmy
took the little brass key from his
pocket and. dragging the fatal black
bag out of the closet he fitted tho key
in the lock. turned il a. If winding ii.
and then set his watch against the
bag with tho dial facing Harvey.
It's o'clock, Mr.. Harvey said