Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-23

|
| flew into IL towering rage. Selling tho
emissary with one hand, he pointed at
| him the Sauntletcd hand. pressing the
| button. a cloud OF yapor seemed to
squirt from the iron forefnser The
unlucky cmissary swayed.
| AS suddenly the Hidden Hand
! checked his fury. From bottle on
which revived the cmssary. 1t was
by terror such as this that the master
criminal. whoever he might be. kept
his followers In faithful slavery.
The Hidden Hand Speaks.
we must get that docket" growled
The Hidden Hand, looking his panic
s,ricket minon over. 'Come--iet me
make you UP again You wouldn't pass
as Ramsay, after what you've been
through
A moment later the master criminal
( With needle and parofhn. with all man
ner OF contrivances the Hidden Hand
had built up an art of scieneirc i'm
personation by plastic surgery. BY il
he could alter any feature. Camourlage
any face. 1t was this art he was now
using.
A half hour later. satisfied with his
work. the Hidden Hand. followed by
his terrified emissary, hurried out OF
the den.
II was TAR past midnight when two
shadowy figures might have been
vaguely seen sinking through the
hedge OF the Whitney garden and
ste1!thiiy approaching the house. they
paused before pantry window and
thcr" The false Ramsay produced d
jimmy. " hich he proceeded TO use very
encctivo!y. Through the open window
the Hidden Hand and his man entered.
Go-do n. tell YOU" ordered the
II ,dden Hand
The false Ramsay hurried down tho
hsl Almost before he knew 1t he
had come upon the policeman whom
Ramsay had stationed only few
minutes before at the foot Of the
stairs This was chance TO try his
diss lie walked forward The
policeman :aluted
Guard the front door" ordered the
false Ramsay.
The policeman aaluted again and
walked down the hall moment. and
the Hidden Hand himself giided down
the hall Together they began to
creep up the stircase.
Around the bend was the door OF
poris's room. They came 20 it aud
paused before 1t From his pocket
with his unaauntIetcd hand, the master
criminal produced a bunch OF keys.
with quick motion he posted the
false Ramsay at the head OF the stair
case. Then he began TO work AT the
lock
Terrible struggle.
student" in the library. Ramsay
himself. always alert, fancied he heard
q noise. Fancy immediately translated
itself into action with Ramsay He
tosc and crossed hurriedly out through
the porticres.
a pH tph ha Il
derinE where his policeman was. 20
his utter establishment he saw his
own self. apparently. standing back
TO himself. down the hall.
Ramsay drew his revolver and be-
gan creeping forward stealthily.
Almost before he knew It, however
the other had turned on him. duckcd,
and Ramsay and his h""ble were
locked in terrific struggle.
The Hidden Hand heard He leaped
to his feet and began running. wav-
ing the terrible gauntlet Of death be-
fore him.
At just the instant that Ramsay
brought down the butt OF his pistol on
the head OF the intruder. the deadly
stream OF poisoned gas shot out from
the outstretched forefngcr full at him.
AS the false Ramsay fell from the
blow. the real Ramsay. holding his
breath and with his hand clapped to
his nose. fell. also. overcome.
The Hidden Hand did not stop to
examine him. Back again he leaped
to tho door of Doris's room, which he
had almost opened.
Nervous and worn. Doris had fallen
asleep, when the noise OF the men
scuf1ling in the hall awakened her She
lay ttere and listened. AS she did So
her door opened.
The Hidden Hand. crouchins low in
tho darkness. began creeping over the
moor. closer and closer to her bed.
Doris in terror realized that there
was some one in the room. She started
up. ciutching instinctively at the locket
about her neck. the locket which now
was the kep to her secret.
She would have screamed. only 4
nameless terror seized her.
She could see the open door. but not
down the hall the false Ramsay lying
unconscious. nor Ramsay himself only
few feet away, gassed and striving
but unable TO rise.
Doris stared about with eyes wild
with dread.
Slowly from over the side OF the bed
there appeared terrific steel-taioned,
gauntleted hand. reaching out swiftly
at her. coming closer and closer. as tho
thumb began pressing on button
at the side Of the steel forefnger, aimed
straight al her.
Frozen with terror. she tried TO
scream as she clutched the precious
locket.
tTo be continued next Sunday)