Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-23
row. You hope to gee your brothers

money. Now--go."
c Abner Disappears.
Abner disappeared, furious, down the
hall. Verda was the next summoned.
Almost before Ramsay could question
her she began sobbing on his shoulder
He looked down at her moment.
There was no doubt that Nerda was
finging herself ut him. Now would
many men have objected.
I'm moment you Will be a foolish
girl he said tmpersonally. diSengaX-
ing her arms Now go to your room. -
Nerda turned from him, but as she
; went down the hall she could not re-
*ist looking back at him urchly. even
at this tragic moment.
In the library. Doris had sunk down
in chair by the table. her head in
whirl ct the events which in only
i few minutes had completely changed
her life. She did not even notice tina
1t was her own iiance. conndant OF
her father, whom Ramsay called next
She hated samsay-she hated every
one. Which of these two men really
was her father anyway? 1t was a
fearful situation. Was she even AN
American girl?
Ramsay was waiting AS Scarley
passed through the portieres. with
his characteristic bluff. Scarley began
TO buster Ramsay did not dei.n TO
answer With quick jerk OF his
thumb. he indicated the front door
he did not even utter Il word. With "A
backiire Of hatred. Scarley left.
Then Ramsay turned toward the
Dortieres and entered. A motion of
the hand wa; enough TO dismiss The
butler and the maid. TO Flat and the
police he whispered about the disposi-
ton OF the Two bodies. Then he
turned to Doris. who WAS staring
straight ahead. fearless. AS he gently
tried 10 lift her up. suggesting that
she leave the room OF the tragedy. sb.
flung his hand away.
May take charge of the Io,k-,..
he suggested.
She looked ct him ansrily. VINO
was this man? Was he really the MUIR
dcrer: If not. he was an intcrloper
In the house who had been playing a
Hamssy Set. work
No. she almost snapped .s she
ran from the room. calling for the
maid ahead OF her TO go NJ to her
own room.
Ramsay STOOD aside patientIv she
was a wonderful girl. He tel, sorry
for her. Also he felt patience. lie
would solve this case for her. And in
pity for Il beautiful woman ,h.r. is
ai"avs the dawn Of deeper seuti-
ment
lie turned TO riat,. After tn. coro
ner has bee" here" he ordered you
may 60 Only leave a man on guard -
Some time later. Flats work done
and the bodies having been removed.
Ramsay returned to the library. The
place had fascination for him. What
evidence might he find here He set
TO work. One by one he looked over
the papers OF Judson whitney as he
found them. Was there no Will IL
so. il might contain the explanation
az this mystery. He began searching.
As he searched and read. Ramsay
began thinking of Abner and DR.. Scar
ley. Why lie suspected ScarIey he
could not himself have told Yet. as
he looked over the paper curiously. /,
began to dawn in him that DR. Scarley
was more than hancc and Confdant
lie mad been entrusted by Judson Whit
ney with large transactions Had he
abused that trust? Might not discovery
have threatened him? How deep was
the love OF Doris for him--deep enough
10 save him in that case? Might he
not have feared discovery? The longer
he thought Of it the more Jack Ram
say came TO suspect that all was not
as smooth as il had appeared on the
surface $carley was worth suspect
ing
He checked himself in his Hnespun
theories. After all, IL it were motive
he sought, who would profit most IL
| Doris were not Doris whitney. but
answer-hbner Whitney. Yes. Uncle
Abner was decidedly worth watching
too.
EXamininE the Papers.
Again as he looked over the aper..
his mind wandered to Verda She ha
tried 10 win him as no girl had ever
done before in his life What OF her?
He thought OF Doris. upstairs. long
since gone TO bed. Somehow he could
not keep his mind off these two
giris-Doris and Vcrda. What con-
\ trast--one SO wholesome. so unaffected
! SO lovablc-the other SO schemins et-
I fected. almost vampirish.
/ He stopped LONG enough TO post the
/ policeman on guard at the foot OF the
staircase. Once he heard noise up
stairs. He listened. 1t was nothing
Perhaps il was Doris. unable TO sleep
] Once. in fact, she herself heard the
I patrol in the hall and fancyins il some
intruder. rose and took from a drawer
pistol which she laid on dressing
table near her bed.
I Ramsay returned to the library and
sat down again to look over the papers.
! Where did this ward. Verds fit in?
he began wondering.
/ He looked up. startled. as he heard
some one glide in through the por
/ ieres. IL was Verda herself--in u
fiimy robe of an intimate, clinsins
material
us there-have you found will?"
/ she asked anxiously.
Ramsay thought he understood 1t
/ was excuse 10 him. The flmy
| robe undulated she moved closer.
She was indeed allurinG. Yet he did
I not love this girl-never could. Still.
I he did not wish TO be harsh with her.
! What should he say?
I'm sure l can ind Il Will" he re-
piled finally. II feet that you viii be
provided for"
Verda withdrew reluctantly. After
she had gone Ramsay began TO wonder
! Why did she pursue him? There was
something back of il all, he felt sure
! Finding no answer he plunged back
, into his search Of the documents.
The Attack.
! In another part OF the city. some
T, hours before. two men of evil mien
had been sitting at table in a sort
! of laboratory. II was strangely sug-
| gestive of that OF DR.. Scarley yet it
was not his.
NM lkAn.I.