The Tomahawk., 1917-11-15

its presence suggested. Then the
great hands of the "blind" man Joined
and clenched, and rolled over and over
as though crushing to nothlngness
some object of fury and hate.
twas at that moment that MI. Dale
and his ward, "the artist girl from
Rome" entered the house and then the
room. and l was introduced to the
original of the portrait. A creepy sen
sation passed over me somehow as
the woman smiled and touched my I'm
ger TIPS, and chung to the fond, cher
fishing arm of her escort, the proud
old man who so counted on her pres
ence to ameliorate the loneliness OF
his life.
It was Just here that Marvel, noise
lessly regaining the rear drawing
! room, advanced, shadowy figure IN
his trail.
| "Mr. Resilius Marvel" I began,
deeming an introduction in order, but
nv friend held up a stern censuring
hand, made half reckoning notion
and there stepped forward the
blind" man.
"Who is that woman?'' challenged
Marvel, to my CONSERVATION and the
unbounded amazement and resentment
| of Mr.. Dale, and he pointed straight at
the original of the flashing portal:
above her head.
| "Sara Bruh l!" shouted the blind"
man, springing forward from the wake
of Marvel, his face writhing glow OF
triumph, revenge and hatred.
I no. Ix viii a
cry. Her face became colorless. She
WINGED as though evading a direct
blow.
1T is folly, a plot-he cannot tell
for is he not blind?" gasped the
woman.
"How do you know that?" keenly de-
manded Marvel.
blind? Yes!" raved the man
Bracey, it flashed into my mind-I
am, indeed, blind, but only in the day:
time. BY some trick of nature the foul
drug you administered has left me
nyctalops, and can see at night. Oh,
this is sweet triumph-to balk you in
| your seeming hour of success! Only
to find your vile accomplish, Trego'
and then I am content!"
His face worked horribly; his as
| pect was that of a demon infuriate.
The woman made lost gesture, threw
| her arms in the air and fell a sense
less heap at the foot Of Mr.. Dale. He
called for the servants, who bore ber
from the room.
| "Wait," commanded Resilius Marvel.
this imposter must not be lost sight
| ~ Fn,s CIV mi until
disclosed the whereabouts of the kid
naped girl she sought to represeat-
| Miss Dunscombe."
He made a. barely audible sound
| with his lips. In trice the small,
alert man from headquarters was at
his side, received his instructions and
followed the servants and their mani.
mate burden into the hallway.
"What-what does this meant" de-
manded the millionaire, sinking into
a chair, overcome. And then my friend
told of his first suspicious discovery:
| the fact that the box coverings re-
moved from the portrait did not CORE
spond to the box he had helped me
bring to the house the day previous.
The appearance Of the blind man
had suggested something co1ncide4tal
| with the letter sent by Bracey to the
| millionaire. His watchfulness of the
nyctalops had resulted in the climax.
Then the real ,Winifred Duns'
combe-?" gasped the wondering
| trembling millionaire.
He knew within the hour, for the
resuscitation of the Bruhl woman
meant stringent interview with the
imposter. She was held an unlocked
| prisoner at headquarters until Marvel
| was assured that her victim, Miss
Dunscombe, was released from the
hands Of fellow conspirators in a. Sc.
| Guided New Jersey town and on her
way to the arms of her anxious rela!
tive.
It seemed that Trego, knowing OF
tho portrait and of his uncle's plans
| for the girl, had set up specious plot
to kidnap her. 1t was he who had en-.
tered the Dale mansion, removed tina
original portrait from it's Enclosure and
| substituted the presentiment Of his &C.
complete. To what evil lengths the
plot to secure the aged mans fortuna
was still to 60 may readily be imagined!
A sweet-faced, gentle-n1annered girl
thanked Resilius Marvel for all he
had done for her one week later at the
Dale home-myself, too, but was too
modest to believe that my part in the
case deserved much recognition. The
Bruhl woman and Bracey both faded
back into their old life somehow, and
one month later Basil Trego was shot
dead in gambling house melee in
| another city.
have always regarded this case al
one of the most notable of the great
protector of finance. From nothing he
built up theory, from mere straws a
cable chain Of strong facts, that en-
abled him to save the life and the mill
lions of worthy old man from the
cruel. greedy hands of one of the most
daring adventuresses of modern times.