Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-06
tho Hidden Hand. Leave him to me.
We want tho girl. too. and the packet"
Waiting In Terror.

Waiting In Terror.
Hurriedly they began to bind Ram
say, trusting him up with bent knees.
wrists clasped over them ana both
ankles and wrists bound with thick
thongs. while between his knees above
they thrust an oar. Together they car
r!sd him Oh from tho cabin.
Inside Doris waited In terror. whore
was RAnsAyf why had he not re.
turned3 Could anything have hap.
pened to him7 The silence OF the forest
and the storm wero terrifying.
Meanwhile at Whitney Island tho
oraEy with fear. EARLY in the day.
when Doris had telephoned she was
coming. sho had been delighted. The
arrival OF tho butler was the fororunnor
Of the coming OF Doris. and she was
happy. Hut when later Doris ala not
come she began TO worry.
Finally when they heard some one
coming UP tho gravel walk, James
threw open the door. It was verda
With Flat.
Tho moment Tiatt caught sight OF
the butler he made lunge at him,
pinionins him against tho wall and
snspping pair OF handouts about his
even cry out
explained Verda. "IIave Doris and Mr..
Ramsay arrived"
The housekecper throw I'D her hands
In amaEement.
Lord blass my soul. Miss verds, 4
Policeman"
"fes. Mr.. Trask WAS murdered. Mr..
Flat says he's sure James did IL. He
in tho police boat"
Tell 1t to the Judge" srowled Flat
as he led of the unfortunate butler,
now speeehIess with fright.
In Intensified horror che moments
sped, al Doris waited for tho return OF
Ramsay.
Already tho storm had begun to aoato
sna the flashes OF lightning became less
ana lcss vivid while the thunder
doomed mlies away. Dawn was COM
ing. Just tintlnE tho clouds with q rosy
nnser Still Ramsay did not return
Doris would have run out into the un.
known only she realized that there was
no way TO turn.
An rnpersenatfon.
In terror she paced up and down tho
shack. alternately weeping and wiring.
Ing her hands.
Suddenly she heard footsteps outside.
She listened In terror as tho door
opened. There In tho dawn light was
revealed tho face the Ramsay.
'Oh. Jack" she exclaimed as a wave
OF relief overwhelmed her. was there
anything @foneT'
Couldn't and thing" he 70.
| turned.
There was something strange In his
voice. but Doris ran forward to meet
| HIM. As sha ala SO, she stopped and
tried to hide tho terror she felt In
wzrdly.
II was not Jack. This was not the
man with whom she had fallen In love
during tho night.
Wildly the thoughts coursed through
her mind. Should she run and scream? ?
! That would invite what she thought TO
escape. No. he thought he was fool
Ing her. She would pretend to be
FOOLED. 1t was brave determination
t You wont need this" continued tho
fake. Ramsey picking up tho auto.
ntatio that lay on the table. while Doris
eyed him fearfully. let ma take care
OF tho packet for you
! II there had been any lingering doubt
In her mind this remark would have
| removed IL. There had not been and
Doris had been quietly maneuvering to
| get near the door. when suddenly she
was confronted by the Krinning face of
an imitation OF James, her butler,
blocking the way.
trying to act as thought she believed
| the DECEPTION. Come here"
Still srinninE, the false butler ad-
Vanctd. For moment she had dis
| armed him. Before he knew II. she
had darted past him. as he lunEed to
open door.
They Pursue Tier.
CursinI, tho two emissa ries piled
out after her. as she ducked just In
/ time TO elude the clutches Of the Hid
den Hand and the other emissary. and
ran screaming down toward the beach.
with them all in hot pursuit
| Thrown into the bushes. trussed up,
Ramsay himself had been struggling
| with the thongs TO free himself when
| he heard the screams OF Doris He
rolled over. trying TO force the oar out
| from between his arms and legs, and.
az he did 80. through the shrubnery he
caught sight OF Doris running down
the beach. the four criminals gaining
on her every second. He redoubled his
Efforts to work himself free, rolling
over and over as the thongs cut and
tho thorns OF the bushes scratched him.
It was too late. though. Already,
from behind, her cruel pursusrs had
seised Doris. Just as she turned and
began battling with them. fighting
them OF like tigress. But 1t was
| four powerful desper1does against one
poor frail girl. She was quickly over.
powered and dragged. almost faintIng.
to the stolen motor boat Of the fisher
man.
Roughly they threw her into the
stern OF the boat and started the en-.
CINE, just as Ramsay managed TO free
himself and ran haIiooing down the
shore. 1t was too late. They were
heading out from tho shore already
and were some distance away.
At that moment. around point came
a small. ound-hottomed rowboat with
single oaraman. 1t was the fisher
man himself who had discovered the
loss OF his motorboat at the float on
the mainland and had been toilinR a,
the oars ever since the storm had lie,
UP.
AZ he caught sight OF his very boat
he swung out across the bow, caIline
and swearing loudly at the thieves
rowing savagely right across their
course. The Hidden Hand tried tc
avoid the rowboat, but it WAS impossi,
BILE.
A Terrible Trick.
, There. you pirates. that's my boat
growled tho ag8rieved fisherman
SELLING IL by the eunwaIc as II swept
. past, now towing him along
1t was a chance for Doris and sh.
! ryt, oh tn toE