Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-17

curses of the secret agents at the rail
Of the tramp steamer.
Are you all right" asked one Of
the men on the tugboat, half-carrying
her. Perhaps you had better rest.
Miss"
Doris allowed him to lead her toward
the little cabin on the boat for she
was. indeed. nearly overcome.
In the cabin he seated Doris on Il
chest and bent over her. "Id bette.
get drop of water" he said.
He moved to the door. and as ne did
40. closed 1t. ON tho outside Doris
heard the turning Of a key.
At the sound of the key turning In
the lock, Doris jumped up and ran
ncrvously 10 the door. What did II
mean? She tried the door. 1t was. In
deed lock ed She ran to a window.
IT. too. was lock cd. BESIDES, il was
too small 10 climb through, even ii
she broke the glass.
She looked about in terror. Had she
merely escaped one danger TO run into
another She sat down on the chest
again.
And as she sat there she heard
peculiar rustling noise. 1t seemed TO
come from the curtaincd bunk across
from her. Slowly the curtain moved.
and as II parted She screamed in re-
ncwed terror.
There was tho hidcous gauntlet OF
death of the Hidden Hand.
An instant later the Hidden Hand
bounced on her from tho bunk above,
while lie called to his men outside.
The door opened and two OF them
entered. this time bearing long mar
row wooden packing case which they
placed on the floor, as they lifted the
lid. Selling Doris by the throat. tho
Hidden Hand forced her back over the
side OF the case into the box where he
held her, while the others bent over,
preventing her from getting up.
Nail her in" ordered the Hidden
Hand as the men produced a hammer
and nails and began fitting on the lid
again.
BY this time the nose of the tug
had stuck itself UP alongside OF a
wharf on a deserted section Of the
waterfront. As the tug came UP, the
men. with others and the Hidden Hand
seized the box containing Doris and
bore it swiftly ashore up the dock
and into the basement door OF ware
I house.
! Upstairs they lugged the box until
| they came to the second floor, in which
the Hidden Hand had planned TO hold
her prisoner. Under his orders, now.
the lid was again stripped off and
Doris was pulled roughly out of the
box and thrown to one side under
guard.
You've fooled me for the last time"
Kissed the Hidden Hand. coming closer
to her with tho menacing gauntlet.
/ Wildcyed with terror Doris stared
about. Gangsters stood by the stairs
UP which she had been carried. There
/ was, however, rough ladder that led.
( it seemed, TO the roof. Before any Of
them expected il from the covering
! girl she darted for The ladder and was
I UP il lightly in an instant.
Bawling out AN oath the Hidden
/ Hand jumped for the ladder, also, hard
/ after her.
She reached the roof and stopped
/ but only for an instant. In the
/ corner she could see that chimney
was being repaired. Beside it stood
a ladder reaching up above the brick
work to the huge iron pipe which was
/ the chimney proper. 1t did not take
+ her moment to decide what to do
4 Quickly she scaled the ladder reach
ing the top OF the chimney just as
, the Hidden Hand reached the foot OF
/ the ladder. Balancing herself on the
/ periious edge OF the chimney, she man
aged TO swing the ladder up out of
7 his reach, and. as she d!d So the lad
der turned and slid down in the Chin
/ ney.
II was at this moment that Ramsay
out in the river was vainly seeking
the motcrboat III which the secret
agents Of the consul had carried away
| Doris Not seeing it. ne gazed. about
There in the distance he caught a
glimpse of Doris, balanced on the top
/ OF the chimney over the warehouse
/ Quickly he swung his boat in shore
and !caped FOR The dock |, was a
long way and he had scant hope Of
getting to the roof in time. But he
ran with desperation.
( Here. YOU men," cried the Hidden
/ Hand. take those crowbars-and
brace that jack against this wall"
! While some OF his gang picked at
the hrickwork OF the chimney. he adj
oustcu the building jack which the
workmen had left on the roof with
I some other tools
y moment Doris looked down over
the edge Of the chimney at the gang
working below on the roof 1t was
only matte" Of minutes before they
would topplc the whole rickcty chin
ney over. She could see Ramsay be-
low. But would he ever have time 10
get up there? She ducked down over
the lip Of the edge of the chimney.
leave: encouraged the Hidden
Hand as the men attacked the brick
work frantically, and lie wedged blocks
of wood so that the jack. turned hori-
Zon;ally now on the chimney, might
prove effective.
Round and round now he twisted the
jack. AS he did so. the briokwork
h-gan Ia bulge outward In the mid
die, while the top seemed to lean in
ward 1t was evident that the Chin
ney would not bold long. 1t swayed
more and more.
Look OUT"
The chimney fell with a crash
L u.