Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-20


eot.ce Doris there. Nerda was only
100 willing. for she feared that the
|, quarrel with Ramsay would not last.
N BY this time Ramsay had completed
n connecting tho instruments and was
| waiting patiently In his room for Some
| signal to come TO him over the picdrno-
stsph. BY hia side stood rack-bar
With plunger raiyed. ready TO be press
ed down instantly TO explode tho
| charge OF dynamite
y Out on tho lawn Verda. searching.
met Doris. aud together tho girls
atrolled Off for walk in tho woods
with Doris's collie. Rex. Doris showed
forced Gaycty, and as Ferda saw her
throwing sticks for Rex to fetch there
dawned on her the method BIZ which
sae might take advantage OF 1t and
G.Nry out her orders.
ACleverly sho contrived TO lead the
walk around until they were APP
preaching the spot which the Hidden
Hand had showed her. As Rex came
bounding back with stick. Vcrda took
IT from him and threw 1t far in the
y direction OF the mouth OF the false en-
trance to the den.
Reg was after it In furry OF dust.
Doris following laughing. AS Rex
came to the trampled spot before the
cave. he began barking and Doris
caught up with him. Verda. seeing
that her plan had worked, beat hasty
totteat.
What's the matter. Re1T' laughed
oeris. Barking at cavc?"
y She looked at tho entrance curiously.
Tnere Is something fascinating about
cavern and che bent over and en-
tered.
Up in his room Ramsay saw the pied
nosraph register slight tremor.
Though he did not know it. that was
a>fallins stick. Next there was more
violent trcinor OF tho needle. Rex had
caused that. But when the tremor
showed actual human footsteps, he was
Hure that he had the Hidden Hand. or at
teas, an crnissary. Down he plunged
, the handle Of the rack bar.
a, Doris pcercd about at The en-
. trance TO the blind cave. suddenly over
head there VAS a tcrrinc explosion
~ II the whole face OF the hill were
shaken ~ An earthquake. Il seemed
rs If tons upon tons OF Garth and pcb-
bles were pouring down over her. She
tried to back away but the falling dc
hF.s caught her and Rex. She clutch
cd WILDLY at the deg he struggled
upward. More dirt and debris over
vlelmed hcr. She was almost smoth-
cred and would have been crushed had
not huge roots OF an oycrhanginG tree
protected her from the worst OF It. Yet
down came more OF the stuff. choking
ard crushing he- a. She struggled.
Ramsa" jumped back from tho rack
ha-Hith an exclamation OF excitement,
prepared nov to capture the Hidden
Hand A. he did So he happened to
glance out Of the window. There Oh
tn. lawn was Uncle Abncr. ono OF those
whom he suspected. II could not be he
whom he had caught. lie dashed 10 the
~ 10 1, fron
eide he encountered Scarlcy, his other
suspect. Treu the Hidden Hand was
neither OF these? His mind was in q
~hirl. Suppose. after all. u was not
the Hidden Hand. nor even an ennis
rsry whom he had cngulfed:
II. felt hot and cold flashes by turns
FerhapG IL was some innocent person.
Where was Doris? She was not about
In hiver OF apprehension. he dash
ed out Of the house and through tho
forest path.
- Dozen streared the loosencd material
upon Doris. now overcome, too weak
10 struggle. too veal; TO even call for
not breathe.
THE AIR LOCK-"
!. The Reconciliation.
Ramsay sped through the woodg. his
fears heightened lest the innocent per-
son whom he had cpsulted in tho ex-
plos!on might be none other than Doris
herself
As no ran along tho path. to hi.
CONSERVATION, Doris's dog. Rex. came
bounding UP to him, leaping up as
though trying to tell him something
What is 1t. old fellow" coa1ed
: Eamsay.
As IL be were human. tho dog tried
10 speak. He shook himself, and Ram
say could sec the Dirt and sand still
on his Gilky coat. He knew then that
Rec was trying to tell him that his
fret suspicious were correct. He ran
+, forward with rcdoublcd speed.
In the cavern pine knot had caught
hre from the explosion. and was now
smolderinG fierceIy as Doris tried TO
tore at the earth to free herself Fin
ally she got one hand free hut II was
tho best she could do. Sand poured
down on her every time she struggled
to climb further.
As he ran up to the cavern which
he had mistaken for the den Ramsay
saw the hand stuck up out OF the sand
and frantically Erasping at the air,
trying to tear away the sand that
blocked escape. IT was the hand OF
Doris
He hurried up, the sand bank and
seized the hand, and, he did SO, he
rtit an answering pressure With q
u
loose Gand and dirt, he pulled her to
cafety through the debris. Then he
. caught her slight form in his arms and
bore her off down the path toward the
Whitney house.
Gc was hurrying along when he came |
apon Abner and Scarley. who were
running ur. having been Joined by
Verda. as though she were ignorant OF |
what had happened.
a Hitter Memory.
Doris was by this time enough re-
covered TO stand, and Ramsay set her
down on her feet. It was then that
she realized for tho first time who her |
rescuer WAS. and, in spite Of il ALL she |
could not put out OF her mind the |
Syfged letter ito my darling wife"
With frigid Thank YOU" she |
turned toward Scarley. all sympathy |
now. She hated the man, but at least |
he was not two-faced as she believed |
Ramsay TO be. Even Abner was |
so1icitous over her plight.
"How did it happen?" asked Doris. |
q H.