Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-24

How could she know that verda's false
suicide note and the attack by the
Hidden Hand were not mere chance?
forgive you she nurmurcd
Your act was oa!y q foolish one"
Both girls were crying by this time.
and Martha pattcd Vcrda comforting
~. suggesting good sleep. AS they
went out Doris glanced at the Queen
of Spades and shrugged
Martha had scarcely badc verda
good night when Verda listened for "a
moment then. with the box Ruhnee
had given her. hurried out to Doris's
room. where, IN tho light she began
smearinS the ointment on the portieres
tracing carefully with her finger She
heard 4 noise. and rctreated inst be-
fore Doris entered
As she began to !e, down her hair
Doris's eye fell on - photograph of the
dead Judson Whitney Was he her
father-or WAS she really the Grand
Duchess AlcNia? A. any rate she had
loved the man she believed 10 be her
father.
Just then the door opened. and
Ncrda stole in. "a, . most lucky time
Tor her Dear, she said with a soft
caress. II know what Won are thinking.
If your father could only speak again."
Doris was on the verge Of tears as
Ncrda embraced her choking her own
sobs, said gcodniSht again and went
out. She looked at the PHOTOGRAPH
again and replaced It with a sigh Then
she turned TO the bed and slowly be-
gan TO disrobc.
TO the scance room in the Temple
OF the Occult n the same moment. the
Hidden Hand had returned Still plan
ming with Rahnce, the woman whom
he had enlisted. he went &c The clock
II opened and they entered the passage
Eciow they came TO the worshipers
still bowling. az the sacred tiger dashed
even more furiously. The worshipers
bowed even TO Rahnee and the new
conner Was he not TO provide a
sacrinccr
1t was nearly midnight that the door
to Doris's apartment was forced open
and figure muGlcd in an Inverness
cape stole into the living-rcom.
As the figure moved about the room
eyes accustomed TO the darkness might
have recognized DR.. Scarley. What
was he here for--to waken Doris at
the proper moment or to get the lockct
or both? Was he the Hidden Hand. or
was he merely bent on his own pro-
lection?
Moving about the room. Scarley
struck the edge OF the table, upsetting
heavy ornament, which fell with n
crash 10 the floor. lie stopped and
picked i, up, replacing 1t on the table
and looking furtively around. listening
20 sec If all was still.
Then he continued his prowling. seek
ing the hiding place OF the lockct-
behind pictures. everywhere. Sudden My
lie heard noise Of some one coming
He fed toward the door and paused,
but only for a moment. AS shot rang
out he dived safely into the hall.
Asleep and moving just bit rest
l"ss!y. Doris had been tossing on her
bed a few minutes before, when some
thing awakened her with a start She
Eazed about in the darkness. To her
horror, on the portieres she could see
a figure, weird and moving-a figure OF
shimmerinG duh light.
She was almost paralyzed with
horror; the longer she looked at it the
more II seemed 10 take on the shape of
her dead father Such had been the
pricstess OF the occult. who had made
use OF nhosphorescent paint and a sim
pie suggestion 10 Doris from Verda
In the now heightened imagination
OF Doris the figure seemed to extend
waverins hand. She lay for a moment
in silent terror then managed 10 sum
mon courage enough TO reach UP 10
the head of her bed. and press but
ton by which the room was flooded with
light. Instantly the figure disappeared
and quite naturally in the light.
Doris jumped out of bed, and as she
did so heard n noise in the next room
Doris seized her gun from under the
pillow and stole quietly out into the
hall. Some one was really moving in
the livingroom She fired. but the in
truder had fed before she could switch
on the light
Fly this time both Nerda and Martha