Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-20
turned and ran from them all to the

With enccr scarley and hbner also
turned back. while Ramsay stood for
moment gazing at them. Doris far
nhead Then he, too. strobe toward
the house. He would have an cxplana-
! ton.
II was not 1onG aftcrward that Ram
say waiting about. managed to see
Doris again. after her maid had re-
moved tho traces OF the mshap that
had so nearly proved fatal He was
not the one to weaken and. before she
could get away from him, ne drove
straight to the matter Of the misundcr
etanding between them.
Tell me-cr-Miss whitney" h.
asked frankly. What is really the
! mattcr?"
Haughtily she looked at him as sh.
tore the false letter from her waist.
Give this back to your wife" she
| blazcd
WIFE he repeated. with smile
such as man might have at finding
he had a wife hs didn't know about
| WIG? j have no wife"
she EaZed at him a moment. not
Knowing how to take his laughter.
whether 10 get offended or angry.
40 wife," she repeated. still hold.
! ing out the letter
no looked at II.
ms IS a forgery. he exclaimed
hoti!' 1t isn't my handwriting"
He Kisses Her Hand.
Tho sudden look OF relief that passed
over the face of Doris was encourage
ment enough for him He bent over
did not quite know what 10 do She
drew her hand back quickly. and Fitted
away TO her roorn-whcre the moment
tho door WAS shut, she raised the same
/ hhnd TO her lips and kissed 1t pas
sionatcly.
Thus as the day wore on. each Of
this group with their conflicting in
-Abncr. who said he was going over
TO the mainland. finally put in an
appearance again. meeting Or. Scarley
on the porch as he approached.
well. Scariey." he demanded. how
about that accounting
Scarlcy eyed Abner a moment sly
approaching marriage with Doris will
settle all charges against me regard
ing tho funds OF tho estate he re-
piled easily.
Ramsay had been waiting for the
precious pair. and at that moment
stepped from behind an angle In the
| wall
Don't stake all your cards on marry
ing Miss whitney TO save yourself"
he cautioned.
Scarley was startled, four nusher
that he was. but even before Ramsay
could follow UP his remark there was
rustic OF silk behind them. and Doris
herself crossed the porch swiftly from
the house. where she had evidently
heard. Somehow. il gave her pleasure
20 tease this big honest Secret Service
man. She turned to Scarlcy with a
smile and took his arm. She was
about to walk off. when Ramsay caught
tho snecr on Abner's face. 1t was too
much for him. He was properly net
scious OF the great mistake her
cocuctry was leading her into.
III you trust me-" he pleaded softly,
drawing her bit from Scarlcy, break
your engagement with him"
Blow for Verde.
For A moment Doris felt all her old
defiant spirit rise againgt the master
full :oung man. Yet his very mastery
compelled her.
'Iiow dare you?" she rctorted. de-
family.
She swept back to scarlcy and they
disappeared down the porch. As they
rounded the corner out OF sight she
lot go Of his arm and tore off the en-
Eagemcnt ring on her finger
Here" she cried. take this back.
Until l know whether 1 am the daugh-
ter Of Judson Whitney or the girl OF
the prophecy I will not mary your
Scarley pleaded. but she was insis-
tent. He camc close, trying to revive
| In her the old feeling, but she broke
away from him and ran back into the
garden.
There she paused as she saw Ramsay
sta uding BY sun dial. while verda
looked eagerly into his eyes. Doris
watched. Ramsay's gaze was as cold
e M ba h{y,,
CURLY dismiss Fcrda.
She tiptoed up TO the sun dial and
placed her ringless finger on 1t.
Jack" she whispered.
But Ramsay vas unresponsive. He
said nothing. Doris looked at him a
moment. smiling to herself.
We'll, then. Mister Ramsay" she
poutcd. wisgling the finger.
Ramsay looked down. The ring was
gone. and as he saw it he seized the
hand and held it, nor did Doris refuse
At the Office OF the consul-general
downtown in New York there had ar
rived that very day the secret agent
whom the Emperor had dispatched some
weeks before, when lie learned Of the
death OF the Grand Duke Alexovitch.
The consul-Ecncral looked the agent
over carefully. then demanded his
credentials. The agent displayed them.
and 1t was the matter of only a mo-
neHt 1or the conSul-Seneral to assure
himself that they were correct
And your mission?" inquired the
official.
The agent drew close to him. "I am
n special messenger from Ills Majesty"
nc SAID, drawing from his pocket the
very duplicate of the explosive packet
which had been destroyed by tho coun-
tcrfeit Ramsay. who had mistaken the
false locket for the real one. "AIy
commission is to find the girl known
as the daughter Of Judson Whitney, the
girl about whose neck is the locket
which VIII safely open this packet
containing the hand print OF baby.
II the hand print is the same as her
own. she is the girl OF tho prophecy
of the Mad Monk. and am commanded
to send her back to the Emperor"
The First Step.
The consulgeneral nodded Hell
knew the story. Also he had a keen
sense of the danger of the mission.
He took the packet gingerly.
Let us leave 1t here for the present
in the safe at the consulate" he sug-