Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-31

, ficndishly and dropped back to the
ground. making off swiftly.
Meanwhile. along the Trocadcro. was
dashinE the automobile with Doris.
ramsay. the chief and the Secret Ser
vice man. They pulled un some dis
| tancc from the den, just as the Eas;
indian ran up and raped at the door
Seeing him. they climbed out and al.
lently stole up with revolvcrs drawn
/ As tho prlcst-emssary opened tho
panel and then the door, the raiders
headed by Ramsay and Doris. dashed
forward, but the door was slammed In
| their faces. Instantly the chief fired
at the face of the priest em!ssary in
tho still open panel, and he fell dead
while the East indian cmissary fed
| down tho passageway. shouting
Ramsay did no, hesitate. He
| reached In through the shattered glass
of the open panel. felt around and
slipped the bolt below. The door few
| open. and all piled in.
Quick" shouted the emlssary wildly
as the Hidden Hand. In his den, hear
ing the rumpus. ran forward to in
| restigate. They are here
In n wild scramble the master Grim
inal and his minions fed by dark
passage downward. Just as Ramsay
Doris and the rest charged through
the halls. with revolvers drawn They
swarmed about the place, seeking the
hidden Hand az Ramsay, spying the
passage. picked his way down IT,
In the cellar the Hidden Hand ram
straight to a corner where were casks
and cans Of gunpowder and a fuse.
lie lighted the fuse. then turned and
hed. just at the moment that Ramsay
came pursuing to the head of the steps
Ramsay saw the suffering fuse.
There was no time to put 1t out. lie
darted back. shouting.
liurry-get QUITO the street.-the
place will be blown up." he cried as
he ran into the den. Selling Doris. who
was hunting for the precious packet
Hastily they retreated down the
arched passageway. not moment too
soon. for In another instant, even be.
fore they could reach the street. there
was terrific explosion. which almost
stunned them.
They recovered quickly and. helping
each other. ran out and stood regard
ing the smoking ruins.
The den Is a wreck. and the Hidden
Hand has escaped" cried Ramsay, az
he fumbled in his pocket and drew out
the precious diagram taken from the
deposit box. but we have one other
chancc-the will"
Then let us hurry" exclaimed Doris
In excitement. I'VE must get IT and read
it before the Hidden Hand and verda
open the packet"
Perhaps an hour later the party.
headed by Doris and Ramsay, entered
tho whitney house.
III the Hidden Hand is Uncle Abner."
exclaimed Ramsay. leading the way up
stairs. he can scarcely nave got back
here before U.s."
moment later they forced the door
to Abner's barred room. and as they
entered Doris screamed There was
Abner. lying face down across the table
-motionless-deadi
Ramsay bent over and lifted his
hand. 1t fell, lifeless.
Look" cried Doris pointing to a
red blotch behind his ear where the
dart still stuck.
Ramsay exchanged quick glance
with her.
Then the man who seeks my life"
she cried with conviction. must be
DR.. Scarley."
Ramsay. much upset in his theories,
said nothing, but quickly gave orders
to the now trembling servants to call
the coroner.
Let us get the will first" he cried.
pulling from his pocket the cellar
diagram and leaving the Secret Ser
vice men in charge upstairs.
Down in the cellar Doris and Ram
say began carefully figuring out which
Of the concrete pillars was that meant
In the diagram. At last they found I,