Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 40, Number 104, 13 March 1915 — Page 7

THE RICHMOND PALLADIUM AND SUN-TELEGRAM, SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 1915

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LP S M OPPENHETM- Q

SECOND INSTALLMENT

8YN0PSIS. In her apartment at the Leland Ella, daughter of Lord Aphlelgh, in murdered and the Ashleigh diamond necklace stolen. The New York police plaie the case in the hands of Sanford Quest, known and feared as the master criminologist of the world. He takes Lenora, Klla'a maid, to his own apartments ar.d through hypnotism r.nd the use of electro-teiepath' appliances discovers her connection with the crime, recovers the diamond t and arrests the murdrei Macdougal, I-enora's huaband, though nearly trapped to K;s "eath In a tough tenement house while en-raced In the work. "THE HIDDEN HANDS" CHAPTER VI. Sanford Quest and Lenora stood side by lde pon the steps of tho courthouse, waiting for the automobile, which had becoiro mcmentarily entangled in a string of vehicles. A lltue crowd of people were elbowing their way ovt on to the sidewalk. The faces of most sf them were still chadowed by the three hours of tense drama from which they had just emerged Quest, who had lit a cigar, watched them curiously. "No need to go into tho court," he remarked. "I could have told you, from the look of these people, that Macdougal had escaped the deat.. sentence. They have paid their money or rather their time, ond they havo been cheated of the one supreme thrill." "Imprisonment for life seems terrible enough," Lenora whispered, shuddering. "Can't ceo thr alive myself." " brutality. "It t mittcd." : xx. of ketp'ng such a man declared, with purposeful :;.! murder, fiendishly comThey were on tiie poin of crossing the pavement toward the automobi'c when Quest felt a touch upon hi3 shoulder. He turned and found liOrd Ashleigh standing by his side. Quest glanced towards Lenora. "Run aud get in tho cer," he whispered. "I will bo thcro in r. moment." "I would not have stopped you Just now, Mr. Quest." said Lord Ashleigh, "but my brother is very anxious to renew his acquaintance with you. I think you met years ago." Snnfcrd Quest held out his hand to the man who bad been standing a little in the background. Lord Ashlcigh turned towards him. "This is Mr. Qr.ost, Edgar. Tou may remember ny brother Professor Ashleigh as a man of science. Quest? He ha3 just returned from South America." The two ehook hands, curiously diverse in type, In expression, in all tho appurtenances of manhood. "I cm very proud to make your acquaintance egr.in, professor," Quest said. "Glad to know, too, tint you hadn't forottc:. nic." "My dear sir." the professor declared, as he released the other's hand with seeming reluctance, "I hr.vf thought about you many times. Your doings iinvc.p.lwayo hcn of interest to me." "I am sorry." Quest remarked "that our first cicelin:j; hero should bo undo- such distressing c'rcunistv.nces." The. professor nodded gravely. "If you'll ckciico me. professor." said Quest, "I think I must bo getting along. We shall meet cpr.in. 1 trust."' "Or.n moment." the profos or begged, eagerly. "Tell mo, Mr. Quest I -v.ir.t your honest opinion. What do you think of my ape?' "Of your what?" Quest inquired dubiously. "Of my anthropoid ape which I have just sent to t' museum. Vou know my claim? But perhaps you would prefer to postpone your final decision until after you have examined tho skeleton itself." A light broke iu upon the criminologist. "Of couisc!" ho exclaimed. 'For the moment, rrofessor, 1 couldn't rcllow you. You are talking cbout the skeleton of tbo ipo which you brought homo from South America, and which you have presented to the mustum here?' "Naturally," tho professor assented, with mild surprise. "To what else? I am stating my case. Mr. Quest, in the North American Review next "south, I may tell you, however, as a fellow scientist, the great and nbcnltito truth. My claim is Incontestable. My akclc'on will prove to the world, without v. doubt, the absolute truth of Darwin's great theory." "That so?" "You must go pad see It," fio professor insisted, "Vou nball bo permitted a speciai examination." "Very kird cf ycu," Quost murmured. "We shall meet nrcin .soon. I hope," the professor concluded c.-.r'Jially. "Good-morning, Mr. Quest:" The two men rlioo'i hemic, and Quest took his r.eat by T.cnora'n ride in tho automobile. The professor rejoined his brother. They entered th i?;:ieab r.nd wcro driven almost in silenco to the professor's home a large, rambling old house, situated in somewhat extensive but ill-kcnt grounds on the outskirts of Xew York. The Englishman glanced around him. as they passed up tho drive, with aa expression of disapproval. "A moro untidy locking placo than yours, Edpar, I never saw," ho declared. "Your grounds have become a jungle. Don't ycu keep any gardeners?" "I keep other thing:'," he said sereneiv. "There is something in ny fardeu which would terrify your nice Ecotch gardeners inio fits if they found their way here (o do a little tidying up. Come into tho library r.nd i'l! give you one of my choice cigars. Here's Craig waiting to let us in. Any news, Craig?" "Nothing has happened, sir." ha replied. "The telephone is rinsing In the study now, though." "I will nr.swer it myself." the professor declared, bustling elf. The profesFor took up the receiver from the telephone. Ilia "fTeilo!" was mild and inquiring. He had no douM that the call was from some admiring disciple. Tho change la his face as he listened, however, was amazing. "Georgf " h gasped, "tho greatest tragedy In the world 1013 .aptwned! My ape is stolen!" Ilia broi.be- locked at him blankly, i "Your cpo i stolen?" he repeated. "The r.kcletor of my anthropoid ape," the professor cotlned, his voice jrowlng alike in eadiJo3S ond firmness. "It Is the curator of the museum who to speaking. They hae Just opened the box. Ii has lain for two dajs in an anteroom. It is ompty!" Lord Ashleigh muttered something a little Tague. Ti-c thrift of a skeleton scarcely appeared to his

unscientific mind to be a realizable thing. The professor turned back to the telephone. "Mr. Francis," he said, "I cannot talk to you. I can say nothing. I shall com6 to you at once. I am on the point of starting. Your news has overwhelmed me." He laid down the receiver. He looked around him like a man in a nightmare. "The taxicab is waiting, sir," Craig reminded him. "That Is most fortunate," the professor pronounced. "I remember now that I had no change with which to pay him. "I must go back. Look after my brother. And, Craig, telephone at once to Mr. Sanford Quest. Ask him to meet mo at the museum in twenty minutes. Tell him that nothing must stand in the way. Do you hear?" The taxicab man drove off, glad enough to have a return faro. In about half an hour's time tho professor strode up the steps of the museum and hurried into the office. There was a little crowd of officials there, whom the curator at once dismissed. He rose slowly to hi3 feet. His manner was grave aud bewildered. "Proiessor, he said, "we will waste no time in words. Look here!" He threw open the door of an anteroom behind his office. The apartment was unfurnished except for one or two chairs. In the middle of the uncarpeted floor was a long wooden box from which the lid had just been pried. "Yesterday, as you know from my note," the curator proceeded, "I was away. I gave orders

1 "Stolen!" Mrs. Rheinholdt Shrieked. "Stolen that your case should be placed here that I myself should enjoy the distinction of opening it. An hour ago I commenced the task. That is what I found." Tbet professor gazed blankly at the empty box. "Nothing left except the smell," a voice from the open doorway remarked. They glanced around. Quest was standing there, and behind him Lenora. The professor welcomed them eagerly. "This is Mr. Quest, the great criminologist," he explained to the curator. Quest strolled thoughtfully around the room, glancing out of each of the windows in turn. He kept close to the wall, and when he had finished ho drew out a magnifying glass from his pocket and made a brief examination of the box. Then ho asked a few questions of the curator, pointed out one of the windows to Lenora and whispered a few directions to her. She at once produced what seemed to be a foot rule from the bag which she was carrying, and hurried into the garden. "A little invention of my own for measuring footprints," Quest explained. "Not much use here, I am afraid." Quest stood over the box for a moment or two and looked once more out of the window. Presently Lenora returned. She carried in her hand a small object, which she brought silently to Quest. He glanced at it in perplexity. The professor peered over his shoulder. "It is the little finger!" he cried "the little finger of my ape!" Quest held it away from him critically. "From which hand?" he asked. "The right hand." Quest examined the fastenings of the window before which he had paused during his previous examination. He turned awa with a shrug of the shoulders. "See you later, Mr. Ashleigh," he concluded laconically. A newsboy thrust a paper at them. Quest glanced at the headlines. Lenora clutched at his arm. Together they read it in great black type: ESCAPE OF CONVICTED PRISONER! Macdougal, on HIa Way to Prison, Grapples With Sheriff and Jumps From Tralnl Still at Large, Though Searched for by Posse of Police. CHAPTER VII. The windows of Mrs. Rheinholdt's town house were ablaze with light. A crimson drugget

stretched down the steps to the curbstone. A long row of automobiles stood waiting. Through the wide-flung doors was visible a pleasant impression of flowers and light and luxury. In the nearer of the two large reception rooms Mrs. Reinholdt herself, a woman dark, handsome and in the prime of life, was standing receiving her guests. By her side was her son, whose twenty-first birthday was being celebrated. "I wonder whether that professor of yours will come?" she remarked, as the stream of incoming guests slackened for a moment. "He hates receptions," the boy replied, "but he promised he'd come. I never thought, when he used to drill science Into us at the lectures, that he was going to be such a tremendous big pot." Mrs. Rheinholdt's plump fingers toyed for a moment complacently with the diamonds which hung from her neck. "You can never tell, in a world like this," she murmured. "Here he is, mother!" the j'oung man exclaimed suddenly. "Good old boy! I thought he'd keep his word." Mrs. Rheinholdt assumed her most encouraging and condescending smile as she held out both hands of the professor. "It is perfectly sweet of you, professor," Mrs. Rheinholdt declared. Mrs. Rheinholdt breathed a sigh of relief as she greeted her new arrivals. The professor made himself universally agreeable in a mild way, and his presence created even

There In the Conservatory." 2 Measuring the more than the sensation which Mrs. Rheinholdt had hoped for. In her desire to show him ample honor she seldom left his side. "I am going to take you into my husband's study," she suggested, later on in the evening. "He has some specimens cf beetles " "Beetles," the professor declared, with some excitement, "occupied precisely two months of my time while abroad. . Py all means, Mrs. Rheinholdt!" "We shall have to go quite to the back of the house," she explained, as she led him along the darkened passage. The professor smiled acquiescently. Hia eyes rested for a moment upon her necklace. "You must really permit me, Mrs. Rheinholdt," he exclaimed, "to admire your wonderful stones! I am a judge of diamonds, and those three or four in the center are, I should judge, unique.." She held them out to him. The professor laid the end of the necklaco gently In the palm of his hand and examined them through a horn-rimmed eyeglass. "They are wonderful," he murmured, "wonderful! Why" He turned away a little abruptly. They had reached the back of the houso and a door from outside had just been opened. A man had crossed the threshold with a coat over his arm and wa3 standing now looking at them. "How extraordinary!" tho professor remarked. "Is that you, Craig?" "Yes, sir!" he replied. "There is a rain storm, so I ventured to bring your mackintosh." "Very thoughtful," the professor murmured approvingly. "I have a weakness," he went on, turning to his hostess, "for always walking home after an evening like this. In the daytime I am content to ride. At night I have the fancy always to walk." "We don't walk half enough," Mrs. Rheinholdt sighed, glancing down at her somewhat portly figure. "Dixon," she added, turning to the footman who had admitted Craig, "take Professor Ashleigh's servant into the kitchen and see that he has something before he leaves for home. Now, professor, if you will come this way." They reached a little room In the far corner of the house. Mrs. Rheinholdt apologized as she switched on the electric lights. "It is a queer little place to bring you to," she said, "but my husband used to spend many hours here, and he would never allow anything to be moved. You see, the specimens are In these cases."

The professor nodded. His general- attitude toward the forthcoming exhibition was merely one of politeness. As the first case opened, however, his manner completely changed. Without taking the slightest further notice of his hostess, he adjusted a pair of horn-rimmed spectacles and commenced to mumble eagerly to himself. Mrs.' Rheinholdt, who did not understand a word, strolled around the apartment, yawned and finally interrupted a little stream of eulogies, not a word of which she nnderstood, concerning a green beetle with yellow spots. "I am so glad you are interested, professor," she said. "If you don't mind, I will rejoin my guests. You will find a shorter way back If you keep along the passage straight ahead and come through the conservatory." "Certainly! With pleasure!" the professor agreed, without glancing np. Mrs. Rheinhold't reception, notwithstanding the temporary absence of its presiding spirit, was without doubt an unqualified success. In one of the distant rooms the younger people were dancing. Philip Rheinholdt, with a. pretty young debutante upon his arm, came out from the dancing room and looked around amongst the little knots of peop' "I wonder where mother Is?" he remarked. "She told tc " The young man broke off in the middle of his sentence. He, too, like many others in the room, felt a sudden thrill almost of horror at the sound which rang without warning upon their ears a woman's cry, a cry of fear and horror. Mrs. Rheinholdt. hfir hands clasping her neck, her splendid composure a thing of the past, a panic-stricken, terrified woman, stumbled into the room. She seemed on the point of collapse. Somehow or other, they got her into an easy chair. ' My jewels!" she cried. ''My diamonds!" "What do you mean, mother?" Philip Rheinholdt asked quickly. '"Have you lost them?" "Stolen!" Mrs. Rheinholdt shrieked. "Stolen there in the conservatory!" They gazed at her open-mouthed, incredulous.

Foot - Print. 3 "Come and Tell Us Your Sins." Then a still, quiet voice from the outside of the little circle Intervened. "Instruct your servants, Mr. Rheinholdt, to lock and bar all tho doors of the house," the professor suggested. "No one must leave it until we have heard your mother's story." "I had just taken the professor into the little room my husband used to call the museum," Mrs. Rheinholdt explained, her voice still shaking with agitation. "I left him there to examine some specimens of beetles. I thought that I would come back through the conservatory, which is the quickest way. I was about half.way across it when suddenly I heard the switch, go behind me and all the electric lights were turned out. I couldn't imagine what had happened. While I hesitated I Baw " She broke down again. There was no doubt about the genuineness of her terror. "I saw a pair of hands just hands no arms nothing but hands come out of the darkness! They gripped me by the throat, I suppose it was just for a second. I thinkI lost consciousness for a moment, although I was still standing up. The next thing I remember is that I found myself shrieking and running here and the jewels are gone! " "You saw no one?" her son asked incredulously. "You heard nothing?" "I heard no footsteps, I saw no one," Mrs. Rheinholdt repeated. The professor turned away. "If you will allow me' he begged, "I am going ' to telephone to my friend, Mr.' Sanford Quest, the criminologist. An affair so unusual as this might attract him. You will excuse me." Tho professor met the great criminologist and his assistant in the hall upon their arrival. Ke took tho former at once by the arm. "Mr. Quest," he began, "in a sense I must apologize for my peremptory message. I am well aware that an ordinary jewel robbery does not interest you, but in this case the circumstances are extraordinary. I ventured, therefore, to summon your aid." Sanford Quest nodded shortly. "As a rule," he said, "I do not care to take up one affair until I have a clean slate. There's your skeleton still bothering me, professor. However, where's the lady who was robbed?" "I will take you to her," the professor replied. Mrs. Rheinholdt's story, by frequent repetition, had become a little more coherent, a trifle more circumstantial, the perfection of simplicity and utterly incomprehensible. Quest listened to It without remark and finally made his way to the conservatory. He requested Mrs. Rheinholdt to walk with him through the door by which she hod ea-

tered and stop at the precise spot where the

sault had ben made upon ber. There were one or two plants knocked down from the tiers on the right-hand side, and some disturbance In the mold where some large palms were growing. Quest and Lenora together made a close Investigation of the spot. Afterwards, Quest walked several times to each of the doors leading into the gardens. "There are four entrances altogether." he re marked, as he lit a cigar and glanced around the place. "Two lead into the gardens one la locked and the other Isn't one connects with the back of the house the one through which you came Mrs. Rheinholdt, and the other leads into your reception room, into which you passed after the aasault. I shall now be glad if you will permit me to examine the gardens outside for a few minutes, alone with my assistant, if you please." For almost a quarter of An hour Quest and Lenora disappeared. They all looked eagerly at the criminologist on his return. "It seems to me," he remarked, "that from tho back part of the iouse the quickest way to reach Mayton avenue would be through this conserra tory and out of that door. This is a path leading from just outbide straight to a gate in the wall. Does anyone that you know of use this means of exit?" , Mrs. Rheinholdt shook her head. "The servants might occasionally," she remarked doubtfully, "but not on nights when I am receiring." The butler stepped forward. He was looking si little grave. "I ought, perhaps, to Inform you, madam, and Mr. Quest," be said, "that I did, only a short time ago, suggest to the professor's servant tho man who brought your mackintosh, sir," he added, turning to the professor "that he could, if he chose, make use of this t eans of leaving the house. Mr. Craig is a personal friend of mine, and a member of a very select little club we have for social purposes." "Did he follow your suggestion?" Sanford Quest asked. "Of that I am not aware, sir," the butler replied. I left Mr. Craig with some refreshment, expecting that he would remain until my return, but a few minutes later I discovered that he had left. I will Inquire in the kitchen if anything is known as to his movements." He hurried off. Quest turned to the professor. . "Has he been with you long, this man Craig, professor?" he asked. The professor's smile was Illuminating. Us manner simple but convincing. "Craig." he asserted, "is the best servant, tho most honest mortal who ever breathed." "You think it would be out of the question, then," Quest asked, "to associate him with the crime?" The professor's confidence was sublime. "I could more readily associate you. myself or young Mr. Rheinholdt here with the affair," he declared. His words carried weight. The little breath of suspicion against the professor's servant fuded away. In a moment or two the butler returned. "It appears, madam," he announced, "that Mr. Craig left when there was only one person in the kitchen. He said good-night and closed the door behind him. It is impossible to say, therefore, by which exit he left the house, but pr onally I am convinced that, knowing of the reception here tonight, he would not think of using the conservatory." Quest nodded absently. "My assistant and I," he announced, "would be glad to make a further examination of the conservatory, if you will kindly leave us alone." They obeyed without demur. Quest took a seat and smoked calmly, with his eyes fixed upon the roof. Lenora went back to her examination of the overturned plants, the mold, and the whole ground within the immediate environs of the assault. She abandoned the search at last, however, and came back to Quest's side. He threw; away his cigar and rose. "Nothing -there?" he asked laconically. "Not a thing," Lenora admitted. j Quest led the way toward the door. "Lenora," he decided, "we are up against something big. There's a new hand at work somewhere." a Along the rain-swept causeway of Mayton arenuo keeping close to the shelter of the house, his mackintosh turned up to his ears, his hands buried in his pockets, a man waPted swiftly alc-ng. At every block he hesitated and looked around him. Suddenly he paused. He was parsing a great building, brilliantly lit. For a moment he thought that it was some place o entertainment. Tha thought cf enu;rii:g ceetaed to occur to hid. Thca ho felt a. firm touch upon his arm, a man in uniform spoko to Mm. "Step inside, brother," he invited earnestly, elmost eagerly, notwithstanding hia monotonous nasal twang. "Step inside and find peace. Btcp inside and the Lord will help yor. Th'-Jtr yaur burden away on the threshold." The man's first impulse at being addressed had seemed to be one of terror. Then he recognised the uniform and hesitated. Tho man took him by the arm and led him in. There were the hctt part of a hundred people taking their places .U:r the singing of the hymn. A girl was standing u;i before them on a platform. She was commonclns to speak, but suddenly broke off. She held out her arms toward where the professor's confidential servant stood hesitating. "Come and tell us your sins." she called out. "Come and have theu forgiven. Come and start a new life in a new world. There is no one here who thinks of th past. Come and seek forgiveness." For a moment this wiJf from the rain-swamped world hesitated. Tho li-.t of an infinite dc3iro flashed in his eyes. Then he dronped his head. These things might bt for others. For him thcro was pn hope. He shook, his head to the girl, but sank into the nearest seat and on to his knees. "He repents!" the girl called out. "Some day ho will come! brothers and sisters, we will pray for him." The rain dashed against the windows. - The only other sound from outside was e clanging of tho street cars. The girl's voice, frenzied, exhorting, almost hysterical, pealed out to tho roof. At eery pause the little gathering of men aud woaoa groaned in sympathy. The man's frame v. 4 shaken with sobs. . CTo Be Continued.)