Part 60 (1/2)

”What is it?” I asked.

”The ring!” she cried.

I looked again more closely. On the little finger of the left hand was a peculiar ring. Once seen, I think it was not readily forgotten. ”The ring!” she repeated excitedly. ”Don't you remember--that ring? I saw it on Mr. Del Mar's hand--at his house--this afternoon!”

I could only stare.

At last we had a real clue!

In his bungalow, Del Mar at that moment threw down his hat and tore off his mask furiously.

What had he done?

For a long time he sat there, his chin on his hand, gazing fixedly before him, planning to protect himself and revenge.

CHAPTER XVI

THE DISAPPEARING HELMETS

It was early the following morning that, very excited, Elaine and I showed Aunt Josephine the photograph which we had snapped and developed by using Kennedy's trick method.

”But who is it?” asked Aunt Josephine examining the print carefully and seeing nothing but a face masked and with a pair of hands before it, a seal ring on the little finger of one hand.

”Oh, I forgot that you hadn't seen the ring before,” explained Elaine.

”Why, we knew him at once, in spite of everything, by that seal ring--Mr. Del Mar!”

”Mr. Del Mar?” repeated Aunt Josephine, looking from one to the other of us, incredulous.

”I saw the ring at his own bungalow and on his own finger,” reiterated Elaine positively.

”But what are you going to do, now?” asked Aunt Josephine.

”Have him arrested, of course,” Elaine replied.

Still talking over the strange experience of the night before, we went out on the veranda.

”Well, of all the nerve!” exclaimed Elaine, catching sight of a man coming up the gravel walk. ”If that isn't Henry, Mr. Del Mar's valet!”

The valet advanced as though nothing had happened and, indeed, I suppose that as far as he knew nothing had happened or was known to us.

He bowed and handed Elaine a note which she tore open quickly and read.

”Would you go?” she asked, handing the note over to me.

It read:

DEAR MISS DODGE,