ant came
up the stairs and announced that Ruth had telephoned from the Stevens
place saying that Bob Stevens had gone to Brightwaters, and that she was
going there to find him.

"Good gracious! What was that?" screamed Mrs. Presby, gripping her
husband's arm with both hands as a mighty crash shook the building. A
violent current of air smote them, another cloud of suffocating dust
filled the air.

"Mollie's gone, too!" screamed Grace Carter.

CHAPTER XIV

TOMMY TAKES A WILD RIDE

FOR a moment the little group stood regarding one another in
horror-stricken silence, then by common consent they all made for the
stairway. Mr. Presby was half carrying, half dragging his wife, who was
in a state of collapse. All had lost their heads completely. They did
not know at what moment that terrible mysterious force might whisk them
all out of existence. Instead of remaining calmly to solve the reason
for Mollie's disappearance before their very eyes, all hands were
fleeing from the scene of the double disaster. Mollie had not even cried
out. She had simply gone, followed by that mighty crash. That was all
they knew about it.

They did not halt until they had reached the ground floor, where Mr.
Presby called a servant to summon the neighbors and summon them quickly.
Fifteen minutes later the neighbors began to arrive. With them were two
or three strangers, whose offers to join in the search through the house
Mr. Presby politely declined, as he was suspicious of all strangers.
Those of the neighbors who were friends of long standing were given
free rein to search the house and grounds as thoroughly as they wished.
They took full advantage of the opportunity, delving into every nook and
corner.

In the meantime Ruth Stuart with the shivering Tommy by her side was
driving her automobile across the country. There was no storm curtain in
place now. Even the wind shield had been turned down because the snow
clouded it so Ruth could not get a clear sight ahead. As it was, she
could see no more than a rod or two in advance. She took the storm full
on the right side of her face. The girl's eyes and nerves were steady
now. Her touch on the steering wheel was light, for at that speed a
heavy hand might have ditched the outfit.

Country people on the road were startled by a rush of wind and a shadowy
monster shooting past them with a snort, occasionally sending their
horses off the highway in frightened leaps. But Ruth Stuart's