8 B
TIIE 0MA1TA RTTXDAY BP:E: JANUARY 24, 1915.
A Detective Novel and a Motion Picture Drama
Presented by The Omaha Bee in Collaboration with the Famous Pathe
. Players and the Eclectic Film Co.
& Miss Pearl White,
Arnold Daly and "Craig Kennedy"
The Famous Scientific Detective of Fiction.
a
mm
Written by Arthur B. Reeve
The Well-Known Novelist and the Creator of the "Craitf Kennedy" Storiet
Dramatized into a Photo-Play by Charles Goddard
Author of "The Perils of Pauline"
Cast f Leading Characters in the Motion Picture Reproduction by the Famous Pathe Players
ELAINE DODGE Miss Pearl White
CRAIG KENNEDY
HARRY DENNETT
Everything you read here today you can
see in the fascinating Pathe Motion Pic
tures at the Motion Picture Theaters this
week. Next Sunday another chapter of
"The Exploits of Elaine" and new Pathe
reels.
Synopsis of Prevloaa Chapters.
Tim New York polira are mystified by a series of
murders of prominent men. The principal clue to tht
iurflerer ts the warning letter which la sent the vic
tim, signed with a "clutching hand." The latent victim
of the mysterious assassin Is Taylor Ltodge, the lneur
enre president. Ills daughter, Klalne, employe Craig
Kennedy, the famous sclenUflo detective, to try to un
ravel the mystery. What Kennedy accomplishes is told
by his friend, Jameson, a newspaper man.
The Clutching Hand band attempt a daring robbery
of a Jewelry More, but are foiled by Kennedy. Ths
criminals kidnap Klalne and leave her to drown Inside
a steel tank. Craig Kennedy arrives in the nick of tint
to save her.
Chapter IV,
The Frozen Safe
(Copyright, 1916, by the Star Company. All For
eign Rights Reserved.)
i
, ENNEDY swung open the door of our taxi-
cab as we pulled up, safe at last, before
the Dodge mansion, after the rescue of
Elaine from the brutal machination- of
the Clutching Hand.
Bennett was on the step of the cab In a mo
ment; and together, one on each side of Klalne,
they assisted br out of the car and up the steps to
the house.
As they mounted the iters, Kennedy called
hack to me, "Par the driver, Walter, please'
It was the first time I Had thought of that As
It happened, I had quite a bank roll with me, and,
In my hurry, I picked off a ten-dollar bill and tossed
it to the fellow. Intending to he generoue and tell
him to keep the change.
."Say!" he exclaimed, pointing at the clock,
"come across twenty-three, sixty."
Protesting, I peeled oft some tnore bills.
Having satisfied this veritable anaconda and
gorged his dilating appetite for bank notes, I turned
to follow the others. Jennings had opened the door
immediately. Whether It was that he retained a
grudge against me or whether he did not see me,
he would have closed It before I could get up there.
I called and took the step two at a time..
Elaine's Aunt Josephine was waiting for us in
the drawing room, very much worried. The dear
old lady was quite scandalized aa Elaine excitedly
told of the thrilling events that had Just taken
place.
"And to think they actually- carried you!"
she exclaimed, horrified, adding, "And not "
. "But Mr. Kennedy came along and saved me
Just in time," Interrupted Elaine with a smile. "I .
was well chaperoned!" '
. Aunt Josephine turned to Craig, gratefully.
"How can I ever thank you enough, Mrv Kennedy,"'
she said, fervently.
Kennedy wa quite embarrassed. With a smile,
Elaine perceived his discomfiture, not at all dis
pleased by it.
"Come Into the library!' she cried, gayly, tak
ing his arm. "I've something to show you."
Where the old safe, which had been burnt
through, bad stood, was now a brand new safe of
the very latest construction and design one of ..
those globular safes that look and are so formida
ble. .
"Here Is the new safe," she pointed out,
brightly. "It is not only proof against explosives,
but between the plates Is a lining that Is proof
against thermit and even that oxyacetyleue blow
pipe by which you rescued me from the old holler.
It has a time lock, too. that will prevent its being
opened at night, even it anyone should learn the
combination."
They vtood before the safe a moment, and Ken
nedy examined It closely with much interest.
"Wonderful!" he admired.
"I knew you'd approve of It," cried Elaine,
much pleased. "Now, I have have something else
to show you."
She paused at the desk and from a drawer toon
out a portfolio of large photographs. They were
very handsome photographs of herself.
"Much more wonderful than the safe," re
marked Craig, earnestly. . Then, hesitating and a
trifle embarrassed, be added, "May I may I have
one?"
"If yo4 care for It," she eald, dropping her
tyt-s, then glancing up at him quickly.
"Care for it?" he repeated.' "It will be one
of the greatest treasures"
. She slipped the picture quickly into an en
velope. "Come," she interrupted. "Aunt Jose
phine will be wondering where we are. She she's
a demon chaperons."
Bennett, Aunt, Josephine and myself were talk
ing earnestly as Elaine and Craig returned.
"Well," said Bennett, glancing at his watch and
rising as be turned to Elaine, "I'm afraid I must
go row","
lie crossed over to where the stood and ahook
hndd. There was no doubt that Bennett was very
much smitten by his fair client.
"Goodbye, Mr. Bennett," she murmured, "and
I thank yoa so mack for what yo have done for
ixi touay."
But there was something lifeless "about the
wercN. the turned quickly to Craig, who had re-
iiiuiii'.-d standing.
K
. Mr. Arnold Daly
Mr. Sheldon Lewis
"Muet you go, too, Mr. Kennedy?" she asked,
noticing his position.
"I'm afraid. Mr. Jameson and I must get back
on the Job before this Clutching Hand gets busy
ngaln," he replied, relunctantly.
"Oh, I hope you we get him soon!" she ex
claimed, and there was nothing lifeless abont the
way she gave Craig her hand, as Bennett, he and I
left a moment later.
that morning I had noticed Kennedy fussing
some time at the door of our apartment before he
went over to the laboratory. Aa nearly as I could
make out he bad placed something under the rug
at the door out Into the hallway.
' When we approached our door, now, Craig
paused. By pressing a little concealed button he
caused a panel In the wall outside to loosen, dis
closing a small, box-like plate in the wall Under
neath. It was about a foot long and perhaps four
inches wide. Through it ran a piece of paper
which unrolled from one coll and wound up on an
other, actuated by clockwork. Across the blank
white paper ran an Ink line traced by a stylo
graphic pen, such as I had seen In mechanical pen
cils used In offices, hotels, banks and such places.
Kennedy examined the thing with interest.
"Wnat is It?" I asked.
"A new seismograph," he replied, still gazing
carefully at the rolled up part of the paper. "I
have installed It because It registers every footstep
on the floor of our apartment. We can't be too
careful with this Clutching Hand. I want to know
whether we have had any visitors or not in our
absence. This straight line Indicates that we have
not. Walt a moment"
Craig hastily unlocked the door and entered.
Inside I could see him pacing up and down our
modest quarters..
"Do you see anything, Walter?" he called.
I looked at the seismograph. Tne pen had
ttarted to trace its line, no longer even and '
straight, but zigzag, at different heights across the
paper.
He came to the door. "What do Ton think of
it?" he Inquired. . ,
"Splendid Idea," I answered enthusiastically.
Our apartment was, as I hare said, modest, con
testing of a large living room, two bedrooms and
tath an attractive, but not ornate, place, which
we found very cozy and comfortable. On one side
of the room was a big fireplace before which stood
a fire screen. We had collected easy chairs and
capacious tables and desks. Books were scattered
about, literally overflowing from the crowded
rhelves. On the walls were our favorite pictures,
while for ornament I suppose' I might mention my
typewriter and now and then some of Craig's won-
derful scientific apparatus, as satisfying our limited
desire for the purely aesthetic. ,
We entered and I fell to work at the afore-mentioned
typewriter on a special Sunday story that I
bad been forced to neglect. I was not so busy,
l.owever, that I did not notice out of the corner of ;
my eye that Kennedy had taken from its cover
Elaine Dodge's picture and was gazing at It raven
ously. I put my hand surreptitiously over my mouth
und coughed. Kennedy wheeled on me, and I
hastily banged a sentence out on the machine, mak
ing at least half a dozen mistakes.
I had finished as much of the article as I coud
do then and was smoking and reading It over. Ken
nedy was still gazing at the picture Miss Dodge had
Riven him, then moving from place to place about
the room, evidently wondering where Is would look
best. I doubt whether he had done another blessed
thing since we returned. ' ,
He tried It on the mantel. That wouldn't do.
At last he held it up beside a picture of Galton,1
think, of finger print and eugenics fame, who hung
en the wall directly opposite the fireplace. Hastily
he compared the two, Elaine's picture was precisely
the same size.
Next he tore out the picture of the scientist and
threw it carelessly Into the fireplace. Then he
t laced Elaine's picture in its place and hung it up
again, standing oft to admire It.
I watched him gleefully. Was this Craig? Pur
posely I moved my elbow suddenly and pushed a
book with a bang on the floor. Kennedy actually
Jumped. I picked up the hook with a muttered
apology. No, this was not the same old Craig.
Perhaps half an hour later I was still reading.
Kennedy was now pacing up and down the room,
apparently unable to concentrate his mind on any
but one subject.
He stopped a moment before the photograph,
looked at it fixedly. Then he started his methodi
cal walk asaln, hesitated, and went over to the tele
I hone, calling a number which I recognised.
"She must have been pretty well done up by
her experience." he said apologetically, catching
iay eye. "I was wondering. if hello! oh, Miss
Dodge I er I er Just called up to see If you
were all right."
' Craig was very much embarrassed, but also very ,
much In earnest. ,
A musical laugh rippled over the telephone.
"Yes, I'm all right, thank you, Mr. Kennedy and
I tut the package yea sent me Into the safe, but"
"Pacakags?" frowned Craig. "Why, I sent you
no package, Miss Dodge. In the safe?"
"Why, yes, and the safe Is ail covered with
moisture and so cold."
o .... iU7' . I
f m - 7T1? "'i
.; The Door of the Cabinet Slowly Opened and a Masked Face Peered
Around the Room. ... .
vIUs Is from ths Mortar Motor nim f "The XJiploits of Elaine" by the Famous Fathe Players.
MoiBtnre cold?" he repeated hastily. "
Yes. I have been wondering if it is all rleht.
In fact, I was going to call you up, only I was afraid
you'd think I was foolish."
"I shall be right over," he answered hastily,
clapping the reciver back on Its hook. "Walter," he
added, seizing his hat and coat, "come on hurry!"
A few minutes later we drove up In a taxi be
fore the Dodge house and rang the bell. ,
Jennings admitted us sleepily.
. It could not have been long after we left Miss
Dodge, labe In the afternoon, that Susie Martin,
who had been quite worried over our long absence
nfter the attempt to rob her father, dropped in on
Elaine. Wide eyed, she had listened to Elaine's
story of what had happened.
"And you think thlfrClutching Hand has never
recovered the Incriminating papers that caused him
to murder your father?" aeked Susie.
Elaine shook her head. "No. Let me show
you the new safe I've bought. Mr. Kennedy thinks
it wonderful."
"I should think you'd be proud of It," admired
Susie. "I must tell father to get one, too."
At that very moment, if they had known It. the
Clutching Hand, with his sinister, masked face,
was peering at the two girls from the other side of
the portieres.
Susie rose to go and Elaine followed her to the
door. No sooner had she gone than the Clutching
Hand came out from behind the curtains. He
gazed about a moment, then, moving over to the
safe about which the" two girls had been talking,
stealthily examined it.
, He must have heard someone coming, for, wltbA
a gesture of hate at the safe Itself, as though be
personified it, he slipped back of ths curtains again.
Elaine had returned, and as she eat down at
the desk to go over some papers which Bennett
had left relative to settling up the estate the
masked Intruder stealthily and silently withdrew.
"A package for you. Miss Dodge," announced
Michael later In the evening, as Elaine, In her
dainty evening gown, was still engaged in going
over the papers. He carried it In hl hands rather
gingerly.
"Mr. Kennedy Bent it, ma'am. He says It con
tains clues, and will you please put it In the new
safe for him."
Elaine took the package eagerly and examined
It. Then she pulled open the little round door of
the globular safe.
"It must be getting cold out. Michael." she re
markd. "This package Is as cold as Ice."
"It is, ma'am," answered Michael, deferentially,
with a sidelong glance that did not prevent his
watching her intently. .
She closed the safe, and, with a glance at her
watch, set the time lock and went upstairs to her
room. . j '
No sooner had Elaine disappeared than Michael
appeared again, cat-like, through, the curtains from
the drawing-room,, and, after a glance about the
dimly lighted library, discovering that the coast
was clear, motioned to a figure hiding behind the
portieres.
A, moment and Clutching Hand himself came
out
He moved over to the safe and looked It over.
Then he put out hi hand and touched it
"Listen!" cautioned Michael.
Somone .was coming, and hastily slunk behind
the' protecting" portieres.
It was Marie, 'Elaine's
She turned up the lights and went over to the
desk for a book for which Elaine had evidently sent
her. . She paused and appeared to be listening.
Then she went to the door.
"Jennings! "'she beckoned.
"What is it, Marie?" he replied.
. She said nothing, but as he came up -the hall
led him to the center of the room.
Listen! I heard sighs and groans!"
Jennings looked at her a moment, puzzled, then
laughed. "You girls!" he exclaimed. "I suppose
you'll always think the library haunted now."
VBut, Jennings, listen," she persisted.
' Jennings did listen. Sure enough, there were
sounds, weird, uncanny. He gazed about the room.
It was eerie. Then be took a few steps toward the
safe. Marie put out her hand to.it and started
back.
"Why, that safe is all covered with cold sweat!"1
she cried with bated breath.
Sure enough, the face of the safe was beaded
with dampness. Jennings put his hand on it and
quickly drew it away, leaving a mark on the damp
ness. "Wh-what do you think of that?" he gasped.
"I'm going ot tell Miss Dodge," cried Marie,
genuinely frightened.
A moment later she burst into Elaine's room.
'What Is the matter, Marie?" asked Elaine,
laying down her book. "You look as if you had
seen-a ghost." N
Ah. but, mademoiselle it ees Just like that. The
safe It mademoiselle will come downstairs, I will
show it you.
Puzzled,, but Interested, Elaine followed her in
the library Jennings pointed mutely at the new
safe. Elaine approached It. As they stood about,
new beads of perspiration, as it were, formed on it.
Elaine touched it and also quickly withdrew her
hand. f
"I can't imagine what's the matter," she said.
"But well Jennings, you may go and Marie,
also."'
When the servant had gone she still regarded
the safe with the same wondering look, then turn
' lng out the light, she followed.
She had scarcely disappeared when, from the
portlered doorway near by, the Clutching Hand' ap
peared, and, after gazing out at them, took a quick
look at the safe.
"Good!" he muttered.
Noiselessly Michael of the sinister face moved
in and took a position in the center of the room, as
U on guard, while Clutching Hand sat before the
safe watching intently.
"Someone at the door Jenlngs Is answering
the bell," Michael whispered hoarsely.
"Confound it!" muttered Clutching Hand, as
both moved again behind the heavy velour curtains.
.
"I'm so glad to eee you, Mr. Kennedy," greeted
Elaine unaffectedly as Jennings admitted us.
She had heard the bell and was coming down
stairs as we entered. We three moved toward the
library and some one switched on the lights.
Craig strode over to the safe. The cold sweat
on it had now turned to icicles. Cralg'a face
clouded with thought aa he examined it more
closely. There was actually a groaning sound from
within. , . (
"It caa't be opened," he said to himself." "The
time lock Is set for to-morrow morning-
Outside, If we had not been so absorbed In the
present mystery, we might have seen Mishael and
the Clutching Hand listening to us. Clutching
Hand looked hastily at his watch.
"The deuce!" he muttered under his breath,
stifling Ms suppressed fury.
We stood looking at the safe. Kennedy was
deeply Interested, Elaine standing close beside him.
Suddenly he seemed to make up his mind.
"Quick Elaine!" he cried, taking her arm.
"Stand back!"
We all retreated. The safer door, powerful as it
was, had actually begun to warp and bend. The
plates were bulging. A moment later, with a loud
report and concussion the door blew off.
A blast of' cold air and flakes like snow flew
out. Papers were scattered on every side.
We stood gazing, aghast, a second, then ran
forward. Kennedy quickly examined the safe. He
bent down and from the wreck took up a package,
now covered with white.
As quickly he dropped it.
"That is the package that w,as sent," cried
Elaine.
Taking it in a tablo cover, he laid it on the
table and opened it. Inside was a peculiar shaped
flask,' open at the top, but like a vacuum bottle.
"A Dewar flask!" ejaculated Craig.
"What Is is?" asked Elaine, appealing to him.
"Liquid air!" be answered. "As it evaporated,
the terrific pressure of expanding air in the safe
increased tralil it blew out the door. That la what
caused the cold sweating and the groans."
We watched him, startled.
On tUe other side Of the portirees Michael and
Clutching Hand waited. Then, In the general con
fusslon, Clutching Hand slowly disappeared, foiled.
"Where did this package come from?" asked
Kennedy of Jennings suspiciously.
Jennings looked blank.
"Why," put In Elaine, "Michael brought it to
me."
"Get Michael," ordered Kennedy. v
A moment later he returned. "I found him,
going upstairs," reported Jennings, leading
Michael in.
"Where did you get this package?" shot out
Kennedy, v -
"It was left at the door, sir, by a boy, sir."
Question after question could, not shake that
simple, stolid sentence. Kennedy frowned.
"You may go," he said finally, as If reserving
something for Michael later.
A sudden exclamation followed from Elaine as
Michael passed down the hall again. She had
moved over to the desk, during the questioning,
and was leaning against it. ' ,
Inadvertently she had touched an envelope. It
was addressed, "Craig Kennedy."
Craig tore it open, Elaine bending anxiously
over his shoulder, frightened.
We read:
" YOU HAVE INTERFERED FOR THE
LAST TIME. IT 19 THE END."
The warning of the Clutching Hand had no
other effect on Kennedy than the redoubling of his
precautions for safety. Nothing further happened
that night, however, and the next morning found
us early at the laboratory.
It was the late forenoon, when, after a hurried
trip down to the office, I reJolnedKennedy at his
scientific workshop. "
We walked down the street when a big limou
sine shot past. Kennedy stopped in the middle of
a remark. He had recognized the car, with a sort
of instinct.
At the same moment I saw a smiling face at the
window of the car. It was Elaine Dodge.
The car stopped in something less than twice
its length and then backed toward us.
Kennedy, hat off, was at the window in a mo
ment. There were Aunt Josephine and Susie
Martin, also.
"Where are you boys going?" asked Elaine,
with interest, then added with a gaiety that 111 con
cealed her real anxiety, "I'm so glad to see you
to see that or nothing has happened from the
dreadful Clutching ttand."
"Why, we were Just going to our rooms," re
plied Kennedy.
"Can't we drive you around?"
We climbed In and a moment later were off.
The ride was only too short for Kennedy. We
stepped out in front ot our apartment and stood
chatting for a moment.
"Some day I want to show you the laboratory,"
Craig was saying.
"It must be so interesting!" exclaimed Elaine
enthusiastically. "Think of all the bad men you
must have caught!"
"I have quite a collection of stuff here at our
rooms," remarked Craig, "almost a museum. Still,"
he ventured. "I can't promise that the place is in
order," he laughed.
Elaine hesitated. 'Would you like to see it?"
she wheedled of Aunt Josephine. -
Aunt Josephine nodded acquiescence, and Q
moment later we all entered the building.
"You you are very careful since that last warn
ing?" asked Elaine as we approached our door.
"More than ever now," replied Craig. "I Lav
.made up my mind to win."
She seemed to catch at the words as thoug'.j
they had a hidden meaning, looking first at him
and then away, not displeaned.
Kennedy had started to unlock the door, when
he stopped, short.
"See." he said, "this is a precaution I have Just
installed. I almost forget in the excitement."
He pressed a panel and disclosed the box-like
apparatus.
"This is my seismograph, which tells me
whether I have had any visitors in my absence. If
the pen traces a straight line, it is all right; but if
hello Walter, the line Is wavy."
We exchanged a significant glance.
"Would you mfnd er standing down the ball
Just a bit while I enter?" asked Craig.
"Be careful," cautioned Elaine.
He unlocked the door, standing off to one Bide.
Then he extended his hand across the doorway.
8UU nothing happened. There was not a sound.
He looked cautiously into the room. Apparently
there was nothing.
(Continued on Page Nine Column Twe).
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