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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1915)
10 B TITE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: FEBRUARY 14, 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. duciVMiss Pearl White, . Arnold Daly and "Craig Kennedy" The Famous Scientific Defective f Fiction. Written by Arthur B. Reeve The Well-Known Novelist and the Creator of the "Craig Kennedy" Stories Dramatized into a Photo-Play by Charle3 Goddard Author of "The Perils of Pauline" Cut of Ledbf Character! 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. mroptia or nurioui cxatbi. The New York police are mystified hy a aerie of murders and other crimes. Tim principal Hue to the criminal Is the warning letter which Is sent the vlntlnn, al-ned with a "clutching tmnrt." The latent victim of the mysterious assassin is Taylor Dodffe, the Insurant- president. Ills daughter. Klalne, enit lays I'rals: Ken nedy, the famous scientific detective, to try to unravel the mystery. What Kennedy accomplishes Is told by Ms friend Jameson, a newspaper man. KnraRed at the determined effort which Klalne and Orals; Kennedy are making to put an end to his crimes, 'the I'lutchlna Hand, as this stranue criminal Is known, resorts to all sorts of the most diabolical schemes to put them out of the way. Karh chapter of the story tells of a new plot anal net their lives and of the way the great detective uses all his skill to save this pretty girl and himself from death. CHAPTER VII. The Double Trap (Copyright, 1915, Xj the Star Company. All For eign Highta Reserved.) , 1NDFUL of the sage advice that a time ' of peacu Is best employed In preparing for war, 1 wag busily engaged in clean- ' Ing my automatic gun one morning as Kennedy and I were seated In our liv ing room. Our door buster sounded, and Kennedy, always alert. Jumped up, pushing aside a great pile of papers which had accumulated in the Dodge case. Two steps took him to the wall, where the day before he had installed a peculiar bos about four ; by six Inches, connected In some way with a lens Ilk box of similar site above our bell and speaking tube In the hallway below. He opened It, disclosing aa oblong plate of ground glass. "I thought. the seismograph arrangement was not quite enough after that spring-gun affair,' he remarked, "so I have put In a sort of teleview of toy own Invention eo that I can see down Into, the vestibule downstairs. Well Just look who's here! " "Som new fangled periscope arrangement, I suppose?" I queried, moving slowly ever toward It. However, one look was enough to Interest me. I can express It only in slang. There, framed in tbe little thing, was a vision of as swell a "chicken". as X have ever seen. I whistled under my breath. "Urn!" I exclaimed, shamelessly, i "A peach! Who's your friend T" ,1 had never said a truer word than In. my de scription of her, though I did not know It at the time. She was Indeed known as "Gertie the Peach" In the select circle to which she belonged. Gertie was very attractive, though frightfully overdressed. But, then, no one thinks anything of that now, In New York. Kennedy .opened the lower door, and our fair visitor was coming upstalfm Meanwhile he was deep to thought before the "teleview." lie made, up his mind quickly, however. 'Co' In there, . Walter." he ' said, seizing me quickly and pushing me Into my room. "I want you to watt there and watch her carefully." I slipped the gun Into my pocket and went. Just as a knock at the door .told, me she was outside. 'Kennedy opened the door, disclosing a very ex cited young woman. "Oh, Prof. Kennedy," she cried, all In ' ose breath, with much emotion. "I'm so glad I .found you In. I can't tell you. Oh my Jewels! They have been stolen and my husband must not fcnow f it. Help tne to recover them please!" She had not paused, but had gone on in a wild, voluble explanation. , , "Just a moment, my dear young lady," Inter rupted Craig, finding at last a chance to get a word in edgewise. "Do you see that table and all those papers? Really, I can't take your case. I am too busy, as it is. even to take the cases of many of my own clients." "But, please.. Prof. Kennedy please!" she begged. "Help me. It means oh. I can't tell you how much it means to me!" ehe had come close to him and had laid her warm, little aoft hand on his, In ardent entreaty. Prom my hiding place In my room. I could not help seeing that she was using every charm of her sex and personality to lure him on, as she clung conridlngly to him. Craig was very much embar rassed, and I could not help a amtie at his dlscom flture. Seriously. I should have hated to have been In his position. , . . Gertie had thrown her arms about Kennedy, as tf In wildest devotion. I wondered what Elaine would have thought If she had a picture of that! "Ob." she begged him, "please please help me!" Still, Kennedy seemed utterly unaffected by her xaulonate embrace. Carefully he loosened her Hcgors from about his neck and removed the . plump, enticlcg arms. Gertie sank into a chair, weeping, while Ken nedy stood before her a moment In deep abstraction Finally he seemed to make up hi. mind to' someUlag. - His manner toward ber changed. He took a step to her side. . "i will btlp you," he said. laying hi hand on ter shoulder. "Jf it Is possible I will recover your Jemtls. Where do you live!" "At Haiiehufut," sbe replied gratefully, "on Mr. Keanedy, Low can I ver thank yoou?" M Mr, Arnold Daly Mr. Sheldon Lewis She seemed overcome with gratitude, and took his hand, pressed it, even kissed It. "Just a minute," he added, carefully extricating bis hand. "I'll be ready In Just a minute.' Kennedy entered the room where 1 was listen ing. ... " "What's It all about, Craig?" I whispered, mys ' tlfled. For a moment ho stood thinking, apparently reconsidering what he had Just done. Theji his second thought seemed to approve It. "This Is a trap of the Clutching Hand, Walter," he whispered, adding tensely, "and we're going to walk right Into It." I looked at him In amazement. "But, Craig," I demurred, "that's foolhardy. Have her trailed anything but " He shook his head, and with a mere motion of his hand brushed aside my objections as he went to a cabinet across the room. From one shelf he took out a small metal box and from another a test tube, placing the test tube In his waistcoat pocket and tho small box in his coat pocket with excessive care. Then he turned and motioned to me to follow him out into the other room. I did so, stuffing my "gatt" into my pocket. , "Let me Introduce my friend, Mr. Jameson," said Craig, presenting me to the pretty crook. The Introduction quickly over, we three went out to get Craig's car, which he kept at a nearby garage. . , - That forenoon Ferry Bennett' was reading up a case. In the outer office Milton Schofleld, bis office boy, wss industriously chewing gum and ad miring his feet, cocked up on the desk before him. The door of the waiting room opened, and an attractive woman of perhaps 30, dressed in 'ex treme mourning, entered with a boy. ' Milton cast a glance of scorn at the "little dude." He was in reality about 14 years old, but was dressed to look much younger. Milton took his feet down -in deference to the lady, but snickered openly at the boy. A fight seemed imminent. 1 "Did you wish to see Mr. Bennett?" asked the precocious Milton, politely, on one band, while on tho other he made a wry grimace. "Yes here Is my card," replied the woman. It was deeply bordered In black. Even 'Milton' was startled at reading It: "Mrs. Taylor Dodge." He looked at the woman In open-mouthed as tonishment. ' Even. he knew. that Elaine's mother, bad been dead for years. The woman, however, true to her name in the artistic coterie la which she wss leader, had sunk into a chair and was sobbing convulsively, as only "Weepy Mary" could. v , - It was so effective that even Milton was visibly moved. He took the. card In, excitedly, to Bennett. "There's a woman' outside says she Is Mrs. Dodge!" he crlod. '.I , ". 1 ; If Milton had bad an X-ray eye he could have seen her take a clgarelte from her handbag and light It nonchalantly the moment ho had tone. As for Bennett, Milton, who was watching him closely, thought ho was about to discharge him on tho spot for bothering him. He took tho card, and his face expressed the most supreme surprise, then anger. He thought a moment. "Tell that woman to state her business In writing." he thundered curtly at Milton. . As the boy turned to go back to the waiting room, Weepy Mary, hearing him coming,' hastily shoved the cigarette Into her "son's" band. "Mr. Bennett says or you to write out what It is you want to wee him about." reported Milton. Indicating tho table before which she was sitting. Mary had automatically taken up sobbing with the release of the cigarette. She looked at the table on which were letter paper, pens and Ink. "I may write here?"- she asked. - "Purely, ma'am." replied Milton, still very much overwhelmed by her sorrow. "Weepy Mary" sat there, writing and sobbing. In the midst of his sympathy, however, Milton sniffed. There was aa unmlstakeable odor of to bacco amoke about the room. He looked sharply at the "son," and discovered tho still smoking cigarette. It. was too much for Milton's outraged dignity. Bennett did not allow htm that coveted privilege. This Mpstart could not usurp It. He reacted over and seised the boy by the arm, and swung him around till he faced a sigh In tho ' corner on the wall. "See?" he demanded. The sign read courteously: "No Smoking In This Office Please. Perry Bennett." , "Leggo my arm." snarled tho "eon," putting the offending cigarette defiantly Into his mouth. Milton coolly and deliberately reached over, and. with exaggerated politeness, swiftly and ef fectively removed it. dropping It on the floor and stamping on It. . . , ... "Son" raised his 'fists purnsclously, for ho didn't care much for the role he was playing, any how. !-.' Milton did the same. ' . . " ... . There was every element of a gaudy nilxup. when the outer door of the office suddenly swung open, and Klalne Dodge entered. Gallantry was Milton's middle same, and ho sprang forward to hold the door, and then opened Ben nett's door, . aa he ushered In Elaine. As she passed "Weepy Mary," who was still writing at the table and crying bit terly, Elaine hesitated and looked at her curiously. Even after Milton had opened Bennett's door, she could not resist another glance. Instinctively, Elaine seemed to scent trou ble. Bennett wss still study ing the black-bordered card when she greeted him. "Who Is that woman?" she asked, still wondering ' ft 'ymvm M 7" ' : ,"i Just Then I Saw at the Little Window a Woman's Pace, Tense with ' Horror. It was Elaine! , TbJs U from the 'iloTng Picture Film of Th ErpIolU of Elaine" by the famous Pathe Players. about tho Identity of tho trouble outside. ' At first he said nothing. ; But finally, seeing that she had noticed It, he handed Elaine the card, reluctantly. Elaine read with a gasp. The look of surprise that crossed her face was terrible. .' - Before she could say anything, however, Milton had returned with the sheet of paper on which "Weepy Mary" had written, and handed It to Bennett Bennett read It with uncontrolled astonishment. "What is It?" demanded Elaine. He handed it to her and she read? "As the lawful wife and widow of Taylor Dodge I demand my son's rights and my own. Mrs. Tay lor Dodge." .... Elaine gasped at It "She my father's wife!" she exclaimed. "What effrontery! What does she mean?" . Bennett hesltsted. "Tell me," Elaine cried, "Is there can there be anything In it? No no there Isn't?" Bennett spoke In a low tone. "I have heard a whisper of some scandal or other connected with your fathei but " He paused. Elaine was first shocked, then indignant " "Why such a thing is. absurd. Show the woman In!" . . ' "No please Miss Dodge. Let me deal' with By this time Elaine was furious. . , "Yes I will see her." She pressed the button on Bennett's desk, and Milton responded. ' "Milton, show the the woman In," she ordered, "and that boy, too." .-.. As Milton tamed to crook his finger at "Weepy Mary." she nodded surreptitiously and dug her fin gers sharply into "son's" ribs. ' , "Yell you little fool yell," she whispered. Obedient to his "mother's" comaands, and much to Milton's disgust, the boy started to cry In close imitation of his elder. , Elaine was still holding the paper' In her hands when they entered. "What does all this mean?" she demanded. "Weepy Mary." between sobs managed to blurt out, "You are Miss Elaine Dodge, aren't you? Well, it means that your father married me when I was only 17 and thl boy is his son your half-brother." "No never," cried Elaine vehe mently, unable to restrain her dis gust. "He never married again. He was too devoted to the memory of my mother." "Weepy Mary" smiled cynically. "Come with me and I will show you the cbarch records and the minister who married us." "You will?" repeated Elaine de fiantly. "Well, I'll Just do as you ask. Mr. Bennett shall go with me." "No, no. Miss Dodge don't go. Leave the matter to me,u urged Ben nett ' "I will take care of her. Be- sides, I must be in court In twenty minutes." . - Elaine paused, but she was thoroughly aroused. "Then 1 will go with her myself," she cried de fiantly. In spite of every objection that Bennett made, "Weepy Mary." ber son and Elaine went out to call a taxlcab to take them to the rallroed . station where they could catch a train to. the Jittle town where the woman asserted she had beta married. Meanwhile, before a little country church In tho town, a closed automobile had drawn up. t As the door opened, a figure, humped up and masked, alighted. , It was, the Clutching Hand. The car bad scarcely pulled away when he gave a long rap, followed by two short tapa, at the door of the vestry, a secret code, evidently. Inside the vestry room a man well dressed, but with a very 'sinister, face, heard the knock and a second later opened the door. "What cot ready yet?" growled the Clutching Hand. - "Quick now get on those clothes. I heard the train whistle as I came In the car. In which closet does the minister keep them?" The crook, without a word, went to a closet and took out a suit of clothes of ministerial cut Then he hastily put them on, adding some side-whiskers, which he had brought with him. At about the same time Elaine, accompanied by "Weepy Mary" and her "son" had arrived at the little tumbledown station and had taken the only vehicle In sight a v.ery ancient carriage. It ambled along until, at last, it pulled up before the vestry room door of the church. Just as the bogus minister was finishing his transformation from a frank crook. Clutching Hand was giving him final Instructions. . . Elaine and the others alighted and approached the church, while the ancient vehicle rattled away. "They're coming." whispered the crook, peer ing cautiously out of U.e window.. Clutching Hand moved, silently and snake-like Into the closet and abut the door. . "How do you do, Dr. Carton?" greeted "Weepy Mary." "I guess you don't remember me." The clerical gentleman looked a( her fixedly a moment. . "Remember you?" he repeated. "Ofcourse, my dear. I remember everyone I marry." "And you remember to whom you married tne?" ' "Perfectly. To an older man a Taylor Dodge." Elaine was overcome. "Won't you step In?" he ssked suavely. "Tour friend here doesn't seem well.' ' They all entered. "And you you say you married this this woman to Taylor Dodge?" queried Elaine tensely. The bogus minister seemed to be very fatherly. "Yes," he asserted, "I certainly did so." "Have you the record?" asked Elaine, fighting to the last.. "Why, yes. I can show you the record." He moved over to the closet. "Come over here," he asked. He opened the door. Elaine screamed and drew back. There stood her arch enemy, the Clutching Hand himself. As he stepped forth, she turned, wildly, to run anywhere. But strong arms seized ber and forced her into a chair. She looked at the woman and the minister. It was a plot! A moment Clutching Hand looked Elaine over. "Put the others out," he ordered the other crook. Quickly the man obeyed, leading "Weepy Mary" and her "son" to the door, and waving them away 'as he locked it They left, quite as much In the dark about the master criminal's identity as Elaine. "Now, my pretty dear," began the Clutching Hand as the lock turned In the vestry door, "we shall be Joined shortly by your friend, Craig Ken nedy, and,", he added with a leer, "I think your rather Insistent search for a certain person will cease." Elaine drew back In the chair, horrified at the' Implied threat. Clutching Hand laughed diabolically. While these astounding events were transpiring in the little church, Kennedy and I had been tear ing across the country In his big car, following the directions of our fair friend. We stopped at last before a prosperous, attractive-looking bouse and entered a very prettily fur nished, but small, parlor. Heavy portlerres hung over the doorway Into the hall, over another Into a back room and over the bay windows. "Won't you sit down a moment?" coaxed Gertie. "I'm quite blown to pieces after that ride. My, how you dflve!" " As she pulled aside the hall portlerres three men with guns thrust their hands out. I turned. Two others had stepped from the back room and two more from the bay window. We were sur rounded. Seven guns were aimed at us with deadly precision. "No Walter it's no use,"' shouted Ken vedy' calmly restraining tny hand, which I had clapped on my own gun. - At the same time, with his other hand, he took from his pocket the small can which I had seen' him place there and hld it aloft. - "Gentlemen," be said quietly, "I suspected some such thing. I have here a small box of fulminate of mercury. If I drop It, this building and the en-' tire vicinity will be blown to atoms. Oo ahead shoot!" he added, nonchalantly. The seven of them drew back, rather hurriedly. Kennedy was a dangerons prisoner. He calmly sat down 'in an arm. chair, leaning backjas he carefully balanced the deadly little box of fulminate of mercury on his knee. He placed his finger tips together and smiled at the seven crooks, who had gathered together, staring breath lessly at this man who toyed, with death. Gertie ran from the room. For a moment they looked at each other, unde cided. Then, one by one, they stepped away from Kennedy toward the door. ; The leader was the last to go. He had scarcely taken a step. ' "Stop!" ordered Kennedy. . The crook did so. As Craig moved toward him, he waited, cold sweat breaking out on his face. "Say." he whined, "you let me be!" It was Ineffectual. Kennedy, smiling confi dently, came closer, still holding the deadly little box. balanced between two fingers. He took the crook's gun anddropped It Into his pocket .''.' "81t down!" ordered Craig. Outside, the other six parleyed in hoarse whis pers. One raised a gun, but the woman and the others restrained him and fled. "Take me to your master!" demanded Kennedy, The crook remained silent "Where is he?" repeated Craig. "Tell me!" Still the man remained silent Craig looked the fellow over again. Then, still with that confident smile, he reached into bis inside pocket and drew forth the tube I had aeen him place there. "No matter how much you accuse me," added Craig casually, "no one will ever take the word of a crook that a reputable scientist like me would do what I am about to do." Ho bad taken out his penknife and opened It Then he beckoned to me "Bare bis arm and hold his wrist," Walter," he said. Craig bent down. with, the knife and the tube, then paused a moment and turned the tube so that we could see It ' On the label were the ominous words: "Germ Culture 6248A. Bacillus ( Leprosy )."- Leprae Calmly he took the knife and proceeded to make a nineleioa In the man's arm. The crook's feetings underwent a terrific struggle. "No no no don't," he implored. "I will take you to the Clutching Hand even tf he kills me!"' . Kennedy stepped back, replacing the tube In his pocket. "Very well, go ahead f he agreed. We followed the crook. Craig still holding the deadly box of fulminate of mercury carefully bal anced, so that It anyone shot him from a hiding place it would drop. No sooner had we gone than Gertie hurried to the aeareet telephone to inform the dutcbia Hand ( 'Continued oa page SltrfO, ffelaauv JfeVa.