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.
