THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: MAKCII 14, 1915.
A Detective Hovel and a Motion Picture Drama
Presented Vy The Omaha Bee in Collaboration with the Famous Pathe
Players and the Eclectic Film Co.
Miss Pearl White,
- Arnold Daly and "Craif Kennedy"
' The rtmoni Scientific DeteetjTe of Fiction.
r. sen. ,. , .
Written by Arthur B. Reeve
The Well -Known Novelist and the
Creator of the "Craif Kennedy" Stories
Dramatized Into a Photo-Play by Charles Goddard
Author of "The Perils ot Pauline"
Cast of Leading Characters la th Motion Plotnr Beproductioa y th
ramoni the Flsy.rs
ELAINE DODGE - - Mui Pearl White
CRAIG KENNEDY - - Mr. Arnold Daly
HARRY BENNETT - Mr, Sheldon Lewis
Everything you resd here today
jou enn see In the fascinating Pathe
Motion Picture at the Motion IMct
lire Theaters thla week. Next Sun
day another chapter of "The Exploits
f tlalne' and new Pathe reels.
ffyaopsls af Previous Chapters.
The iSrw York poiue are my.iiiica hv a
sr1s of murdrri of prominent men. The
Intest victim or the mysterious assswln
In Taylor Itodge, the Insoram-e prewilent.
Hie dausrhter, Elaine, employs Craie;
Kennedy, the (imout scientific le(ectl,
10 try to unravel the mytery. One of
the criminals eteala Into Elaine's room at
nljht. puts hr unnr the Influence of
the tlllBht sleep Urn and forces hef
to writs a. letter dismissing Kennedy.
Thla trick fallx. Later Kennedy learna
of a during robbery plunned by the con
spirators. In an effort to trap them
Klalne is captured and sealed up In a
tank, and la at the point of death when
.Kennedy aot'.idMitally dlwcwers tier
pllxht and ssves her. In retaliation the
criminals make a denperste a4tempt to
kill Kennedy by ere Una an Incrnioua
death-trap In hi" epartrm-nt. Tlivy then
administer a peculiar golson to ISalne,
accomplishing thla by a remarkable utlll
ration of the wall ianer In her room.
The poison plot miscarries. Hut the
crlmlnaia are persistent. Una of them
l.i seriously wounded by Elaine, and alio
la forced -to atilimlt- to lltn transfusion of
blood operation to lave the acoundrel'a
llf. Help reaohrs her before thla ex
periment beoomee dsngerous. Knrajted at
their constant defeats, the oonaplratora
employ two notorious women of the un
derworld to lure Kennedy and Elaine to
their destruction. Kennedy' scientific
knowledge prove too much for the as
sasnlns. lie employ a vorophone In a
nueer manner. Ita uncanny work at a
critical moment upseUlnir a carefully laid
plan to abduct Klalne. The criminal In
troduce the denth ray and puzzle Ken
nedy; but he eoon counteract Ita de
structive Influence,
Klalne 1 trapped and left to die In a
aewer chamber, where Kennedy find
her. With the aid of his electrto marvel
he revive her, after medical science had
failed.
CnAPTEIJ XI.
"A Birthday Present.''
WITH the omlno'.i forefinger ot hi
Clutching Hand extended, the
s Matter Criminal emphasised Ma
Instructions to hit minions.
They were all aeated In a fairly large,
but dingy, old room, in which ware ear
eral chairs, a rickety table and, saalnst
the wall, a roll-top dek, on' tbe top of
which was a telephone.
Now." went on Clutching Hand. "1
want you, 811m, to follow them. Sea what
they do where they go. It'a her birthday.
Something's bound to occur that will gtT
you a lead. AU you've got to do Is 'to
use your head. Get tra??
tillm roue, nodded, picked up his hat
and coat and squirmed out on hi reu
nion, Ilk the snake that ha was.
It was, as Clutching Hand had aald,
lysine's birthday. 8h had received many
callere and congratulations, Innumerable
costly and beautiful tokens of remem
brance from her countless friends and ad
mirers. In th conservatory of the Dodge
house . Klalne,-Aunt Josephine and Buste
Martin were sitting discussing not only
the happy occasion, but, more, the many
strange events of the last few weeks.
"Well." cried a familiar voice behind
them, "what would a certain blonde young
lady accept a a birthday present from
her fsmlly lawyer"
All three turned In surprise.
"Oh, Mr. Bennett," cried Elaine. "How
you startled us!"
Sutle Martin had been . wondering
whether, now that Dennett was her, aha
were not da trop, as aha looked at her
wrist watch mechanically. As aha did so
an idea occurred to ber.
"'Why not one ot these V sh cried Im
pulsively, Indicating th watch. "Father
has some beauties at the shop."
"Oh, good." exclaimed Elaine, ''how
sweet!"
"80 that strike your fsncyT" ha asked.
"Then let's all go to the shop. Miss Mar
tin will personally conduct the tour, and
we ahull have our pick of tb finest
tok." . .
A moment later the three young people
went out and war quickly whirled oft
down the avenue In the Dodge town car.
It was too gay a party to notice a sinis
ter figure following- them In a cab. But
as they entered the fsshioaable jew sir y
hop, glim, who had allKhted, walked
slowly down the street
Chatting with . animation, the three
moved over to the watch counter, while
the crook, with a determination not to
( left rnlsrfng any tiling, entered th shop
door, too.
"Mr. Thomas," asked Susie as her
father's clerk bowed to them, "please
snow Mits Dodge the wrist watches father
w as telling about."
Unobserved the crook walked over
near enough to hear what was going 00.
At last, with much banter and yet care.
i.tuine selected on , that waa Indeed a
'tauty, and waa about to snap it'on her
tialnty wrist when the clerk interrupted.
"I teg jour pardon," he suggested, "but
Id sdvib you to leave it to be regulated,
if i 11J please."
A moment later they went out and
entered the car aln.
As tl.ry did so, rUuii, who hal been
luoklir over various Uiiugs in the next
istc us it undecided, cam up to the
aU'b co rnier.
'1 m making a present," h remarked
loniid-j.'.mlly to 111 clerk. "How about
those bracelet watches?"
Tiie ci-rk puKed out soma of th
cic-oj.vr cues.
"No," he S&14, ttioiig'-itf dlly, pointing
('it a tiay in th ebowesse, something
it'- 4 tiiot."
lis ended by pkklng out ons Identically
l,ke tlikt wl.lih Ktaius fid scleuUd, and
tinned to py lor It.
'!., iter h it rejulsud," repeated
tiit urk.
"'." he elj'vted hastily, shaking hi
tul and piling th money quickly. "If
it rriMMU-and i nut it toiuht."'
1 e t.. ids wat'-h an J left llie store
In the lsboratory, Kennedy wm work
ing over an oblong oak box, perhaps
eighteen Inches In lengtn and half a
high. In the box I cculd see, beside
other apparatus, lwo good slued spools
of fine wire.
"Whats all that?" I asked Inquisitively.
"Another ot the new Instruments that
scientific dctectivcssjuae," he responded,
scarcely looking up, "a little msgnetic
wlrard, the telegraphooe."
"Which Is?" I prompted.
"Something w detectives might us to
take down and 'can' telephone conver
sations and other such conversations.
When It Is attached prcperly to a tele
phone, it records evsrytning that la aald
over th wire."
"How doe It work?" I asked, much
mystified.
"Well, it Is based on an entirely new
principle. In every way different from
the phonograph," tie explained. "As you
can see, there are no discs- or cylinders,
but these spool ot extremely fine steel
wire. Tba record la not made mechan
ically on a cylinder, but electro-magnet-
Icalty on this wire."
"Howf I asked, almost incredulously.
"To put It briefly,'.' ha went on, "small
portions of magnetism, as It were, are Im
parted to traction of the steel .wire aa
It passes between two carbon electric
magnets. Each Impression represents a
sound wave. There la no apparent dif
ference In tha wire, yet each particle ot
steel undergoes an electro-magnotlo trans
formation by which th sound Is Indeli
bly Imprinted 'on ft
"Then you scrape the wlra just aa you
have reoorda to use It over again?'' I
suggested.
"No," he replied. "Ton pass a magnet
over It and the magnet automatically
erases the record. Rust has no affect The
record lasts as long as the steel lasts."
Ha bad scarcely finished testing the
telegraphon when th ; laboratory door
opened and a clean-cut .young man en
tered. Kennedy, I knew, had found that the
routine work of the Clutching Hand caa
waa beyond his limited time and had re
tained this young man. Raymond Chase,
to attend to that '
Just now what worried Craig was tha
situation with Klalne and I fancied that
h had given Chase some commission In
connection with that
"I'vs got It Mr. Kennedy," greeted
Chasa with quiet modesty.
"Good," responded Craig heartily. "I
knew you would."
"Got what," I asked a moment later.
Kennedy nodded for Chasa to answer,
"I've located the new residence of Flirty
Florrie." he replled.
I saw what Kennedy was after at once.
Flirty Florrie and Dan tha Dude had
caused th quarrel between himself and
Elaine. Dan the Dude was dead. But
Flirty Florrie might b forced to ex
plain It
Elaine had returned home,
Alona, her thoughts naturally went
back to what had happened recently to
Interrupt a friendship which had been
tha aweetest la her life.
"There must be soma mistake,' she
murmured pensively to herself, thinking
of th photograph Flirty had given her.
"Oh, why did I send him awayT Why
didn't I belleva him?"
There waa his picture. She had not
taken that away. As sh looked at It
a wav of feeling cams over her. Mechani
cally, she put out her hand to tb tele
phone.
She wss about to talcs eft tha receiver,
when something seemed to stay her hand.
fc'he wanted him to com to her.
And, If either of them had called tha
other Just then, they would havs prob
ably crossed wire..
Craig's eye fell on th telegraphon.
and an Idea seemed to occur to him.",
"Walter, you and Chase . bring that
thing along," h said a moment later.
He paused long enough to take a badg
from th drawer ot a cabinet 'and went
out. W followed him, tugging the tele
graphon. At last w came to the apartment house
at which Chase, had located tha woman.
There It Is," be pointed out as I gave
groan ot relief, for th telegraphon
waa getting Ilk lead.
Kennedy nodded and drew from his
pocket th badg I had seen Mm take
from the cabinet.
"Now, Chase," ha directed, you needn't
go In with us. Walter and I can manage
this now. But don't get out ot touch
with m. I shall need you any moment
certainly tomorrow."
"Walter." he smiled, "you'rs elected
my helper."
We entered the apartment house hall
and found a negro boy In charge ot th
switchboard. It took Craig only a mo
ment to convince tha boy that h was
from th company and that complaints
had been mad by soma anonymooa
tenant
"I don't know' Craig muttered finally
for th bvueflt Of th boy. "but X think
I'll have to Jeav that tester after all.
Fay, It I put It here, you'll have to be
careful not to let anyone meddle with It.
If you do. thsN'U be th deuce to pay.
fcee?"
Kennedy had alieady stsrted to fasten
th telegraphon to the wlr he had se
lected from tha tangle.
At taut ha finished and stood up.
1 omuro it, and don t let any
one else touch It." be ordered. "Better
not t'-lt any one that's the best way.
I'll be beck for It tomorrow probably."
1 mm. Hii, noaaeti lle sy with a
bow, as went out
Back In the new hang -out the Clutching
Hnd was laying down the law to hi lieu
tenants sn l heelers when Elun at last m-
tersd.
I, '- ! r : ' ' 1
. 1
. f 't; , . V
: I" J " ...
I H y- 1
c iV
.:. 1 .
Kennedy Tear the Deadly
Slim apologised. II had succeeded so
easily that he had thought to take a little
time to "meet up'', with an old pal whom
ha ran across, just out of prison.
"Yes, sir," he replied hastily; "well. I
went over to the Dodge house, and I "saw
them finally.' I followed them fhto a
Jewelry shop. That lawyer bought her a
wrist watch. So I bought one just like It
I thopght perhaps we could"
"Glv It to me." growled Clutching
Hand, selshng It the moment fcllm dis
played it. "And don't butt ln-see?"
From the capacious desk tha master
criminal pulled a set of small drills., vlcea
and other jeweler's tools snd placed them
on the table,
"There," he exclaimed at last, holding
the watch up where they could all see It
"See!"
He putted out the stem to set tha hands
and slowly twisted It between hla thumb
and finger. He turned the hands until
they were almost at the point of I o'clook.
Then he held tha watch out where all
coutd see It
They bent eloser and strained their
eyes at tha little second hand( ticking
away merrily.
As the minute hand touched three, from
the back or the case, as if from tha cas
ing Itself, a little needle, perhaps a quar
ter of an Inch, Jumped out It seemed to
coma from what looked Ilk merely a
email Insect In the decoration.
"You see what will happen at th hour
of three r hs ssked.
No one said a word, as hs held up a
vial which h had drawn from his pocket.
On It they could read the label, "Rlclnua."
"Ons of ths most powerful poisons in
th world!" he exclaimed. "Enough here
to kill a regiment!"
"I've set iny invention to go off st SI
o'clock," he concluded. "Tomorrow fore
noonIt will havs to be delivered early
and I don't believe we shall be troubled
any longer by Miss Elaine Dodge," he
added venomously. ,
Calmly ha wrapped up ths apparently
innocent engine ot destruction and handed
it to Bllm. . '
See that sh gets It In time," hs said
merely.
I will, sir," answered 611m, taking it
fclngerly.
Flirty Florie had returned that after
noon, late, from some expedition on which
she had been sent
Rankling in her heart was the death of
her lover, Dsn ths Dud. For, although
In her sphere of crookdom they were
neither married nor given in marriage,
still there is a brand of loyalty that
higher circles might well copy. Sacred to
the memory ot they dead, however, sh
had one desire revenge.
Thus, when sh arrived horns sh went
to th telephone to report and called a
number, 44M Greenwich.
Hello, Chief." she repeated. "This
is Flirty. Hav you don anything rat
n that llttl matter wa Ulked about?"
"Say be careful of names over th
wire," cam a growl.
You know what I mean.'
Yes. The trick will b pulled off st
3 o'clock."
Good!" sh exclaimed. "Ooodby and
thank You."
Flirty hung up tba rvceiver with satis
faction. The remains of th departed Dan
might soon rest in peace)
Ths next day, early in the forenoon, a
young man, with a email package care
fully done up, cam to tha Dodge bouse.
From Martin's, th Jeweler's, tor Miss
Dodge." he said to Jennings at tb door.
Elaine and Aunt Josephine were aitting
In the library when Jennings announued
hi in.
"Oh, It's my watch." cried Elaine.
Show him la."
"Very pretty," commented Aunt Jo
sephine.
Elaine put ths watch on her wrist and
admired It
"la It all right?" asked 811m.
"Yes, yee,Y answered Eialn. "You may
go."
Hs went out while Elaine gased rap
turously at tha new trinket while It
ticked oft th minutes this devilish In
strument
Early th same morning Kennedy went
around again to th ' apartment house,
and, cautious not to be seen by Flirty,
recovered the telrgraphone. Together we
carried It to tba laboratory.
Tber he set up a little Instrument that
looked Ilk a wedge sitting up on end, la
th fac ot which was a dlid. Through
It be. began to run the wire from the
spools, and, Uklug an earpiece, put an
elher 00 my head over my cars.
Fxst came several calls from people
with bills, and she put thent uff most
adroitly.
Then we heard a call that caused Ken
nedy to look at me quickly, stop the ma
chine and start at that point over again.
"That's what I wanted." he aald, aa we
lljtiued.
"Glv s&S M Greenwich."
"ilslio."
"UciUo. Chief. This U Flirty. Hav you
don anything yet in the little matter w
talked about?"
"Sy-b carciul tl names oer the
wire,"
Watch From Elaine's Ann
"You know what I mean."
"Yes, ths trick will be pulled oft at a
o'clock."
"Good! Good-by, and thank you!"
"Good-hy." N
Kennedy stopped the machine and I
looked at him blankly. ,
"She called up Green wick 4(94 and waa
told that the trick would bo pulled off
at t o'clock today," he ruminated.
"What trick?" I asked.
He shook his head. "I don't know.
That Is what we must find out I hadn't
expected a tip llko that What I wanted
was to find out how to get at th Clutch
ing Hand.
II paused and considered a moment
then moved to the telephone.
"Ther's only one thing to do, and
that's to follow out my original scheme,"
ha said energetically. "Information,
please."
"Where Is Greenwich 44M?" he asked
a moment later.
The minutes passed. "Thank you, sir,"
ho cried, writing down on a pad an ad
dress on the West Side, near the river
rront. Then, turning to me, he ex
claimed, "Walter, we've got him at last!"
Kennedy and I cam at last to th place
on th West Side where th crooked
streets .curved off.
That's the place, all right," whispered
Kennedy with satisfaction. He hurried to
a teiephono booth, where he called sev
eral numbers. Then ws returned to the
laboratory, while Kennedy quickly fig
ured out a plan ot action. I knew Chase
was sxpected there soon.
From the table be picked up the small
coll over which I bad seen him working
and attached it to tha bell and some bat
teries. He replaced It on the table,
while I watched curiously.
"A selenium cell," he explained. "Only
when light tails on It does It become a
good conductor of electricity.' Then the
bell will ring."
Just befor making th connection he
placed his hat over the celt Then be
lifted the hat The light fell on It and
the bell rang. He replaced the bat .and
tne bell stopped. It waa evidently a very
peculiar property of tho substance selen
ium. 1
Just then there came a knock at th
door. I opened It
"Hello, Chasa," greeted Kennedy.
"Well, I've found the new headquarters
all right-over on the West Side."
Kennedy picked uff the selenium cell
and a long coil of fine wire, which he
placed In a bag. Then he took another
bag, already packed, and, shifting them
between us, we hurried downtown.
Near the vacant lot, back of the new
headquarters, was an old broken down
house. Through the rear ot it we
entered.
X started back in astonishment aa we
entered and found eight or tea policemen
already there. Kennedy had ordered them
to be ready tor a raid, and they bad
dropped in one at a time without attract
ing attention.
"Well, men," he greeted thorn. "I see
you found the place all right Now, In a
little while Jamison will return with two
wires. Attach them to the bell which I
will leave here. When It rings, raid the
house. Jamison will lead you to It Come,
Walter," he added, picking up the baga
Ten minutes later, outside the new head
quarter, a crouched-up figure, carrying a
smalt package, his face hidden under his
soft hat and up-turned collar, could have
been seen slinking along until hs came
to th steps.
He went up and peered through th
aperture of the doorway. Then he rang
the bell. Twice he raised hla hand and
clenched it in the now familiar clutch.
. A crook inside saw It through the aper
ture and opened the door. Th figure en
tered aad almost before the door was shut
tied the masking handkerchief over Ms
face, which hid hla identity from even
the most trusted Ueutenantf. The crook
bowed to the chief," who, with a growl as
though ot recognition, moved down the
hall.
"You fellows clear out," he growled. "I
want to be alone."
"Th old man la peeved," muttered one.
outside, as tbey left
When Craig and I left ths police he had
given me most minute instructions, which
I was now following out to the letter.
"I want you to hide there," he said, indi
cating a barrel back ot the house next to
the hangout "When you see a wire come
down from the headquarters, take It and
carry it across the lot to the old house.
Attack it to the bell; then wait. When it
rings, raid tb Clutching Hand joint."
I waited what seemed to be sn intermtn-
sble time back of th barrel and it waa
no Joke hitting back of barrel.
Finally, however, I saw a coll of fin
wlr drop rapidly to the ground from a
window soinew here above. I mad a dah
for it aa though I were trying to tush the
trenches, sclied my prlxe, and, without
looking back to ave where it came from,
beat a hasty retreat
watted.
Not a sound from the bell.
Vp la th room in tbe Joint "the
bunuhed-up figure stood by tbe table. He
hat! taken his hat off and placed it care
fully on the table and was now wultlng.
Suddenly a noise at th door startled
him. He listened. Then he backed away
from the door and drew a revolver.
As the door slowly opened there entered
another figure, hat over his eyes, collar
1 p. a handkerchief over his face, the
exact counterpart of the first.
For a moment each glared at ths olher.
"Handa up!" shouted the first figure,
hoarsely, moving the gun snd closing the
foor with his foot.
The newcomer slowly raided his creoked
hand over his head, as tho blue steel re
volver gaped menacingly.
With a quick movement 'of the other
hand the first sinister figure removed the
handkerchief from his faco and strlr;tit
tned up.
It was Kennedy!
"Come over to tho center of the room!"
ordered Kennedy.
Clutching Hand obeyed, eyeing his cap
tor closely.
"Now lay your weapons on the table."
He tossed down a revolver.
The two' still faced each olher.
"Tako off that handkerchief!"
It was a .tense moment. Slowly Clutch
ing Hund started to obey. Then he
stopped. Kennedy was Just about to
thunder. "a0 on," when the criminal
calmly remarked, "You've got ma, all
right. Kennedy, but in twenty minutes
Elaine Dodge will be dead!" He said It
ivlth a nonchalance that might have de
ceived anyone less astute than Kennedy.
Suddenly there fleshed over Craig the
words, "THE TRICK WILL BB
PULIjED OFF AT 8 O'CIjOCK!"
There was no fake about that Kennedy
frowned menacingly. It he killed Clutch
ing Hand, Elaine would die. If he fought
he must either kill or be killed. It he
handed Clutching Hand over Elaine was
lost He looked st his watch. It was
twenty-five minutes of three.
What a situation!
He had caught a prisoner he dared not
molest yet.
"Whnt do you mean tell me?" de
manded Kennedy, with forced calm.
"Yesterday Mr. Bennett bought a wNst
watch for Elaine," the Clutching; Hand
said quietly. "They left It to be reg
ulated; Mine waa delivered to her to
day." ,
"A likely story!" doubted Kennedy.
For answer, the Clutching Hsnd merely
pointed to the telephone.
Kennedy reached for It
"One thing." Interrupted the Clutching
Hand.' "You are a roan of honor."
"Yes yes. Go on."
"If I tell you what to do, you must
promise to give me a fighting chance."
"Yes. yes."
"Call up Aunt Josephine, then. Do Just
ft X say."
Covering Clutching Hand. Kennedy
tailed a number. "This Is Mr. Kennedy,
Mrs. Dodge. Did Elaine receive a present
of a wrist watch from Mr. Bennett?"
"Yes," she replied, "for her birthday.
It oame this forenoon."'
Kennedy hung up the receiver and
faced the Clutching Hand, puxxled as the
latter said:
"Call up Martin, ths Jeweler."
Again Kennedy obeyed'.
"Has the watch purchased for Miss
Elaine Dodge been delivered V be asked
the clerk.
"No," came back ths reply, "the watch
Mr. Bennett bought Is still here being
regulated."
Kennedy hung up the receiver. He was
stunned.
"The watch will cause her death at S
o'clock," said the Clutching Hand. "Swear
to leave here without discovering my
identity and I will tell you how you can
save her!"
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..with.. .. .
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A moment Kennedy thought. Here was
a quandary.
"No," he shouted, selling the telephone.
Before Kennedy could move, clutching
Hand pulled tbe telephone wires with
almost superhuman strength from the
junction box.
"In that watch," he hissed, "I hav
set a poisoned needle in a spring that
will be released and will plunge Into her
arm at exactly t o'clock. On the needle
Is rlclnus!"
Craig advanced, furious. As he did so
Clutching Hand pointed calmly to the
clock. It was twenty minutes of three!
With a mental struggle Kennedy eon
trolled his lothlng of the creature before
him.
"All rle;ht but you'll hear from me
sooner than you supped," he shouted,
starting for the door.
Then he rarae back and lifted his hat
hiding as much as possible the selenium
cell, lotting the light tall on It
"Only Elaine's life hss saved you."
With a last threat he dashed out He
hailed a cub returning from some steam
ship wharves not far away.
"Quick!" he ordered, giving the Dodge
address on Fifth avenue.
Minute after minute the police and I
waited. Was anything wrong? Where
was Craig?
Just then a tremor grew Into a tinkle,
then came the strong burr of the bell.
Kennedy needed 11s.
With sr shout of encouragement to the
men I dashed out and over to the house.
Meanwhile Clutching Hand himself had
approached the table to recover his
weapon and had noticed the queer little
selenium cell. He picked it up and for
the first time saw the wire leading out
"The deuce!" he cried. "He's planneM
to get me anyhow!"
At the desk he paused and took out
a piece of cardboard. Then, with a heavy
black-marking pencil, he calmly printed
on It while we battered at the barricaded
door, a few short feet away.
He laid the sign on the desk, then on
another piece of .cardboard, drew crudely
a hand with the index finger, pointing.
This he placed on a chair. Indicating the
desk.
Just as the swaying and bulging door
gave way. Clutching Hand gave the desk
a pull. It opened up his getaway.
, He closed It with a sardonic smile In
our direction, Just as the door crashed In.
We looked about There was not'a soul
In the room," nothing but the selenium
cell, the chairs, the desk.
A
"Look! I cried, catching eight of th
index finger, and going over to the desk.
We rolled back the top. There on the
flat top was a sign:
Dear Blockheads 1
Kennedy and I eoalda'i wait. '
Toars as ever.
Then came that mysterious sign of the
Clutching Hand.
In the next house Clutching Hand tad
literally come out of an upright piano
nto the room corresponding to that he
tad left. Hastily he threw off his hand
kerchief, slouch hat old coat and trous
ers. A neat striped pair of trousers re
placed the old, frayed and baggy pair.
A new shirt, then a sporty vest' and a
frock cost followed.
At the door of the new headquarters, a
tew seconds later, I stood with the police.
"Not a sign of him anywheres," growled
one of the officers.
Nor was there. Down the' street ws
could see only a straight well-dressed.
distinguished looking man who bad evi
dently walked down to the docks to see
a friend off, perhaps.
Elaine was sitting In the library read
ing when Aunt Josephine turned to her.
"What time Is It dear?;' she ssked.
Elaine glanced at her pretty new
trinket
"Nearly three. Auntie just a couple ot
minutes," she ssld.
Just then there came the sounds of feet
running msdly down the hallway. They
Jumped tip, startled.
Kennedy, his coat Hying, and hat Jam
med over his eyes, had almost bowled
over poor Jennings in his mad race down
the hall.
"Well." demanded Elaine haughtily,
"what's"
Before she knew what wss going on
Craig hurried up to her and literally
ripped the watch off her wrist, breaking
the beautiful bracelet
He held It up, gingerly. Elaine was
speechless. Waa this Kennedy? Wss he
possessed by such an Inordinate jealousy
of Bennett? ,
As he held the watch up, the second
hand ticked around and the minute hand
passed the meridian of the hour.
A vtcicaly sharp needle gleamed out
then sprsng back Into tho filigree work
again.
"Well," she gasped again, "what's the
mesnlng of this?"
Craig gased at Elaine In silence.
Should he defend his rudeness, If slis
did hot understand. She stamped her
foot and repeated the question a third
time.
"What do you mean, sir, by such con
duct?" Blowly he bowed.
"I Just don't like the kind of birthday
presents you receive," Ae said, turning on
his heeL "Good afternoon."
. . (To be Continued.)
The Asylwna'a Advaatage.
At the orphan asylum the childless Mm.
Hathiway, who had selected an Infant
for adoption, suddenly showed trepida
tion. "Will I have to keep the baby, if It
doesn't suit my , husband?" she asked
hesitatingly.
"Of course you won't have to keep it,"
responded the accommodating"' matron.
"You can bring the kid back and ex
change It any time. We re not arbitrary,
like the stork." Judge.
PRttOTEM
By nsin
cuncuM SOAP
C0NS1MLY
And Ointment as needed.
Sample each free by mail.
Address Cuticura, Dept.l3F,
Boston. Sold everywhere.
fflJS
ir j