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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 16, 1915)
io n THK OMAHA SUNDAY BEB: MAY 16, 1915. ffiAD It Mere Kow-Hien SEE m Moving Pictures A DETECTIVE NOVEL AND A MOTION PICTURE DRAMA Presented by This Newspaper in Collaboration With the Famous Pathe Players. r t it SI I All . i I I V I i II I V II V II wi I II II I I t V Featuring Miss Pearl Whitd. . w . Elaine Dodge Mr. .Arnold Daly. "Craig Kennedy" Tbs Famous Sclsnttfla Deteotlre of Fiction. Mr. Edwin Arden . Wu-Fang The Chin Master Criminal WRITTEN BY. ARTHUR B. REEVE The Well-Known Noreliit and tht Creator of the "Oral Kenn edj" Btoriei Dramatiied Into a Photo-Play by Oh as. W. Goddard. Author of "The Perils of Pauline." Everything "Fu rrad here today you can nr-e in I lie fascinating I'athe Motion rtciurra at the Motion Pict ure Theaters thla week. Next Sun day another chapter of "The Exploit of Elaine" and new rathe reels. (Copyright, 1". br the FUr company. All foreln rlffht reserved.) yaafawla ef Previous Chapters. The Near York police are myatlfld by a series of murders and othr Crimea. The principal trltio to tha criminal la a vtrnlni Irtter, whl-h i ant the victims, signed with a "clutching hand." Tha lniral victim of the inymarlouK eaaaastn ta Taylor Dodsa, tha wealthy Insurance praairient. Hla flaiiKhter, Klalne, em ployea 1'ral Knnxlv, tha famoiia sclen tlf lo detective, to try to . unravel the mystery. What Kennedy acoempHahea ta told by hla friend, Jameson, a ne wa ve par man. Kach chapter dala with a new tlot a tain at tha Uvea of Kennedy and Elaine, but each tlnie the master criminal la de feated by tha marveloua aklll of Kennedy. AX last JCennwIy dlacovera the Clutching 11 and to be Klaina'a truated lawyer, ln rtftt. Hla Identity known, ha fleea to tha den of a Chlneao criminal, who had as sisted him In many of hla criminal opera After the Chinaman forcea Bennett to tell tha aecret hlfMna; place of hla atolen wealth, ha riven him a potion which will aiiapend animation for mnntlie. in -this tinronnrioue atate, Kennedy acea llennett and supposes him dead. It la tha cunnlna displayed by these Oilnrae rrltnlnala In preventing Kennedy frmt locatlna; Ben nett's fortune, that brlns now ix-rlla to tlelna. , Wii Fan enpaaea the aervlcca or Ptraa-iie, an a viator. He an learna of the vlnit of Kennedy and Klalne to a fort, for tha purpose of attidylne; a new entiloalve, eome of whl h he later la bhc eewful in obtaining with difficulty. Wn'i attempt to destroy Kennedy's laboratory faila, but with Hprarue he followa Klnlne and Jatrseeon to Iakewood and la alMiut to kill both by throwing aeroplane arrowa on them, when they era saved by Ken nedy. CHAPTER XX. The Test of Fire Wo Tan eat at a tabls In his apart ment, hidden behind tha squalid and bal conied anterior of a Chinatown tenement Befora him were a slaas dlah and a bottle which contained several stick of phosphorus Immersed In water, and a small capillary flaes) tuba. For a moment, however, he had laid aalde tha strange paraphernalia and was writing a note. As he finished ha tapped a bell and silently a Chlaes servant ap peared In answer. "Take this letter to that whits woman, Ines," directed Wu. adding, "Give It to her yoursolf-end If she is there, return with hr,? fThe wrvant bowed and Wu returned te work on the eurloue machine he was de-vislng."-- lie had completed bis laboors, whan his truated llutcnant, Long Pin, enterted. For what did the master summon msT" aaked Long Bin, deferentially. Come hers." beckoned Wu. "Behold this." With a pair of tweesera.'he aelred a small stick of the phosphorus' under water and slowly brought It to the sur : face. Almost Inatandtly the dangerous element burst Into flame, giving -off a denae white smoke. "Hare I have a capillary tube, as the rhlte devils call It In their sclenne. went on Wu. pointing out tha glass) tube. "By carefully bending K and arranging i the outlet of the water, I can set a fire anywhere at any time I ohooae." ' j For a moment he let the water drip off jowly, drop by drop, to ahow how he could comh.lt scientific arson by means of sjxnteneous combustion. , Even while he was showing the devilish invention' to Long Kin. his servant had sought the elaborately furnished apart ment of the- white woman to whom tie note bad been addressed. 8he was an attractive young woman, known -In ' the dcml-monde as Innocent Ines. Except for a certain poarseneaa. she strongly ' resembled Klalne, both In features and figure. Ines turned languidly as her colored maid ushered In the servant of Wu. took the note, and read It with Interest Any thing that broke the ennui of existence appealed to her Juit now. "Walt" she said with a sudden acces sion of energy,' nodding at the same time to her negro maid to bring her hat and coat "I will go with you." Thus a few minutes later,' Inea entered the secret den of Wu Fang. "Ah t'Hs Is the young woman." Intro duced Wu to Long Rln. " ' . Long 81a looked her over critically and nodded approval, 'whlls W with an American tape measure carefully, meas ured Ines. talking now In English to bar. now la Chinese to Long Bin. Carefully planning each detail down to the smallest possibility of error, Wu Fang and Iong Sin completed their arrange ments ' and finally, with Ines left the apartment.- Oa tha street an automobile was waiting at tha curb, while not fsr away two toughs from the neighborhood stood. As the Chinamen and the depraved woman came out Wu beckoned to the waiting roughnecae. ''Come get In lively," he ordered. They climbed Into the car and tbe five criminals whirled rapidly uptown. Kennedy had often been amused at m never having a match whea I needed rt and tt had occurred to him to devlae a tery novel cigarette lighter for my bene fit It was simple enough, oonalatlug of a small battery connected by small wires to ens of a pair of cuff link a One link had in Its face a very fine wire, only a fraction of sn Inch long. To lbs link Craig bad soldered the wires from the battery aiid arranged them so that they leu up under his coat sleeve through the ssmhole of his vest to tbe battery which l. carried la hla vent pocket He had Jut completed bis work whea ha heard me conung and hastily drew on his coat. "Well, what's newT" I greeted. "Nothing In particular," he replied. "Have a cigarette T" He handed his cigarette case to me and I took one. Then, unsuspecting, I began to search my pockets for a match, but, as usual, eould not find one. Kennedy's spring rover lighter lay on a table nearby and I picked It up. I made a number of attempts to light It, but failed, while Kennedy watched me with a smile of amusement. At last, half mockingly, he lighted his cigarette ap parently on his cuff link. 'What new-fangled sort of thing Is that" I asked in surprise. "I thought It might amuse you," he smiled, explaining the arrangement as he opened his vest end showed me how he made the electric connection by a mere preaaure" of his srm. "I'll give It to you some day." Naturally I was delighted by the nov elty pf the thing. Klalne was reading to Aunt Josephine In the library when, not long after Wu'a car slid out of the mase of streets of Chinatown, It stopped a few blocks below the Dodge house. With Long Hln, Wu got out aaalated Ines out "Walk tip tha avenue you know the houae," he dlrectod Ines, then, turning to the roughs Inside the car, added, "you will calculate to catch up with her di rectly In front of the house. After that meet us Just below, around the corner." Wu and Long Bin quickly walked down town again while Ines went on up, fol lowed shortly by the car with the two toughs. t Elaine had Just finished the book and laid It down. Suddenly, almost underneath the library window,' he heard agonising1 screams of "Help! Help!" An Instant later Jennings came ruining Inte the library from the hall and threw open the window to look out x Ines had been Just about to pass the house when Wu's csr drove up and stopped. Without warning, apparently, two toughs had leaped out and seised her. She screamed and tried to throw them off as they dragged her toward the car with a. great show of force. Oh, they're trying to kidnap that Door irt!, cried Elaine, remembering her own terrible experience- Jennings, was out of the door In a mo ment followed by Elaine and Aunt Jo sephine In a great atate of excitement But the moment the toughs saw aid coming from the- Dodge house they ran to the car as if thoroughly frightened and drove away as swiftly as they hsd come, while Ines sank down on the side walk, seemingly overcome. 'The three picked up the girl, while several passersby, attracted by the nolae. Joined, the group about her . "Take her Into the house. Jennings." directed Elaine, soothing Ines, who by this time had faked a perfectly convinc ing case of hysterics. ' la the library, where Ines was placed in an easy chair. Elaine, her aunt. Maria ana Jennings gathered about while ba xween smeiuntr salts and cold water Ines. weeping and trembling like the good actress that she was. managed to tell a pitiful story of how she was Just a poor lady's maid who had lost her position and how was pursued on the streets by white slavers Oh, please, miss, may I stay here a while till I feel better" she pleaded. "Oh If I could only work for you and the kind lady who Is like a mother," shs sobbed, turning . from Elaine to her aunt. , It was a touching ttory and It reached the hearts It was Intended for. "Don't worry: I'll see you through this affair,' nodded Elaine, wiping away the girl'a tears and smiling bravely at her. ' Take her upstairs. Made. She can find plenty to do In this big house. I'm sure." Even while Ines was looking he thanks from her swollen, teary eyes, already the car containing the toughs had drawn up around the lower oorner and Wu and Long Bin had taken the placea of the thugs. "Everything worked fine, master." re ported the gunmen. ' I had gone over to the apartment after Kennedy had perpetrate hla little Joke with the new cigarette lighter and there I found several letters waiting for him. Having nothing bettr to do, I de cided to go back to the laboratory, where eft him at work and take along the mall In vaae there might be something Important In tt for him. The .opened one or two letters, than came to ene which I had laid on his desk, la a plain envelope, addreased evi dently In a disguised hand. He tore It open and read it with a scowl, "Well. Walter, what do you think of that?" he remarked teasing it over to me, I read It in astonishment: "Another attempt ta about to be mads to kidnap Elaine Dodge. A FRIEND." Cnable to get any reply over the DodK;e teiepnone, Kennedy thought a moment men ecrawiea la Ms laminar hand on the bottom of the anoymous note, sealed It In another envelope directed to Elaine, and called a meesenger. Ines, meanwhile., had transformed her self Into a full-fledi;ed anald, looking very pretty In her neat cap and apron, and making herself Useful in a hundred waya about the Dodge house. Without being obtrusive, she waa sal dorn out of hearing of the telephone, however, and It happened that at Just the moment alien Craig called up she was there to Intercept the call, taking off the receiver, b.it not answering. Instead,' she hung up and wedged the telephone bell with a piece of paper so tht it would not ring at all. She was about to move away from the dek, when Elaine entered the library. "Didn't I hear the telephone ring?" she asked. Ines was quick. "Yes," she replied, "my former mistreas telephoned thst she Is sending my trunk today." "Oh, very well," smiled Elaine, passing on through the library with sn encourag ing nod to the girl. Inex had killed two birds with one stone. Not only had she disarmed sua. plclon about the Interrupted call, but he had laid the foundation for the de livery of a trunk which at that moment she knew Wu and Long Sin were pre paring and pacKlng. It was a large trunk and in it the two wily Chinamen were packing a chair, as well as the phosphorus machine. "Once Miatress Inex Induces Elaine to sit In this rhslr," obaerved Wu tapping It significantly as he closed the trunk, "half our work Is completed." IT p town Inx, always on guard, wai watching for the safe arrival of the trunk, when she saw a messenger boy coming up Hie steps of the house. Perhaps, It flashed over her. It was some meseag from Kennedy. She must get It, whatever It waa. Without hesitating ' a moment, she slipped back Into the library while the boy was still at the door and wrote a note of her own at tho desk. She had thought out beforehand Juat what plan ahe wa to adopt and the note read: lear MIsm DckIi-c: The iRdlcs of the First Baptist church will and a collector for our rum in a so aale thin afternoon. We thank you for whntevcr you tan give him. Yours truly. MIH8 ELLA BURNS, Secretary, Woman's Guild. Ines read over the nota she had written herself as tho messenger boy continued ringing the bell Impatiently. Then she hurried Into the hall to open the door. Tho boy eamo In and Inex took the note he had brought, signing Elaine's name for it In his book. She had acted not a moment too soon, for Elaine had heard the bell and was now coming downstairs herself. "Was It anything for me, Inex?" she asked. Ines deftly palmed the letter and sub stituted the note she hsd written. "Yes ma'am," she replied, handing Elaine the faked nota. Elaine read it "I didn't know about the rummage sale before," she com mented, as she went Into the library, "but I guess I'll have to give them some thing." She sat down for a moment to look over the new fashion magasine. Outside In the hallway Inea was reading the note which the messenger boy hsd brought with the warning postscript by Kennedy underneath. Hhe knew, as she destroyed It, that It waa only a part of Wu's subtle plan to alarm Kennedy and start him on a false scent It wss not many minutes later that tha bell rang again and this time Jennings answered the door, disclosing the ex pressmen with a heavy trunk. 'Oh, I gueaa that'e my trunk," Ines exclaimed. "May I have It taken up to the attlo out of the wayf" The men carried the big trunk upstairs Into the attic, a large room full of trunks, some old furniture and a great many eld dresses hanging up. As they set It down, she signed the receipt for It and the expressmen clumped downstairs. First she took out the chair which Wu had devised and placed tt near the clothes hsnging up. Next she removed the phos phorus mechanism and placed it In the shadow back of the chair, piling up soma excelsior and other dry stuff over and around it. Having completes1 her work, she looked around. There was one old chair In the attlo already. To prevent any chance of mistake, she hid It behind the hanging clothes so that the new chair waa the only apparent seat In the room. Inex hsd scarcely completed her ar rangements when It occurred to Elaine. down In the library, that ahe had done nothing yet about the letter from the women's Guild. "I wonder what there la UDstalra that I can give them." she thought as she re read the letter. "I think 1 11 see." She started up viat as Ines was leaving. The advontuneee n the attlo heard Elaine coming and quickly slipped be hind a door, letting Elaine pass hsr. without being seen. In the attic. Elaine started to take down and examine several dressea for the rummage sale, laying them aside one by one. While Elaine was engrossed In .gathering together what ahe thourht had been asked for charity, Inex softly stole back ti.- the door and peered through the keyhole. An attlo Is always a place that calls up memories or the peat and Elaine soon be gan to think of things that were sug gested by one after another of the dis carded dresses. Besides, some of them were scarcely worth sending anyway. She sat down, absently, in tha ealr to think It over. Suddenly a secret spring released a set of bands than automatically and swiftly clamped over Elalns's arnia and about her body and neck, holding her In a grip of steeL At the same time a vapor bulb in the back of the chair ahot out Its smothering fumes rendering he uncon scious. Elaine waa caught In a trap. Ines In silent exultation opened the attic door Juat a trifle. Then her slender hand reached In and took the key from the Inside, shut ths door and locked It from the outside. Stealthily Ines crept downstairs from ths attlo and Inte Elaine's room. There, tsklng care that neither Merle nor Aunt Josephine were about, she opened the closet and took out the dress, coat and hat which Elaine had worn whea shs was kidnapped by Wu, and stuffed tha in Into a suitcase. Ines dosed the suitcase culckly, threw oa her own hat and ooat and left ths house, unobserved Half an hour later she entered the opium Joint on Mott street where the usual number of smokers were dreaming under the Influence of their favorite ne P at he. "Is the master here?" she asked of Hop Sing, the proprietor. Deferentially he pointed to a back room and ahe went In, rsrrylng the suitcase with her. There were both Wu and Long Kin carefully examining a blonde wig made ur as closely as possible to resemble the golden messes that were the crown of Elaine s btauty. Four or five ether Chinamen sat and stood about at a re spectful dlstsnce. "Have you the clothes?" aaked Wu, greeting Inex. "Yes," sh returned. "AH has been done exactly as you ordered." . "Good," complimented Wu. "Then you nay prepare yourself Immediately." Inex took the clothes from the suitcase end a few moments later put them on. In the meantime a second trap was be ing prepared for Kennedy. The noto of warning regarding Elaine was merely a flrat step in thi entanglement. We were In the laboratory and Craig was at work testing some chemicals, about to pour a llquod from a beaker Inte a teattube. He paused, poising both in his hands, listening. Outside we could hear what sounded like a scrstching at the door. "Be quiet Just a minute. Walter," whis pered Craig, moving on tiptoe toward the door. , ..The fact was that a young Chinaman bad crept up cautiously and was crouch ing there in a position like that of a runner about to start In a race. Actually he was merely waiting for Kennedy to open the door, but It looked as though be were listening. As Craig threw open the door he started off like a racer, apparently dropping a rleoe of paper In his hurry. I darted out after him while Craig stooped and picked up the paper, then stood gaxlng after us. Down the hall the young Chiunman dashed until he came to the back en trance to the laboratory. There he turned and crouched again In the darkness. "He got away in spite of me," I man aged to blurt out as I rejoined Kennedy in the hall. "What's that?' "A note of some kind that he dropped" replied Craig, passing over to me the paper he had picked up. I read In English: "See what he Is doing and report to me in the basement below 110 Mott street" Beneath the few 'words, evidently or ders, was that mystic sign of tho ser pentthe mark of the arch-criminal, Wu Fang. "It's a clue. Craig!" I exclaimed. "Whatever It is." he remarked at length, Tin going to look Into It any- now.. while I'm gone, Walter. I wish you'd Just go around and see If Blaine la all right" With his collar up and his hat down over his eyes, Kennedy sallied forth. ' As he went down the street the mm Chinaman who had thrown me drew back further into a doorway, then, after Craig had passed, followed him at a safe dis tance. At last Kennedy sauntered In eaauallr to the hop Joint on Mott street, his col lar still up and his hat still over hla eyes. He lounged soroaa the floor among the smopers and picked out a bunk, while Hop Sing, the proprietor, brought hlra a pipe. Kennedy pretended to light It hut In reality did hot In the back room by this time Ines had completed her disguise by placing on her head the wig and had given the little finishing touches to her makeun. Wii w.. slvtng final Instructions to Long Bin and me rest, and the four Chinamen ranged themselves In groups of two on either side of the door. Finally Wu paused and .whispered something to Ines. Then both he and Long Sin seised two glass globes that stood oa the table. They raised them high over their heads and smaahad th.n. on the floor, at the same time stamping wieir iee terrifically. Ines screamed as If a murder were being committed. Outside in the den. Kennedy heard tha scream and the crashing of glass, muf fled by the door. He straightened up In his hunk, now all attention. Was It some white woman calling for help in this sinkhole of Iniquity? The door flew open. Sure enough, a woman appeared, still screaming. It was only an Instant and she did not even get across the threshold. With a low guttural exclamation Long Sin pulled her back Into tho room and slammed the door she had opened. It was all done so quickly that Kennedy could catch only the moat fleeting glimpse of her clothes and face. But that gUmpse was enough. It was apparently Elaine! Craig sprang up Instantly, drawing his revolver, and threw himself against the door, recollecting the warning messags that had come through the mall. The door yielded and he rushed through. In an Instant the four Chinamen crouch ing on either side leaped on him. The struggle was terrific. He downed two and seemed In a fair way to win against even such odda when th. lurnea witn a mocking laugh pulling off both the bat and wig. ' ' Kennedy's amaxement gave the China- j men a chance. Before he real lied It. hla complete surprise, he was forced back on 1 me post and held there Just long enough for Long Bin to wind a rope around him. binding his arms, lets and body to the lost Almost at the same time another Chinaman forced a gag Into his mouth. Then Wu Fang walked over before him and faced him. "Come over here, my dear," he called to Inex. "Let me Introduce Prof. Craig Kennedy to you Innocent Ines," He did tt all with a mock ceremony that was galling snd msde Kennedy grit nis teem. "By the way," he went on to Ines, "how did you leave tho real Elaine." Inex looked at her watch. "She Is locked In her attic." she replied, with evident eneyment "The houae will start to burn by spontaneous combustion la exactly twenty minutes." Kennedy strained at the ropes, but it i was futile to try to break them now. j That will do. my dar." concluded ! Wu to Inex. with devillah politeness. I "You may go." I'pstsira in the ttla of the Dodgt houie Elaine in the qur chair etas Just recovering a bit from the effects of the vapor. She moved her bead from side to side, but had not yet regained con sciousness. StlU as the minutes lengthened she be ban to breathe mors regularly as the stupefying effects of the vspor wore off and waa Juat beginning to move her head In the flrat conconsoloua endeavors to grasp st consciousness. It must hare been Just about at this point that, following Kennedy's Instruc tions, I arrived at Elaine's house. As Jennings led me Into the library, I waa met by Aunt Josephine. "Craig haa gone off on a clue, I ex plained, "and has sskcJ me to drop In to 'see how things arc. Is Elaine alt right?" "Why, I haven't seen her for an hour or more," answered Aunt Josephine. "I think she must have gone out. Won't you sit down?" There was nothing cle to do. On the chance that she might come bock, I sat down, considerably worried now, about the note and her absence. Upstairs, if we had only known It, Elaine had now regained consciousness. Worse than that, the time wss up for the wstcr to drain oft from the phos phorus. As the last drop was siphoned off the vessel by the capillary tube, the deadly element seemed to burst Into flames and white' fumes. Instantly the dry tinder like excelsior and other stuff caught ..fire. Elaine stared fascinated. Helpless In the chair, gripped by the strong arms, she could scarcely move. She screamed. But who would hear her off here In the attlo, with the heavy door locked? On the other side of the door to the back room of the opium Joint, Wu Fang, the terriblo, and his alavo. Long Sin, whispered In low tones, while Long Sin eagerly fingered a murderous knife. "Master, let mo finish him." Long Sin begged the boon, almost pleadingly. Wu thought a minute, then shook his head. "Walt." he denied. "The fire Is Just starting. It la better that he should know that the white girl to dying than that he should die first" Helpless, tied to the post which wss designed after some of those exquisite tortures devised by the subtle oriental mind, Kennedy had not ceased strug gling to free himself, though without avail. All he could do was to move his arms Just a bit Suddenly an Idea occurred to him.. He gaxed down at his hands and wrists. Suppose they were not free? Was there no way to use them? Slowly he turned hla arm around until the outside of his wrist pressed .on a rope. Then he drew his upper arm tight to his side, still with bis wrist pressing on the rope. His heart fairly leaped. It worked. The cuff link which he had devised as a cigarette lighter as a Joke on me was burning the rope. He had now a Mt more freedom, could move his forearm to another of the thongs that bound him. He pressed the glowing bit of wire on the cuff link to a new place on the rope. Again and again he tried, each time gaining Just a little more freedom of motion. Then he pulled at the weakened ropes, as he had before In his futile struggles. They broke. Just on the other side of , the door he could hear the low buxg of the argument still as Long Sin urged Wu to allow him to kill Kennedy. "Very well, then." Wu at last agreed, looking at his watch and nodding to Long Sin and the others, who sprang forward. Free from Ills bonds. Kennedy had been standing a second wondering how to es cape from the room. Just then he heard footsteps outside. Quickly he replaced the ropes about blm. so that they looked as If he were still bound by them. The door opened and Wu and Long Sin entered, each with a knife, while behind them were three other Chinamen. Wu advnnoed. Slowly he raised his knife to strike. "The white girl la slowly being burned to death." he hissed, brandishing the knife. "The allotted time Is sp,nt" As he poised the knife In fiendish glee, Kennedy leaped forward from his loos ened bonds and knocked him to the floor. -5-1 - - ' i '''''fM-HMJMnllU I'll! "niW, SSgj IKIew.HjripIoKs of HHauGie With Edwin Arlen as "THK CHIXESK MAHTEK CRIMINAL" Beose Theatre em Theatre SOUTH OEV3AHA 1528 So. 13th St. Every Wednesday Episode No. 18 Today Hay 16 Episode No. 20 May 19 Best Projection in The City grand Theatre Nicholas Theatre 1thcrynThuDridanyy CUnCil B,Uffs' ,a' Episode No. 19 May 20 Episode No, 13 May 18 d i a m on theatre FAUOQITE Theatre gyary Tneeday. Kpleode Wo. IS. Hay la C IIVUII W LOTHROP Thoatro 17th and Vinton St. glZfZT Episode No. 19 May 18 ALAMO THEATRE Eplso5e4tNhofn7d Fort atMay21 j For Doskic;l7ritePaIhe Exchange Ino. 1312Farnam Si. Omaha Heb. So unexpected was the asaault that be fore he knew It, Long Sin waa also sprawling beside his mstcr. Craig seised the oniy weapon at hand, a tabourette, and brought It down with smashing blows on the heads of the other astounded and unnerved Chinaman. Out in the opium Joint the others, at least those not too overcome by the dope, crowded forward. But with their minds clouded, they were no match for Craig as he rushed at them unawares, wielding his improvised weapon with wide sweeps mercilessly, right and left endowed In his desperation with superhuman strength. Followed by the others In the back room, now recovered from their mo mentary surprise, he made his way to the door. Once on the street, even in Chinatown, he was safe. But it was not his own safety now that had nerved up his strength to escape from the unescapabie. Was he in time? "I think I had better go back to the laboratory and wait for Craig," I said at last to Aunt Josephine, after waiting for a time that seemed like hours. "Please let me know the moment you hear from Elaine." I was Just about to turn from the foot of the steps leading to the Dodge house, when a taxlcab came dashing up almost on the sidewalk, urged on by some maniac Inside. Imagine my surprise to see Craig, wild and dishevelled leap out "Is Elaine here safe?" he demanded. "She Isn't home," I mansged to reply. "Are you sure?" he repeated. "Did you sesrchT' He uttered a sudden cry, pointing up at the roof. "Look!" he gasped, horrified. I stared in blank . amusement Smoke was pouring out of the attlo windows In denae black columns, lighted by an angry flame. "Fire!" shouted Kennedy, dashing in stantly Into the house. As we mounted the stair stow we could hear muffled screams from the attic. 6moke was pouring out from under the door and even through the keyhole. Jennlns had heard Kennedy'a call and was now dashing up after us with afire extinguisher. Back of him came Aunt Josephine and 'Elaine's maid, Marie, screaming for help. - ' ' We tried the door. It was locked. "Help the fire Is scorching me quick I can't movel" It waa Elaine's volco, almost smothered by the stifle Inside. "Walter," panted Craig. "Now both together." Hair Net for YOU and every other woman who appreciates a neat, tidy appearance. The double-twisted fine silk thread makes Carmen Nets wear longest and give greatest satisfaction. Made in many styles; with knotted ends with elastic cord regular mesh fine mesh. A style for every coiffure a shade for any hair. Ask your dealer for niOUiriajafiwr Mrrt ft IT II 11 i. n n.r-Wl far your guidance ia buying Lair awta 5c Like a human battering ram w went through that door. A sheet . of Tame ahot out at us with the draught. But Kennedy stopped for nothing. There was Elaine In a chair which the devellah mind of Wu Fang had deviaed to lmprlaon her while the flames licked out her beauty and Ufe. Instantly Craig understood and acted. "Carry her out," he cried, gasping for breath himself. Together we selxed the chair and Its precious burden. Not a moment too soon. We set the chair down outside in the hall, ourselves scorched snd blistered. It was as though Craig had accepted the challenge of the fiery monster. He seized the extinguisher from Jennings and attacked the flames from which we had borne Elaine, while I pulled down old clothes to smother them. By this time Jennings, Marie and Aunt Josephine had succeeded In unfastening Elaine as our sudden onslaught with chemicals and foroe brought tha fire demon under control. "Are you all right?" gasped Craig, stooping over Elaine as she leaned back half-falntlng in his arms. "Are you?" she murmured In her fear for him. (TO BE CONTINUED J Shipments Near SOO Mark. Within the last month the production at the plant of the Cole Motor Car com pany has been growing by leapt and bounds. The last week found the ship ments over the 160 mark with every evi dence of the SOO mark being reached tha following week. DaiBgnaFBAOclt Sanatorium This Institution Is ths only one In the central west with separate buildings situated In their own ample grounds, yet entirely dis tinct, and rendering It possible to classify case. The one building being fitted for and devoted to the treatment ot non-contagious and non-mental diseases, no others be ing admitted; the other Rest Cot tage being designed for and de fied to the exclusive treatment of select mental cases requiring for a time watchful care and spe cial nursing. if r KB the "Carmen Booklet" Latest Styles in Hair dressing it's free. Look for the Carmen envelope each at YOUR dealer's 9