Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-09-13
The Daily Story
THE YELLOW CLAW-BY CLARISSA MACK
Copyrighted. isls. by Associated Literary Bureau

three times again.
The door swung inward and dis
closed dimly lighted room.
Under canopy of richly embroid-
cred satin there sat on a cushioned
lockwood chair a dignifed figure clad
in Chinese robe Of stiff hdocade. On
the breast Of the tunic hung n heavy
chain of amber beads and from the
beads there swung n life size waNen
hand-the replica of the three that
John Murray had received. and of the
two that had come TO Swinnerton.
The face Of the man in the chair
was hidden under a queer mask of
painted porcelain, but his bright dark
eyes shone through narrow Sits
beneath the painted brows.
Murray looked around to find that
the door was closed and their guide
had disappeared. They were alone
with the grim figure in the chair.
Advance" mumbled the figure in
English. and the two obeyed mechan-
ically. Murray's hand rested on the
revolver in his, coat pocket.
you have come in obedience to the
reckoning of the Yellow Claw" went
on the voice monOtonously; ARE you
prepared TO keep your promise made to
the most high Feng Soy?" His voice
dropped TO a whisper as he AIDED q
few words Of secret import. A dead
Silence followed his speech.
What is it you wish US to do?" ask
ed Murray at last.
Again the parsonage bowed his COW
sentences that caused his heroes to
stiffen with horror.
Their faces were white like drifted
snow when they lifted them to the i'm
passive porcelain mask. Swinnerton's
eyes were fixed on the bright dark
eyes Of the parsonage with a strange
intensity; it was as If he was trying
to wiring some secret from the keeper
of the Yellow Claw-as If he was rack
ing his memory for some clew. Muir.
ray broke the silence.
"And il we refuse?" he asked.
eff you refuse" answered the voice,
Henderson and Moore will no longer
be alone"
Tom was laughing and in either
clutched hand was revolver; his long
neck was thrust forward and his head
nodded waggishly at the parsonage.
For the first time the figure In the
lockwood chair moved, the hands
sought folds OF the voluminous robes
and flashed out again.
Four revolver shots deafened the air,
and when the smoke had cleared away
Swinnerton was sitting on the floor
with a bullet through his arm, while
the lockwood chair was empty.
On the silken carpet before the dais
was n huddled form under folds of
stiff brocade.
Murray leaned over his friend and
assisted him TO rise.
TON, are you badly hurt?"
"A scratch on my arm. I believe
Perkins is dead. Better look and see,"
/ returned the other with a dry laugh.
Perkins! What are you talking
: about?''
Why. guess you'll find that the
/ Yellow Claw is nothing less than your
| confidential clerk, Perkins, l thought
his face was familiar, but couldn't
! place it. Remember Blake, the rene
! SdNe W uIlt man WHO got
into that trouble up the YangtzeY
/ Yes, of course; but Perkins,
! Perkins is Blake, and the rascal has
| been working .us four to the limit.
| Must have robbed and murdered Moore
! and Henderson. Both wore handsome
! jewelry and carried large sums OF
money when they disappeared. Let US
get out of this
But the Yellow Claw" protested
| Murray, unconyinced that all these
1 years OF uneasiness and the last few
weeks of terror had been inspired by
| the Vaccinations of his snaky eyed
| clerk.
Perkins is the Yellow Claw. 1t
doesn't exist outside Of China. That's
my best bet He's used his knowledge
/ to blackmail us, and he may be the
tool for reasonable powers higher up.
Remember the sums Of money he de-
manded? Whew!'
Murray stepped TO the PROSTATE form
and turned it over. The porcelain
mask fell away and disclosed the dead
face of Perkins. The waxen hand at
his neck was red with blood
Without another word the two Amer
| leans left the room. Together they fed
silently by strange passages and
through crooked corridors, darling
blindly here and there, up darksome
stairways, until. guided by watchfuI
Providence. they found themselves in
dim courtyard that was peopled only
in the shadows. No one stayed theiI
flight, for no one cared. Each had his
own affairs, and murder was a COM
mon thing
Finally they came to the Sigma
building, and Murray helped his com
panion up to the office and telephonet
for a physician to attend to Swimmer
tons wounded arm.
Now 10 i've" muttered SwinnertoI
with a grim smile. The Yellow CLAW
IS dead"
But Murray shivered as If he felt tn
cold breath OF some evil premonition.
Il am not so sure about that" b
said slowly.
. Il