Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-10-08

'as ~" tolioMeu- knowing that
they had received the dreaded sum
mons
Town the alley. lighted at long dis
tances by small smoky oil lamps above
grim doorways. through broken arch.
turn TO the left, through a swiftly
opened door. down an III lighted pas
sage. at the end Of which were broken
steps leading down into a black void.
Their guide produced candle. lighted
II and led the way down other steps
Into the bowels OF the earth. At Inst
he paused before q black painted door
and raped softly three times. then
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
teakwood ssiair a diguifed figure clad
In Chinese robe of stiff bdocade. On
the breast OF the tunic hung q heavy
chain of amber beads and from the
beads there swung life size waxen
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 I'm the chair
was hidden under n queer mask OF
painted porcelain. but his bright dark
eyes shone -hrough 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 tlgure In the chair
Advance" mumbled the figure in
English, and the two obeyed mechan-
ichiiy Murray's hand rested on the
revolver in Its coat pocket
You have come In obedience 10 the
beckoniue 0f the Yellow Claw" went
on the voice monosonously: ARE you
prepared To keep your promise made to
the most high Fene Soyf' His voice
dropped to a whisper as be AIDED a
few words If secret Import A dead
ssleuce followed his speech.
What Is it sou wish us to doT'' nsk-
ctl Murray ut Inst.
Again the parsonage bowed his COW
cred head and whispered short abrupt
sentences sdat caused bis heroes 10
st!ifeu wilh horror.
Their faces were white HE drifted
snow yheu they lifted them 10 the i'm.
passive Porcelain mask. Swinnertons
eyes We're fixed ON the bright dark
eyes OF the parsonage Esith a strange
intensity; Il Was Us If he was trying
Ia wiring some secret from the keeper
bT Ee.Ef4.tq. sf.fe h..
Ing hts memory for some ciew. Muir
ray broke the silence,
Aud II we retusct" he asked.
III yua refuse" answered the voice.
Henderson aud Moore win no longer
he alone"
Tom was laughing and in either
clutched hand WAS revolver; his long
neck was thrust forward aud his head
nodded waggiNhiy at the parsonage.
For the first time the figure in the
teak wood chair moved. the hands
sought folds of the yolumlnous robes
ard flashed out again.
Four revolver shots deafened the air,
and when the smoke hud cleared away
Swlunerton was sitting on the door
with a bullet through his arm. while
the teakwood chair was empty.
On the sllken carpet before the dais
was a huddIed form under folds OF
stiff brocude,
Murray leaned over his friend and
assisted hlm To rise
tom. are you badly hurty'
"A scratch on my arm. | believe
Perkins is dead Better look and see."
returned the other with dry laugh.
Perkins What are you talking
aboutT'
why. | guess you'll find that the
yellow Claw Is nothing less than your
confidential clerk. Perkins. ! thought
HIS face was familiar. but couldn't
place IL. Remember Blake. the rene
gade white man who got Henderson
into that trouble up the YangtzeT'
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
tewelry and carried large sums Of
UItuts NANh A1ts H4SeAFFfAacN- A~c~ ~
get out of this
"But the Yellow Claw" protested
Murray. unconyinced that all these
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
nv hest bet He's used his knowledge
to blackmaIl us. and be may be the
tool for reasonable powers higher up.
Remember the sums of money he de-
handed: Whew"
Murray stepped to the PROSTATE form
and turned il over The porcelain
mask fell away and disclosed the dead
face of Perkins The waxen hand at
his neck was red with blood,
Wfthotlt "a mother word the two Amer