Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-09-20
TheYellOW.
Claw
Was 1t the End
of 1t?
BY cLARIssA r1AcKIE

yate Office ANA laid square paper
wrapped package at Murray's elbow.
by parcel post. marked Personal. "
he murmufed alphabetically and went
away as silently MS he had come.
John Murray stared at the package
with incredulous eyes Suddenly his
jaw set firmly and lie jumped up and.
locking the door 10 the outer office.
went 10 his safe and took from an in.
her compartment two other packages
Of the same size and shape rs the one
Perkins had Just brought in
With the three packages ranged be
fore him on the desk. John Murray
studied them with knitted brow.
They were exactly alike. He opened
one Of the packages
Within was Il square box OF Chinese
red lacquer. with a powdcrinG of gold
on the 49, The box was perhaps ten
inches square and three inches deep.
Murray listcd the lid and gazcd long
ut the strange content, of the box.
on he'd Of red silk lay hand a
hideous. claw-like hand--with long.
transparent nails. The thing was made
OF yellow wax. but So perfect was the
workmanship and So faithfully had the
artisan carried out his idea that the
yellow hand seemed like that of a liv-
iu= human hand. veincd and knottcd
hand. with musclcd fingers half curl
cd. rs if In malignant desire TO clutch.
10 strangle. to Kill.
There was nothing else in the box
save the yellow. claw-like hand.
With set lips Murray opened the sec
ond box and disclosed a facsimile OF
the waxen hand and the third box and
saw still another hand. But this last
hand contained IN the box just arrived
was closed. as though 1t held some
thing in n death grip.
Murray shuddered little. for he
knew that the throat which the Yellow
Claw longed TO grasp was his own.
He knew that the death grip was in
tended for his own strong. brown
throat
Murray knew that he had received
the three warnings and that If he did
not obey the last one-wcll, he drew Il
dow-wcll. if he didn't heed the third
warning. why. he would disappear as
mysteriously rs Henderson had vanish.
cd three months before or rs complete
~ rs Moore had dropped out Of sight
six months ago.
xafI - G.tsf,t L.
must advise me" muttered Murray as
he thrust the boxes back into the safe
and locked the door.
As he spoke there came a rap at the
office door
He turned the key and admitted
Perkins. who darted little. snaky
glances around the room as he deliv-
cred his message:
MIR. Swnnerton to see you. sir
Send him In. please" said Murray
shortly and he pushed forward deep
chair for his visitor who entered al
most Immediately. Tom Swinnerton
was Il tall thin, anxious looking young
man with fair hair tousled over his fine
forehead. He sank down in the chair
and tossed his hat on the desk.
Hope don't bore you. Murray. but
I've heard from them. he said with a
nervous laugh.
John Murray uttered a faint echo of
the laugh.
I'm in the same box. Tom. I've
heard three times"
My God. Murray" gasped the other
You don't mean why. what are You
going 10 do about it:''
Murray shrugged his shoulders The
third call came only half an hour ago.
i've heard twice. came TO ask
your advice" shuddered the younger
rays strong face.
There's only one thing 10 do. Tom.
after all"-and Murray turned sudden
~ aud sat down close tn his visitor.
He spoke IN a Whisper You know we
four Moore ana Henderson. You and |.
promised to obey the call of the Vel
low Claw NJ any time In return for
which they allowed Henderson 10 90
free after THAI iiaSco of his up the
river. These We're rough days for for.
eigners In China and well. ! don't be
licve amy one Of Us expected TO be-
called upon 10 do what the Yellow
Claw demands Henderson must have
refused ana Moore a. we'll for ycn
know They have both disappeared.
Well what is the one thing 10 do
John" asked Tom after awhile
Go down into Chinatown. fiad ont
what they want and then decide what
H. best 20 hc done b."
when shall we COZ
Tonight is best. I've had my last
call The third Maud held sarroter's
cord love. they're nm uucanny SET.
these Chinese" Murray arose and
paced the ilopr
"Why chinatown? We don't know
where ?" "a. ohic 'ted Tom.
''Tl"y'vc com" by parcel post I've
investigated and can tell yon the very
station from which they were mailed
And I'm rrcfiy sure that when we get
futn ffhfunftwtt fit,ar4 vyfii la Sofua on.