The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-04-16
NEXT WEEK--THE CLOVED HAND
by BURTON n. STEVENSON
detective story that will guessing till the



pair OF handcnffs out of his over
coat pockets.
Very interesting man" unused
Billy. mot at all the sort OF
person you'd expect to find In q
diamond robbery. Wonderful
knowledge of European politics. :"
BILLY, what do you mean?" I
demanded.
why l took monsieur home
to his hotel last night"
"But-how--did - you-man-
age--it?" | gasped.
81 didn't. He did. He wasn't
going to give himself away by
going upstairs; he said he was
going down. SO We went down
together. When we got to the
street We just kept on till I'd
seen him home. We were thick
as thieves by that time.
II invited him to see China
town tonight and he accepted.
But he got the letter all right!
He sent me word this morning he
couldn't go to Chinatown.
Il told him ! was calling on the
people In the front flat and
couldn't get in."
BILLY, you are positively the
cleyerest man l know!"
well. let's to work-monsieur
is downstairs anxlously waiting
for you to go out" said Billy.
"liow do you know"
Swallowed him. My
revolver's all right? And the red
pepper?"
"Yes--but I've been thinking
about that pepper and about am
monia instead?"
"H'm-m." considered Billy.
What's the advantage?"
TT wears off quicker, and
think it's probably safer for us II
he struggles and We have to hold
him down"
Guess It is" Billy agreed.
Got 1t ready?"
took him to the kitchen and
showed him half glass of house.
hold ammonia diluted with water
and covered with a saucer. Then
| hung his coat and hat in my
wardrobe. After that, he looked
at me and i looked at him-the
fatal moment had arrived.
"Well?" said Billy.
| put on my wraps and with
knees ready to close up under me
like jack-knives, l rang for
George. on whom we relied to tell
monsieur | had gone out. Billy
was sure George had not seen him
enter.
By the time George and
reached the second floor, Billy
was ringing furiously from the
sixth this was to get George
out of the way at once so
could slip upstairs. We reached
the first; George started back and
in ten seconds / had gone along
the hall to the front door, re-
traced my steps, and was gliding
up the stairs. In two minutes
was safe in my own flat.
The flat was almost dark. One
low gas-jet lighted the dining
room and showed the hyacinths
on the table.
Neither Billy nor I uttered a
sound.
A key slipped quickly, boldly,
regardless of the noise 1t made.
The lock turned. A quick illum-
ination filled my hall from the
gas-jet outside and was gone
almost before | had realized t..
The door closed. Monsieur made
for the hyacinths. turning up the
light In order to remove the dia-
monds. fired a blank cartridge
and yelled, "Hands up!"
He said. Mon u!"-took in
the situation--and bolted for the
fire-escape-got smashing blow
from the kitchen door as Billy
jumped from behind It and then
half a glass of ammonia In the
face. Two seconds later we three
were writhing, strangling heap
on the floor.
The next thing ! remember,
was sitting on monsieur amidships
and Billy was swapping q hand
cuff. Then Billy and | dragged
him to the dining-room, propped
him against the sldeboard and
opened a window.
"Zere has been a great mis-
take" monsieur began, to which
Billy retorted:
1T looks that way"
"Ah-it is you'll" breathed mon
sieur, suddenly recognizing In
Billy, now he spoke, the young
man who had SO affably invited
him to tour Chinatown.
''If madame will permit me a
chair and allow me to explain"
We helped him to a chair and
when we'd set him in it, | took my
turn to remark severely: There's
not much to explain, monsieur.