Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1915-04-03
EIGHTH EPISODE
The Hidden Voice.

Jameson, wake up,
''hc strain Of the Dodge case was
beginning 10 tell on me. for it was
ecping us at work az all kinds Of
hours % circumvent the Clutching
Hand, by far the cleverest criminal
with whom Kennedy had ever had
anything to do.
lc9ppd out 90 bed. still in my pa
jamaT. and stood for a moment staring
about rhcn / ran into the living
room. ! looked about, rubbing my
eyes, startled. No one was there
JAMESON up"
II vas spcoky
"Where-the deuce-are you?" de-
,manded.
Suddenly | heard the voice again
no doubt about II. either
Here ] am-over on the couch"
scratched my head. puzzled There
was certainly no one on that couch
laugh greeted me. Plainly, though.
II came from the couch. went over
to II and. ridiculous as II seemed. be-
gan to throw aside the pillows
There lay nothing but a little OBJ
long oaken box. perhaps eight or ten
inches square at the ends. In the face
were two peculiar square holes. and
from the top projected black disk.
about the size Of n watch, fastened on
swinging metal arm. In the face Of
che disk were several perforated holes
] picked up the strange looking
thing IN wonder, and from that magic
oak box actually came burst of
laughter.
Come over to the laboratory, right
away pealed forth merry voice.
I've something to show you
Well" | gasped. what do you
know about that?"
Very early that morning Craig had
got up. leaving me snoring Cases
never wearied him He thrived on ex-
element.
He had gene over to the laboratory
and set to work In a corner over an
other of those peculiar boxes. exactly I
like that which he had already left in |
our rooms.
Half An hour afterward | walked !
into the laboratory. feeling a little !
staerish over the practical joke, but /
none the less curious to find out all |
about Il.
What is il? | asked, indicating the
apparatus
"A vocaphone." he replied. still
laughing. "the loud speaking telephone.
TIE little box that hears and talks.
II talks right out in meeting.
too--no trarsmittar to hold to
the mouth. no receiver to hold to
the ear. You see. this trans
mitter Il so sensitive that 1t picks up
even . whisper. and the receiver is
placed back Of those two megaphone-
iiSe pyramids"
He was standing at a table. careful
ly packing up one Of the vocaphones
and a lot Of wire
: 4 believe the Clutching Hand has
peen shadowins the Dodge house." he
continued thoughtfully. AS long as
we watch the place, too, he will do
nothing. But If We should seem. o.
tcntatiously. not to be watching. per-
haps he may try something. and we
may be able to get clue to his iden-
tity over this vccaphone See"
| nodded. We've got to run him
down somehow" ! agreed.
Yes" he said, taking his coat and
hat. II am going to connect up one
d these things in Miss Dodge's libra
y ard arrange with the telephone
for a clear wire so that we
car listen in mere. where that fellow
will never suspect"
At about the same time that Craig
and l sailed forth on this new mis-
sion, Elaine was arranging some flow
ors or stand near the corner of the
Dodge library where the secret panel
wa - rhich her father had hidden I
the papers for the possession OF which
he Ciu.ching Hand had murdered
i'm
-. "-a -~oved away from the table, {
..r H - MI go hor dress caught
" ."w...r no woodwork She !
rcd 40 iot str il and III so doing
cuched the little metallic spring on {
which her dress had caught.
Instantly. TO her utter surprise. the J
,anel moved IL slid open. disclosing
strong box.
Elaine took it, amused. looked at it 7
moment tNen carried II - fable I