The Dermott news., 1915-05-13


 Well" Elaine laughed, a little nerv- ously, now that it was all over, "I want you all to go to bed and stop worrying about me. Don't you see I'm perfectly able to take care of my self2 Besides. there isn't a chance now of the burglar coming back Why, I shot him
 Yes. put in Aunt Josephine. but
 Elaine laughingly interrupted her and playfully made as though she were driving them out of her room.
 Rusty" she called. Down, there,
 The intelligent collie seemed to un- derstand. He lay down by the door way his nose close to the bottom of the door, and his ears alert.
 Finally Elaine. toe. retired again.
 Meanwhile the wounded man was being hurried to one of the hangouts of the mysterious Clntching Hand.
 The car containing the wounded Pitts Slim" drew up and the other two men leaped out of it With a hur. ried glance about they unlocked the front door with a pass key and en. tered. carving the man
 Indoors was another emissary of the Clutehing Hand, a rather studious- looking chap
 Why. what's the matter?e he ex- claimed as the crooks entered his room supporting their haIffainting. wounded pal.
 Slim got I couple of pills they panted as theY laid him on couch
 Hove demanded the other
 Trying to get into the Dodge house. Elaine did it
 Slim was, quite evidently. badly wounded and was bleeding rrafusely. \ glance at him was enough for the smdious-jookns chap. He went to q secret panel and pressing t down. took cut what WIS apparently q secret house telephone.
 in another part of this mysterious house Was the secret room of the Glutehug Hand himself. where he hid his identity from even hts most trust ed followers.
 His telephone rang and he took down the receiver.
 Pits Sims been wounded. badly. chief, was all he waited to hear.
 With scarcely a word he hung UP the receiver. then opened table drawer and took eGt a lall face mask. Next he went 10 a nearby bookcase. pressed anofhcr sacr0t soriar and panel opened He rassed through the mask adjusted
 Across. in the larger outside study, another panel opened and Che Clutch ing Hand. all crouched up. trans formed, appeared Without a word he advanced to the couch on which the wounded crook lay. ard examined him
 How did 1t happen" he asked at length.
 Miss Dodge shot him" answered the others. with au automatic"
 That Crais Kennedy must have given 1t 10 her'' he exclaimed with suppressed fury.
 For moment the Clutchiue Hand stopped to consider Then he seized the regular te1ephone
 Doctor Martin he asked. as he got the number he called
 Late as it was tho doctor. who was a we'll known surgeon in that part Of the country, answered from an K tension of his tclerhoue naar his bed
 The call vas urgent. and apparently from a family which he d.d not feel that he could neglect.
 Doctor Martin was a middle-aged man. one of those medical men on whose judgment ono instinctively rc- lies.
 1t was only a matter of minutes be- fore the doctor was speeding over the now deserted suburban roads appar- ently on an errand of mercy
 At the address that had been given him he drew up 10 the side of the road, got out and ran up the steps to the door. A ring at the bell brought a sleepy man to the door, in his trousers and nightshirt.
 Flows the patient?' asked Doctor Martin, eagerly
 Patient" repeated the man, rub bing his eyes. There's no one sick here"
 Slowly 1t dawned on the doctor that 1t was a false alarm. and that he must be the victim of some practical joke.
 Well. that's great note" he growled, as the man shut the door
 He descended the steps muttering harsh language at some unknown trickster. As he climbed back into his machine and made ready to start two men seemed to rise before him as If from nowhere.
 As a matter of fact they had been sent there by the Clutching Hand. and were hiding in a nearby cellarway un- til their chance came.
 One man stood on the running board, on either side of him. and two guns yawned menacingly at him
 Drive ahead that way!" muttered one man. seating himself in the run about with his gun close to the doc tors ribs