The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-09-07
TWENTY-FIRsT EPISODE
THE EAR IN THE WALL.


Elaine sat in the library reading one
morning when her maid Marie entered,
carrying long pasteboard box, dain-
tily tied with ribbon.
"Some flowers for you, Miss Elaine.
think" she said handing the box to
her mistress.
Marie left the room, and Elaine, ar
ter contemplating for a moment In
keen anticipation what she thought at
first was a gift from Craig Kennedy,
opened the box. There lay splendid
bunch of long-stemmed red and white
roses.
Nesting In the green leaves was a
little white note She picked 1t mp
expectantly and tore it open.
Instantly, however, her face
blanched. Instead of billet doux, it
was the most fearsome threat yet
which the savage Chinese master GRIM
inal, WI Fang, had sent In the venge-
full vendetta which he had sworn on
account of the loss of the Clutching
Hands millions.
Elaine had scarcely time to excla.m
at it's dire meaning when Kennedy
himself entered.
Good morning" he greeted cheer
fly, then cut the greeting short as he
caught the Mortified expression on her
pretty face. why, what's the mat
teri"
uIosvo x,,oe 49, to~rifad .x,or vaf fr,
speak. All she could do was to hand
him the note:
The fret Victim shall be Craig
Kennedy or your aunt. You may
choose. Place the red roses In
the window for your lover, the
white for the siIver-halred one.
At the end appeared the mysterious
sign of the serpent, darting from his
fangs a death more than figurative.
"Wh-what shall l do?" she ap-
pealed.
Craig did not answer directly. He
could not Thoughtfully he walked to
the window and gazed out. There was
only dirty, bent cripple standing by
the corner selling papers to pedes.
TRANS
Kennedy's forehead wrinkled in
thought. He turned and walked back
from the window. Mechanically he
picked up his hat and cane, then laid
down the cane again.
Il must look into this at once,' he
| said, lifting the flowers and putting
them back into the box carefully, as
If he expected trouble to come of the
affair
"You-you'll be very careful
Craig?" pleaded Elaine. as they left
the library and went into the hall
Il will be-for you" he repeated
with reassuring smile. "Oh-I for
got my cane"
Quickly he returned to the library
leaving her standing in the hallway
There he had purposely left his sticl
on the table beside the flowers. He
selected some from the bunch OF rec
roses and hastily stuck them in a vase
and placed the vase on the window
sill. Then he picked up the cane ant
rejoined Elaine in the hall.
Outside the Dodge house the, dirty
bent cripple looked about cautiousl,
out of the corner of his eye.
Suddenly he paused as If he hat
caught sight of a mendicancy Office
bearing down on him. There on thu
window sill Of the library was a vas,
of red roses. Hastily he shuffied of
on his way.
AS fast as his supposedly bent bod.
could straighten itself safely out h
hurried downtown with one idea-t,
reach the secret apartment of WI
Fang, the serpent.
| WI, Long Sin and several other Chi
namen were gathered about table OF
which was a long oblong oak box. Il
the cover, which was open, were fas
tened on the inside two fat spools o
silken-covered wire. at each end o
the box was placed an ordinary stor
age battery, and in compartment be
tween, besides switches and connec
lions, were what looked like six set
of headgear much resembling thos
worn by wireless operators.
This" said WI, holding up littl
black disk about as large as q watch
with q dozen or so little perforation
in the face, is the white devils littl
mechanical eavesdropper-tfre detet
taphone-the ear in the wall. BY 1t
aid we shall learn all about our enc
mics, where to strike. when to-"
He stopped short as servant Ell
tered. Almost automatically, at
mere sign from WI, all the rest of Il
group disappeared behind screens.
Bring him in" ordered WI as Il
servant announced that a visitor WI
outside. Then. as the cripple entere
spryly enough now. he added: ooh
is you. Well--anything to report?"
Red roses" was all that the e
| beggar in his awe at the fierce Chin
man could find words to blurt out.
WI nodded. st is we'll / will ca
you again when l need you. You ms
CO." he instructed.
No sooner had he gone than Il
| OLutIb fcdpROaACQ AlOLu bOlAAiu thC
screens and other hiding places as |
lently as they had gone.
You will oil follow me-" directs
WI. gathering together the paraphe
MALTA and shutting the box. Her
Tom Ling. carry that box for me
carefully, too"
A moment later WI left the seer
apartment, followed by his henchme
splitting up inconspicuously as tht
made their way uptown.
/ had come into the laboratory an
not finding Kennedy, had decided
wait there for him.
Perhaps half an hour later he can
rushing in, his face clouded wi
thought and beads Of perspiratit
standing out on his forehead.
Whats the trouble?" l asked an
iously.
Trouble enough" he replied. fin
ing of his hat and coat and thrown
on his smock, as he related disjointe
ly between whiles what had happene
And now I'm going to prepare +
the attack, whatever 1t may be-"
went on, going over briskly to the la
oratory table. where's that nitrate
| oh. here It is."