Omaha daily bee., 1915-02-21


Inside we're some papers sealed in en-
relope and marked "Lmpy Red Correspondence"
The fatal documents seemed almost uncanny.
Their very presence frightened her. What should
she do?"
She seized the telephone and eagerly called
Kennedys number
Hello" answered a voice.
lis that you, Crag?" she asked excitedly.
NO this is Mr.. jameson"
oh Mr.. Jameson, I've discovered the Clutch
ing Hand papers," she began, more and more ex-
cited
Have you read them?" came back the voice
quickly.
mo; shall II"
Then don't unseal them" cautioned the voice.
Put them back exactly as you found them and I'll
tell Mrs Kennedy the moment can get hold Of
him."
IAN right" nodded Elaine. '1'h do that And
please get him you possibly can"
II will"
I'm going out shopping now" she returned,
suddenly. But tell him I'll be back right away"
Very we'll"
Hanging up the receiver. Elaine dutifully re-
placed the papers in the box and returned the box
to its secret hiding place. pressing the spring and
sliding the panel shut.
A few minutes later she left the house in the
Dodge car.
ing. Dan the Dude. an emissary of the Clutching
Hand. whose dress now greatly belied his under
world "monniker," had been shadowing us, watch
ing TO see when we left The moment disap-
peared he raised his hand carefully above his head
and made the sign of the Clutching Hand. Far
down the street. in a closed car the Clutchng Hand
himself. his face masked, gave answering sign.
moment later he left the car, gazing about
stealthy. Not a soul in sight and he managed
In aka Wav m fha NJ mr. tah aforv
without being observed. Then he opened It with
pass key which he must have obtained In some way
by working the janitor of the university officials
Probably he thought that the papers might pe
at the laboratory for he had repeatedly failed to
locate them at the Dodge house. At any rate he
was busily engaged in ransacking drawers and
cabinets in the laboratory, when the telephone sud
denly rang He did not want to answer II. but IL
1t kept on ringing some one outside might come in.
An instant he hesitated. Then. Disgusting his
voice as much he could do initiate mine, he took
off the receiver.
''Hellol" he answered.
Have you read them?" he asked, curbing his
impatience as she unsuspectingly poured forth her
story. supposedly to me.
Then don't unseal them" he FASTENED to reply.
"Put them back. Then there be question
about them. You open them before witnesses"
Ciutching Hand lost no further time at the
out what he wanted. The papers were not there
after all. but at the Dodge house.
Suppose she should really be gone on only a
short shopping trip and should return to find that
she had been fooled over the wire2 Quickly he
went to the telephone again.
Hello, DAN" he called when he got his num-
Der. Miss Dodge is going shopping. want you
and the other Falsers to follow her-delay her all
you can. Use your own judgment"
IL vhath aa
iSaton the brotherhood OF Falsers." There.
in the back room OF a low dive were Dan the Dude,
the emissary who had been lettering abouk the
laboratory, gunman. Dago Mike. a couple Of
women, slatterns. known as Kitty the Hawk,
and boy OF eight or ten whom they called Billy.
Before them stood large sehooners of beer while
the precocious youngsters grumbled over milk.
IAN right Chief" shouted back Dan. their
leader, as he hung up the telephone after noting
carefully the hasty instructions. wen do IT.
trust u.s."
Elaine had not been gone long from the house
when Craig and arrived there. She had followed
the telephone instructions OF the Clutehing Hand
and had told one
TOO bad" greeted Jennings, but Miss Elaine
has Just gone shopping ind don't know when
she'll be back"
shopping being an uncertain element as far as
time was concerned. Kennedy asked II any one
else at home.
Mrs. Dodge is in the library reading, SIR" re-
piled Jennings, taking it for granted that we would
see her
Aunt Josephine greeted us cordially. and craig
set down the vOcaphone package he carrying
She nodded to Jennings to leave us. and he
withrew.
I'm not going 70 let anything happen here ts
Miss Elaine again II can help IT," remarked Craig
in low tone. moment later. gazing about the
library.
what you thinking OF doing3" asked Auni
Josephine keenly
Pm going TO put in yOcaphOne." he returned
unwrapping H.