The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-07-27

~ @IlG
had forced from him after his weird
transformation into his real self, the
Clutching Hand, when the Chinaman
had given him the poisoned draft that
had put him into his long sleep.
He had obtained the paper showing
where the treasure amassed by the
Clutching Hand was hidden, but WI
Fang, his master, had come.
The night following his arrival, WI
Fang was reclining on divan, when
his servant announced that Long Sin
was at the door
Have you brought the map. with
your asked WI.
Long Sin bowed low again, and drew
from under his coat the paper which
he had obtained from Bennett. For
a moment the two, master and slave
in guile. bent over, closely studying it.
At one point of the map Long Sins
bony finger paused over note which
Bennett had made:
Beware of poisoned gas upon opsn-
ing compartment"
"And you think you can trace it
out?" asked WI.
Without doubt" bowed Long Sin.
He went over to a bag near by,
which he had already sent up by an
other servant, and opened it. Inside
was an oxygen helmet He replaced
1t, after showing it to WI.
with the aid of the science of the
white devil" purred Long Sin subtly.
Outside, WI had already ordered a
car to wait, and together the two
drove off rapidly. Into the country
they sped, until at last they came to
lonely turn in lonely road.
Long Sin alighted and disappeared,
with a parting word of instruction
from WI, who remained in the car.
The Chinaman carried with him the
heavy bag with the oxygen helmet.
Long Sin hurried down the road
until he came to a trolley pole, then
he looked hastily at his watch. II
was twenty minutes at least before
the next car would pass.
Quickly, almost monkeylike, he
climbed up the pole, carrying with him
the end of wire which he had taken
from the bag.
Having thrown this over the feed
wire, he slid quickly to the ground
again, then, carrying the other END
of the wire in his rubber-gloved hand
through the underbrush until he came
to passageway in the rough and un.
cleared hillside-a small opening
formed by the rocks.
1t was dark inside, but he did not
hesitate to enter, carrying the wire
and the bag with him.
1t was nightfall before we arrived
with Elaine at Aunt Tabby's.
Kennedy lost no time in examining
the fireplace.
At one point in the drawing pc
culiar protuberance was marked. Ken
nedy was evidently hunting for that
He found 1t at last and pressed the
sort of lever. A small section at the
side Of the fireplace opened up, dis
J closing an iron ladder, leading down
into one of those characteristic hiding
! places In which the Clutching Hand
used to delight.
Let's 60 down and explore it."
suggested, taking a step toward the
ladder.
Kennedy reached out and pulled me
back. Then without word he pressed
the little lever and the door closed.
Il think we'd better wait a while
Walter" he declared. 81 would rather
hear Aunt Tabby's haunts myself"
We were sitting about the room
when suddenly the most weird and un
canny rappl1gs began to be heard
We listened a moment, then Ken
nedy walked over to the fireplace
you can explore it with me now
Walter" he said quietly, touching the
lever and opening the panel which
disclosed the ladder.
Together, Craig and descended in
to the darkness about eight or ter
feet. There we found passageway
excavated through the earth and rock
along which we crept. 1t was crooked
and uneven, and we stumbled, but KEEP
going slowly ahead.
Kennedy, who was a few feet III
front Of me, stopped suddenly and
almost fell over him.
What is it?" whispered.
Long Sin had made his way from
the opening of the cave to the point
on the plan which was marked by 9
cross, and there he had set up his cleo
trio drill which was connected to the