Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1915-03-06

sun grumpy, but notified by the
silver, Jens let them go up and opened
the door 10 our rooms again. There
stood the cabinet as outwardly inno-
cent as when II camo In.
Logging and Juggling they managed
to get the heavy piece of furniture out
and downstairs again. loading Il on
the wagon. Then they drove OF With
1t. accompanied by a parting volley
from Jensen
In an unfrequented streec. perhaps
half a mile away, the wagon stopped.
With keen glance around. the driver
and his helper made sure that no one
was about
Such shaking up as you've given
me-" growled d voice as the cabinet
door orened. But I've got him this
time,"
1t was the Clutching Hand.
Craig gazed into our living room eau
tiously.
Il can't see anything wrong" he said
TO N as stood Just beside him. Miss
Dodge" he added. will you and the
rest excuse me il | ask you TO wsit
just a moment longer"
Elaine watched him. fascinated. He
crossed the room, then went into each
OF our other rooms. Apparently moth
ing was wrong and a minute later he
reappeared at the doorway.
Il guess it's all right" he said. Per
haps It was only Jensen. the janitor."
Elaine, Aunt Josephine and Susie
Martin entered. Craig placed chairs
for them, but still could see that he
was uneasy. From time TO time. while
they were admiring one OF our treas
ures after another. he glanced about
suspiciously.
What is the trouble. do you Think"
asked Elaine wonderingly. noticing
his manner.
II can't just say" answered Craig.
tryine TO appear easy.
She had risen and with keen inter.
est was looking at the books. the pic
lures, the queer collection OF weapons
and odds and ends from the under
world that Craig had amassec IT. his
adventures.
At las. her eye wandered across the
rooIl. She caught sight OF her own
picture. occupying place OF honor
but hanging askew.
Isn't that just like a mani" she ex'
claimed. Such housekeepers as you
are-sLth carelessness"
She had taken a stop or two across
the room to straighten the picture.
Miss Dodge!" almost shouted Ken
nedy. his face fairly blanched. stop"
She turned. her stunning eyes filled
with amazement at his suddenness.
Nevertheless she moved quickly to one
side, as he waved his arms. unable to
speak quickly enough.
Kennedy stood quite still. gazing at
the picture. askew. with suspicion. -
That wasn't that way when we left.
was 1t. Walter?" he asked.
1t certainly was not" answered
positively There was more time
spent in getting that picture just
|, right than / ever saw you spend on the
foom.'
Craig frowned.
As for myself ] did not know what
to make OF II.
I'm afraid ! shall have to ask you
to step into this back room" said Craig
at length to the ladies. I'm sorry
but we can't be too careful with this
L. he
Elaine. however. stopped at the door.
For a moment Kennedy appeared to
be considering. Then his eye fell on
a fishing rod that stood In q corner.
He took 1t and moved toward the pic
ture.
On his hands and knees. to one
side. down as close as he could get to
the floor. with the rod extended At
arms length, he moti0ned to me to do
the same. behind him.
Carefully Kennedy reached out with
the pole and Strengthened the picture.
AS he did so there was q fash. Q
loud, ,deafening report, and q great
puff Of smoke from the fireplace.
-. The fire screen was riddled and over
turned. A charge Of buckshot shat
tered. the precious photograph Of
Elaine.
e We had dropped fiat on he moor at
the report. l looked about Kennedy
was unframed and so were the rest
With a bound he was at the fre
place, followed by Elaine and the rest
Of US. There. in what remained of q
package done up roughly in newspa
per, was a shotgun with its barrel
sawed on about six inches from tbs
lock, fastened to a block Of wood. and
connected to a series of springs on
the trigger, released by little electro
magnetic arrangement actuated By
two batteries and leading by wires up
along the molding to the picture where
the slightest touch would complete the
circuit.
A startled cry from Elaine caused u
to turn.
She was standing directly before heI
shattered picture where II hung awry
on the wall. The heavy charge OF
huckshot had knocked awaY large