The Columbus commercial., 1915-03-21

see = fuif hi1a a1fumafte
sifs I'll nshf Nishsel" fssssufsd
cfais salmif Az fisht wsissf be
aadad g. me
The eaa dfopfsd haek Into The foot
mans pocket Sc entered and ~
shasl akaln locked ihs door Not =
cord hsd been spoken b. him 80 far
Nsst Michael moved % the center
~ the faom aaa - ! feallssd later.
brought himself in direct Ilss 9Th the
open window tls seemed ~ be over
come wlfh fear n bis betrayal and
stood lhsfs bfssihins heavily.
Professor Kennedy. be began. 4
have been ~ misirsaied that ! havs
made up my mind to tell you All I
know abou, thla Ciutehlng
suddenly he drew a sharp breath
and both bic hands elutched At his
own breast Ne did not staRKef and
fan IN the ordinary manner. but
seemed 20 bend AZ the knees and
waist and literally crumple down on
his face
We ran 10 him. Craig turned him
over gently on bis back and examined
him. He called. No answer Michael
was almost pulseless.
Quickly Craig tore on his collar and
barred his breast. for the man seemed
to be struggling for breath. As he did
40 he drew from Michaels throat a
small. sharp.pointed dart
whats that" I calculated. horror
stricken.
"A poisoned blowgun dart. such as
is used by the South American In
dians on the upper Orinoco." he said
slowly.
He examined II carefully
What Is the poison?" | asked
"Curari," he replied simply. 1T acts
on the respiratory muscles. paralyzing
them and causing asphyxiation."
The dart seemed to have been made
of a quill with very sharp point, hol
low, and containing the deadly poison
in the sharpened end.
Look out!" | cautioned, as h,
handled II.
"Oh, that's all right" he answered
casually. IF don't scratch myself.
am safe enough. | could swallow th'
stuff and it wouldn't hurt me-unles
had an abrasion of the lips or som,
internal cut"
Kennedy continued to examine tn
dart until suddenly | heard low el
clamation of surprise from him. II
side the hollow quill was thin shee
of tissue paper, tightly rolled. H
drew it out and read:
ITO know me is Death.
"Kennedy-Take Warning"
Underneath was the inevitabl
Clutching Hand sign.
We jumped to our feet. Kenned
rushed to the window and slammed
shut, while seized the key from NJ
chael's pocket, opened the door. an
called for help.
A moment before, on the roof of
building across the street, one migl
| have seen bent, skulking figur
/ His face was copper colored and {
II his head was a thick thatch of ma
H ted hair He looked like Sou
4 American Indian, in very dilapidatt
\ suit of cast.off American clothes.
4 He had slipped out through doc
H way leading to a flight Of steps fro
H the roof to the hallway of the ten
Il ment. and, like one of his native We
i omous serpents, worked his way dow
II the stairs again.
II My outcry brought veritable b'
H talon of aid. The hotel propriett
II the negro waiter and several othe
u dashed upstairs, followed shortly
II portly policeman.
III Craig took the policeman into
III confidence, showing him the dart al
II explaining about the poison. The o
II Ger stared blankly.
81 Il must get away, too" hurried
Al Craig Officer, will leave you
Il take charge here. You can depend
I me for the inquest"
Il The officer nodded.
4 Come on. Walter" whisper
Craig, eager to get away, then addi
the one word, "Elaine!"
4 followed hastily. not slow to ,
E derstand his fear for her.
1 Nor we're Craig's fears groundle
In spite of all that could be done
her, Elaine was still in bed, mu
Nl weaker now than before
@l More than that, the Clutching Ha
81 had not neglected the opportuni
either.
Suddenly, just before our return
stone had come hurtling through
ps window, without warning of any XII
is and had landed on Elaine's bed.
Below, as we learned some time {
ne erwards, car had drawn up hast
nd and the evil-faced crook whom
ne Clutching Hand had used to rid h
EN- self of the informer, "Limpy Red,"f
ih' leaped out and hastily hurled
en- stone through the window, as qui
'us ly leaping back into the car 9
III whisking away.
70, Around the stone was wrapped
piece of paper on which was the
inous warning, signed as usual by
'in' Hand:
Michael is dead
cut Tomorrow, you
''e "Then Kennedy.
a. stop before it is too late"
Elaine had sunk back into her
~ lows, paler than ever from this
a ond shock
@ ou' 1t was just then that Kennedy
arrived and were admitted.
ho "Oh Mr. Kennedy" cried Ella