The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1915-05-17

Hyde. The strain was more than his
warped mind could bear.
With look of intense horror and
Ioaihing Elaine watched him slowly
change from the composed, calm. in.
tellectual Bennett she knew and re-
spccied into rcpulsive, mad figure OF
q man.
His stature even seemed to be al
tered. lie seemed to shriycl up and
become deformed. His face was terribly
distorted.
And his long. sinewy hand slowly
twisted and bent until he became the
personal embodiment OF the Clutching
Hand.
As Elaine, transfxed with terror,
watched BENEFITS astounding meta
morphosis. he ran to the door leading
to the outer ONCE and hastily locked
that also.
Then, with his eyes cleaning with
rage and his hands working In murder.
Gus frenzy, he crouched nearer and
nearer. toward Elaine.
She shrank back. screaming again
and again in terror.
He was the Clutching Hand.
In spite OF closed doors we could
now plainly hear Elaine's shrieks.
. Craig. the secretary and myself made
Il rush for the door to Bennett's pri-
vate ofilce. Finding It locked, we be-
gan to batter II.
BY this time. however. Bennett had
hurled himself upon Elaine and was
! slowly choking her.
Kennedy found that it was impos-
sible to batter down the door In time
by any ordinary means. Quickly he
seized the typewriter and hurled 1t
through the panels. Then he thrust
his hand through the opening and
turned the catch.
As we flung ourselves into the room
Bennett rushed into u closet in cor
ner slamming the door behind him. IL
was composed OF sheet iron. and effec-
tually prevented anyone from break
ing through. Kennedy and I tried vain.
ly. however, to pry 1t open.
While we were thus endeavoring to
force an entrance Bennett in sort
OF closet, had put on the coat. nat
and mask which he invariably wore
in the character OF the Clutching
Hand. Then he cautiously opened a
secret door in the back Of the closet
and slowly made an exit
Meanwhile the secretary had been
doing his best to revive Elaine. VINO
was on the floor. hysterical and half
unconscious from the terrible shock
she had experienced.
Intent on discovering Bennetts
whereabouts. Kennedy and ! examined
the wall of the office, thinking there
might be some button or secret spring
which would open the closet door.
While we were doing so the door
of n large safe in the secretary's Of
flee gradually opened, and the Clutch
ing Hand emerged from 1t. stepping
carefully toward the door leading to
the outer office, intent on escaping IN
that direction.
At that moment caught sight OF
him, and. leaping into the secretary $
office. | drew my revolver and ordered
him to throw up his hands. He obeyed'
Holding up both hands. he Slowly
drew near the door to his private OF
flee.
Suddenly he dropped one hand and
pressed a hidden spring in the wall
Instantly heavy iron door shot out
and closed over the wooden door. En-
trance to the private office was abso
lutely cut of.
With an angry snarl the Clutching
Hand leaped at me.
As he did so fired twice.
He staggered back.
The shots were heard by KENNEDY
and Elaine as we'll as the secretary
and at the same instant they discov
cred the iron door which barred the
entrance to the secretary's ofhce.
Rushing into the outer Office theS
found the clerks excitedly attempting
to open the door Of the secretary,'
office. which was locked. Kenned!
drew a revolver and shot through th'
lock, bursting open the door.
They rushed into the room.
Clutching Hand was apparently seat
ed in a chair at a desk. his face bur
led in his arms. while l was appar
emily disappearing through the door
Kennedy and the clerks pounce'
upon the figure In the chair and tori
, off his mark. To their astonishmen
they discovered 1t was myself!
NV shots had missed. and Clutchinl
Hand had leaped on me with mao
dened fury.
Dressed In my coat and hat, whicl
he had deftly removed after overpow
ering me, Clutching Hand had by thi
time climbed through the window
the outer Office and was making nj
way down the fire escape to the street
, He reached the foot OF the iron steps
, leaped off and ran quickly away.
Shouting a few directions to the SCI
retary, the clerks and Elaine. kenned
, climbed through the window and dar
ed down the fire escape in swift pul