The Raymer enterprise., 1915-08-12
FOURTEENTH EPISODE
THE RECKONING.

Pacing up and down his den In the
heart OF Chinatown. Long Sin was
thinking oysr his bargain with Ken
nedy to betray the infamous Clutch
ing Hand.
At length he seated himself on q
teakwood table still celebrating over
the promise he had been forced to
make TO Kennedy.
Suddenly an idea seemed to strike
him. Lifting a little hammer, he
struck Chinese gong on the table
at his side. At the same time he
leaned over and turned the knob at the
side of large roll-top desk.
A few seconds later sort of hatch
way, covered by a rug on the floor. IN
one corner Of the room. was slowly
lifted and Long Sins secretary. a pale,
cadaverous Chinaman. appeared from
below. He stepped noiselessly into
/. the room and shufled across to Long
Sin and handed him a letter.
Long Sin scowled, as though some
thing had interfered with his own
plans, but tore open the envelope with
out word, spreading out on his lap
the sheet of paper 1t contained.
The letter was typewriter mes
sage, all In capitals, which read:
"BE AT HEADQUARTERS AT IL.
DESTROY THIS IMMEDIATELY"
At the bottom Of the note appeared
the sinister signature of the Clutching
Hand.
Bowing low again. the secretary
shuffled across aud down again
through the hatchway. closing the
door as he descended.
Long Sin read the note once more,
while his inscrutabls face assumed an
expression Of malicious cunning.
With an air of deliberation he
reached for q match and struck 1t.
He had placed the paper in the flame
when suddenly he seemed to change
his mind. He hastily blew out the
match, which had destroyed only q
corner of the paper, then folded the
note carefully and placed It In bis
pocket.
A few moments later. with malig.
nant chuckle, Long Sin rose slowly
and left the room.
Meanwhile the master criminal was
busily engaged in putting the finishing
touches to final scheme Of fiendish
ingenuity for the absolute destruc.
ton Of Craig Kennedy.
He had been at work In small
room fitting up q sort Of laboratory.
in the mysterious house which now
served as his headquarters.
Clutching Hand. at a bench In one
corner, had just completed an internal
machine of diabolical cunning. and
was wrapping 1t carefully in paper to
make an innocent package.
He was interrupted by knock at
the door. Laying down the bomb he
went to answer the summons with a
stealthy movement There stood Long
Sin, who had disguised himself as
Chinese laundryman.
"On time-good!" growled Clutch
Ing Hand surlily as he closed the door
with equal care.
No time was wasted In useless for
malites.
This is a bomb" he went on. point
'ug to the package. Garry 1t care
i1ny. On no account let 1t slip, or
you are a dead man. 1t must be In
Kennedy's laboratory before night
Understand? Can you arrange it,
Long Sin glanced at the dangerous
package, then with an expressive look,
| replied, Have no fear. can DO It.
1t will be In the laboratory within an
Aour. Trust me"
In Kennedy's laboratory was watch
ing Craig make some experiments
with a new x-ray apparatus.
We were oblivious to Che passage OF
time, and only q call over our speak
ing tube diverted our attention.
Iopened the door and few seconds
later Long Sin himself entered.
Kennedy looked up inquiringly ns
The Chinaman approached. holding out
q package which be carried.
"A bomb" he said, In the most mat
ter-of.fact way. Il promised to have
It placed in your laboratory before
night"
Kennedy took tho bomb and care
fully placed II under the wonderful
rays, then with the horoscope over his
eyes studied the shadow cast by the
rays on its sensitive screen.
Its . bomb. sure enough" Crais
exclaimed, looking up from II at last
y ~ ITS timed By an ingenious