The Springdale news., 1915-05-14

to the outer office and hastily locked that also.
 Then, with his eyes gleaming with rage and his hands working in murder ous frenzy. he erouched 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 a rush for the door to Bennett's pri- vate office Finding 1t locked, we be- gan to batter it.
 By this time, however. Bennett had hurled himself upon Elaine and was slowly choking her.
 Kennedy found that 1t was impos- sible to batter down the door in time by any ordinary means. Quickly he seized the typewriter and hurled it 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 a closet in cor ner, slamming the door behind him. It was composed of sheet iron. and effee- tually prevented anyone from break ing through Kennedy and l tried yain- 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. hat and mask which he invariably wore In the character of the Clutching Hand. Then he cautiously opened secret door In the back of the closet and slowly made an exit.
 Meanwhile the secretary had been doing his best to revive Elaine, who was on the floor, hysterieal and half unconscious from the terrible shock she had experienced.
 Intent on discovering Bennetts whereabouts, Kennedy and l 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 a 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 I caught sight of him. and, leaping into the secretary s office. drew my revolver and ordered him 10 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 a heavy iron door shot out and closed over the wooden door. fn- trance to the private office was abso- lutely cut off.
 With an angry snari the Clutching Hand leaped at me.
 As he did so fired twice.
 He staggered back.
 The shots We're heard by Kennedy and Elaine as we'll as the secretary and at the same instant they diseev cred the iron door which barred the entrance to the secretary's office.
 Rushing into the outer office they found the clerks excitedly attempting to open the door of the secretary office. which was locked. Kennedy drew revolver and shot through the lock. bursting open the door.
 They rushed into the room.
 Clutehing Hand was apparently seat cd in a chair at a desk, his face bur fed in his arms, while I was appar ently disappearing through the door
 Kennedy and the clerks bounced upon the figure in the chair and tore off his mark. To their astonshmen they discovered it was myself
 My shots had missed, and Clutchinf Hand had leaped on me with mad dened fury.
 Dressed in my coat and hat Whicf he had deftly removed after overpow ering me. Clutching Hand had by thi: time climbed through the window O the outer office and was making hi 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 sec retary, the clerks and Elaine, Kenned, climbed through the window and dar' ed down the fire escape in swift pun suit.
 The Clutching Hand. however, mar aged to elude capture again.
 While these exciting events wer occurring in Bennett's office som queer doings were in progress in tn heart of Chinatown.
 Deep underground, in one of tn catacombs known only to the inner most members of the Chinese seere societies, was Tong Wah. popularl known as "the hider," engaged i some mysterious work.
 Before him were eight odd-shape Chinese vials, and from these he wa carefully measuring certain propol tions, as if concocting some powerful potion.
 He stepped back and looked aroun suspiciously as he suddenly hear footStens ahOve The next m0men