The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-08-12
TWeNTY.FiRST EPISODE
THE EAR IN THE WALL.

Elaine sat in the library reading one
morning when her maid Marie entered.
carrying n long ~pasteboard box. dain.
lilly tied with ribbon.
Some flowers for you, Miss Elaine,
think she said handing the box to
her mistress.
Marie left the room, and Elaine, af.
ter contemplating for a momen in
keen anticipation what she thought at
trst was a gift from Craig Kennedy.
opened the box. There lay a splendid
bunch Of long-stemmed red and white
roses.
Nesting in the green leaves was a
little white note, She picked It up
expectantly and tore II open.
Instantly. however. her face
blanched. Instead Of n billet doux. It
was the most fearsome threat yet
which the savage Chinese master Grim.
inal, WI Fang. had sent II the venge.
full vendetta which ne had sworn on
account OF the loss OF the Clutching
Hands millions.
Elaine had scarcely time TO exclaim
at Its dire meaning when Kennedy
himself entered.
Good morning" he greeted cheer.
lily. then cut the greeting short as he
caught the Mortified expression on her
pretty face. why, what's the mat.
teri"
Elaine was too terrified even yet 10
speak. All she could do was 10 hand
him the note:
The first victim shall be craiq
Kennedy or your aunt You may
choose. Places the red roses In
the window for your lover, the
white for the sllver.haired one.
At the end appeared the mysterious
sign OF the serpent, darting from his
fangs n death more than fgurative.
"Wh-what shall | do?" she ap.
pealed.
Craig did not answer directly. He
could not. Th~oughtfully he walked to
the window and gazed out. There was
only a dirty, bent cripple standing BY
the corner selling papers 10 pedes.
trians.
Kennedy's forehead wrinkled in
thought. He turned and walked baGi
from the window. Mechanically -
picked up his hat and cane, then lad
down the cane again.
Il must look into this at once he
said, lifting the flowers and putting
them back into the box carefully, as
II he expected trouble to come OF the
affair.
'fou-youn be very careful,
Craig?' pleaded Elaine. as they left
the library and went into the nall.
Il will be-for you" he repeated,
with a reassuring smile. OH for.
got my cane"
Quickly he returned TO the library,
leaving her standing in the hallway,
There he had p~urposely left his stick
on the table beside the flowers. He
selected some from the bunch OF red
roses and hastily stuck them In u vase
n placed the vase on the window
sill. Then he picked up the zane and
rejoined Elaine in the hall.
.
outside the Dodge house the dirty,
bent cripple looked about cautiously
u OF the corner OF his eye.
Suddenly he paused as II he had
caught sight OF a mendicancy oficer
bearing down on him. There on the
window sill Of the library was a vase
OF red roses. HSstily he shufied OF
OF his way.
As fast as his supposedly bent body
could s%traighten itself safely out he
hurried downtown with one idea-to
reach the sse-e. apartment OF WV
Fang, the serpent.
WI. Long Sin and several other Chi.
namen were gathered about q table on
which was q long oblong oak box. In
the cover. which was open. were fas-
tened on the inside two nat spools OF
silkencovered wire. At each end OF
the box was placed an ordinary stof.
age battery. and In q compartment be.
tween, besides switches and onnec.
tons. were what looked like six sets
OF headgear much resembling those
worn by wireless operators.
This" said WI. holding up a little
black disk about as large a. q watch.
with n dozen or 30 little perforations
In the face. lis the white devils little
mechanical eavesdropper--the detec.
taphone-the ear In the wall. BY It's
aid wa shall learn all about our ene.
mics. where 70 strike. when to-"
He stopped short 40 q servant m