The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1915-04-09

you haven't heard the latest.
what is it," he asked with provok-
ing calmness.
Taylor Dodge" / blurted out, 'shas
the clue. Tomorrow he will track down
the mani"
Kennedy fairly jumped as I repeat
ed the news.
"How long has he known?" he de-
manded eagerly.
Perhaps three or four hours" haz-
arded.
Kennedy gazed at me fixedly.
"Then Taylor Dodge is dead!" he
exclaimed, throwing off his acid-stained
laboratory jacket, and hurrying into
his street clothes.
"Impossible!" calculated.
Kennedy paid no attention to the OBJ
| lection. Come, Walter" he urged.
eve must hurry before the trail gets
cold"
There was something positively un-
canny about Kennedy's assurance. l
doubted--yet feared.
It was well past the middle of the
night when we pulled up In a night
hawk taxicab before the Dodge house,
mounted the steps and rang the bell.
jennings answered sleepily, but not
so much SO that he did not recognize
me. He was about to bang the door
shut when Kennedy interposed his
foot.
'Where is Mr.. Dodge?" asked Ken
nedy. "Is he all right?"
'Of course he is-in bed" replied
the butler.
Just then we heard faint cry, like
nothing exactly human. Or was it our
heightened imaginations, under the
spell Of the darkness?
"Listen!" cautioned Kennedy.
We did, standing there now in the
hall. Kennedy was the only one of us
who was cool. Jennings face blanched,
then he turned tremblingly and went
down to the library door, whence the
sounds had seemed to come.
He called, but there was no answer.
| He turned the knob and opened the
door. The Dodge library was a large
room. In the center stood a big, nat
| topped desk of heavy mahogany. 1t
was brilliantly lighted.
At one end of the desk was a tele-
phone. Taylor Dodge was lying on the
floor at that end of the desk-perfect-
i ly rigid-his face distorted-a CHASTITY
figure. A pet dog ran over, shifted
/ frantically at his masters legs and
suddenly began to howl dismally.
Dodge was dead!
"Help!" shouted Jennings.
Others Of the servants came rush
| ing in. There was, for the moment,
the greatest excitement and confu-
sion.
! Suddenly wild figure in flying gar
ments fitted down the stairs and into
the library, dropping beside the dead
man, without seeming to notice us at
sra,.s
4 "Father!" shrieked a woman's voice,
l'heart- broken Father! Oh-my God
--he-he is dead"
1t was Elaine Dodge.
With mighty effort, the heroic girl
/ seemed to pull herself together.
/ Jennings" she cried, "call Mr.. Ben
nett-immediately!"
i From the one-sided, excited CONVEX
sation of the butler over the telephone,
/ / gathered that Bennett had been in
| the process of disrobing in his own
apartment uptown, and would be right
| down.
i Together, Kennedy, Elaine and my.
self lifted Dodge to a sofa and Elaine's
aunt, Josephine, with whom she lived,
appeared OH the scene, trying to quiet
the sobbing girl.
Kennedy and withdrew little way
and he looked about curiously.
j what was it," ! whispered. "Was
i it natural, an accident, or-or muir
der?" The word seemed to stick in
my throat. If it was a murder, what
was the motive? Could it have been
to get the evidence which Dodge had
that would incriminate the master
criminal?
| Kennedy moved over quietly and ex
amined the body of Dodge. When he
rose his face had peculiar look.
"Terrible!" he whispered to me
Apparently he had been working al
| his accustomed place at the desk wher
the telephone rang. He rose and
| crossed over to it. See! That brought
his feet on this register let into the
floor. AS he took the telephone re
ceiver down flash of light must have
shot from it to his ear. 1t shows the
characteristic electric burn"
"The motive?" I queried.
evidently his pockets had beef
gone through, though none of the valu
ables were missing. Things on hi
desk show that hasty search ha'
been made"
Just then the door opened and Ben
nett burst in.
AS he stood over the body, gain,
down at it, depressing the emotions o
q strong man, he turned to Elaine, ant
in a low voice exclaimed: "Th'
Clutched Hand did this. I shall conse
crate my life to bring this man to jus
tice!"
He spoke tensely, and Elaine, look
ing up into his face, as if imploring hi
help in her hour of need, unable t