The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1915-07-02
FOURTEENTH EPISODE
THE RECKONING.


AS Elaine, transfixed with terror,
watched BENEFITS astounding meta
morphosis, he ran to the door leading
to the outer Office 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
a rush for the door to Benefits 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 it 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. 1t
was composed of sheet iron, and effec-
tually prevented anyone from break
ing through. Kennedy and | tried vain
ly, however, to pry 1t open.
While we were thus endeavoring to
force an entrance Bennett, in a 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, hysterical and half
unconscious from the terrible shock
she had experienced.
Intent on discovering BENEFITS
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 a large safe in the secretary's Of
fee gradually opened, and the Clutch
ing Hand emerged from 1t, stepping
carefully toward the door leading to
TIE outer Office, intent on escaping in
th1t direction.
Al that moment I caught sight Of
him, and, leaping into the secretary's
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-
auteiy cut Off
With an angry snarl the Clutching
Hand leaped at me.
AS he did so l 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 office.
Rushing into the outer office they
found the clerks excitedly attempting
TO open the door of the secretary's
Office, which was locked. Kennedy
drew a revolver and shot through the
lock, bursting open the door.
They rushed into the room.
Clutching Hand was apparently seat
ed in a chair at desk his face bur-
led in his arms, while | was appar-
emily disappearing through the door.
Kennedy and the clerks pounced
upon the figure in the chair and tore
off his mark. To their establishment
they discovered 1t was myself!
My shots had missed, and Clutching
Hand had leaped on me with mad
dened fury.
Dressed In my coat and hat which
he had deity removed after overpow-
tering me, Clutching Hand had by this
time climbed through the window Of
the outer office and was making his
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
rotary, the clerks and Elaine, Kennedy
climbed through the window and dart
ed down the fire escape in swift pur-
suit.
The Clutching Hand, however, man.
aged to elude capture again.
While these exciting events were