The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1915-04-08

"Why-he rang off," she exclaimed
angrily to herself, as she hung UP the
receiver and left the room.
| y -
In the center of devious and wind
ing way, quite unknown to all except
those who knew the innermost secrets
| of the Chinese quarter, and even un-
known to the police, there was dingy
tenement house, apparently inhabited
by hard-working Cinnamon, but in re-
atty the headquarters Of the notori-
| Gus devil worshipers, a sect of satan
| lists, banned even in the Celestial en-
pire.
The followers of the cult comprised
some of the most dangerous Chinese
| criminals, thugs and assassins, be-
| sides a number of dangerous charac-
tiers who belonged to various Chinese
secret societies. At the head of this
formidable organization was Long Sin,
the high priest of the devil god, and
Long Sin had, as we know, already
| joined forces with the notorious
Clutching Hand.
The room in which the uncanny rites
of the devil worshipers were conduct
| ed was large apartment decorated in
Chinese style, with highly colored por-
traits of some of the devil deities and
costly silken hangings. Beside large
dais depended huge Chinese gong.
On the dais itself stood, or rather
sat, an ugly figure covered with some
sort of metallic plating. 1t almost
seemed to be the mummy of a China
man covered with gold leaf.
Into this room came Long Sin at
tired in an elaborate silken robe. He
advanced and kotowed before the
dais with its, strange figure, and laid
| down an offering before it,
| This performance was witnessed by
twenty or thirty Cinnamon who knelt
| in the rear of the room.
At the same time an aged Chinaman
! carrying a prayer wheel entered the
| place and, after prOstrating himself
| devoutly, placed the machine on
sort Of low stool or tabourette and
began turning it slowly, nuttering.
A few moments later Long Sin, who
| had been bowling before the metallic
| figure in deepest reverence, suddenly
sprang to his feet. His glazed eye and
excited manner indicated that he had
received a message from the lips of
the strange god.
The worshipers who lad Frustrated
themselves, in awe at the sight of their
high priest in the unholy frenzy, all
rose to their feet and crowded for
ward.
Long Sin struck several blows on
his voice in solemn tones.
'Ksing Chau, the Terrible, demands
a consort. She is to be foreign-fair
of face and with golden hair"
At the same time, in a room of the
adjoining house, the Clutching Hand
himself was busily engaged in max
ing the most elaborate preparations
for some nefarious scheme which his
fertile mind had evolved.
The room had been fitted up as a
mediums seance parlor.
Two of the Clutching Hands most
trusted confederates and hard-faced
woman of middle age, dressed in plain
black, were putting the finishing
touches to this apartment, when their
chief entered.
Clutching Hand gazed about the
room, now and then giving an order
or two to make more effective the
setting for the purpose which he had
in mind.
Finally he nodded in approval and
stepped over to the fireplace VIII s,'e
logs were burning brightly in a gTatse.
Pressing a spring in the mantelpin:e,
the master criminal effected an inst mt
transformation. The logs in the fle
place, still burning, disappeared imrl e
| diately through the bottom Of the brirs
| thing and metal sheet covered the~s=.
An aperture opened at the back, as =
by magic.
Through this opening Clutching
Hand made his way quickly and dis
appeared.
Emerging on the other side of the
| peculiar fireplace, Clutching Hand
pushed aside a curtain which barred
the way and looked into the Chinese
| temple, taking up position behind
the metallic figure on the dais.
The Cinnamon had by this time fin
ished their devotions, if such they
might be called, and the last one was
leaving, while Long Sin stood alone
on the dais.
The noise of the departing satanists
had scarcely died away when Clutch
ing Hand stepped out.
Follow me-" he ordered hoarsely,
Selling Long Sin by the arm and lead
ing him away.
They passed through the passage
| way of the fireplace and, having en-
tered the seance room, Clutching Hand
began briefly explaining the purpose
of the preparations that had been
made. Long Sin wagged his head in
| voluble approval.
Elaine was standing in the library