Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-04-17
Il last. that Kennedy had apparently

lett the telephone Without n eNpla-
nation or apology.
"Why-he rang on she exclaimed
angrily 20 herself. as she hung up the
receiver and left the room.
In the center OF a devious and wind
ing way. quite unknown TO all except
those who knew the innermost secrets
OF the Chinese quarter. and even I'M
known 20 the police. there Was q diugy
tenement house, apparently inhabited
by Woodworking Cinnamon. but III re-
atty the headquarters ~ the notori-
u devil worshipers. a sect or 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 az dangerous charac.
tiers who belonged 20 various Chinese
secret societies. Al the head ~ this
formidable organization wa Long Sin.
the high priest az 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
"a VAS a large apartment decorated IN
Chinese style with highly culored pOr-
traits Of some ~ the devil deities and
costly silken hanrings. Beside a large
dais depended a huge Chinese gong.
ON the dais itself stood. or rather
sat an ugly figure covered with some
sort 81 metallic plating. II almost
seemed 10 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 It's strange figure. and laid
down an offering before ID
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 pr0str-tiug himself
d%evoutly. placed the machine on a
sort ~ luW stool or tabourette and
began turning u slowly. muttering
A few moments later Long Sin. who
had been bowling before the metallic
figure III deepest reverence. SUDDENLY
spraug 60 his feet. His glazed eve and
excited manner Indicated that he had
received a message from the lips OF
the TRANCE god.
The worshipers Who had FRUSTRATED
themselves in A~e AZ the sight ~ their
high priest ia the uuholy frenzy. all
rose tO their feet and crowded for
ward
Long Sin struck several blows on
the %resouuding gong and then raised
his voice IN solemn tones
"Ksing Chau. the Terrible. demands
a consort. She ~ I'D b. foreign fair
81 face aud 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
Tor some nefarious scheme which his
fertile mind had evolved
The room had been fitted up as a
mediums s,ance parlor.
Two Of the Clutchiug Hands los
trusted cUn,rivratys and 4 hard faced
woman az middle age. dressed Ia plain
black we're putting the finishing
touches 10 this apartment. when heir
chief entered
Clutching Hand gazed about the
room. now and then giving an order
or two 10 make more effective the
setting for the purpose which he had
Ia mind
Finally h. nodded III approval aud
stepped owe 10 tie fireplace where
logs were burning brightly III a crate.
Pressing a spring IN the mantelpiece.
the master criminal effected an instant
transformation The logs IN the fire
place. still burning. disappeared imme-
diately through the bottom OF the brick
thing and a metal sheet covered them.
An aperture opened Al the back. As II
b. magic.
Through this opening Clutching
Hand made his way quickly and dis
appeared
Emerging on the other side of the
peculiar fireplace. Clutchiug Hand
pushed aside a curtain which barred
the way and lsoked into the Chinese
Imple. taking up a POSITION behind
the metallic figure on TIE dais.
The Cinnamon had By this lime nm
lshed their deyotiOns. II such they
might be called. and the last p was
leaving. while Long Sin stood alone
on the dals.
The noise % the departing satanists
had scarcely died away when Clutch
ing Hand stepped out.
Follow me. he ordered h0arsely.
Selling Long Sin b. the arm and lead
ing him away
They passed through the passage
way u the fireplace and. having m
tered the ssance room. Clutching Hand
began briefly explaining the purpose
~ the preparations that had been
made Long Sin wagged his head IN
voluble approval
Elaine was standing IN the library