The Elbert County tribune., 1915-03-12

CIdnRe.
Still grumpy, but Modified by the
silver, Jens let them go up and opened
the door to our rooms again. There
stood the cabinet, as outwardly fnno-
cent as when it came in.
Lugging and tugging they managed
to get the heavy piece of furniture out
and downstairs again, loading it on
the wagon. Then they drove of with
it, accompanied by a parting volley
from Jensen
In an unfrequented street. perhaps
half mile away, the wagon stopped.
With keen glance around. the driver
and his helper made sure that no one
was about.
Such a shaking up. as you've given
mel" growled voice as the cabinet
door opened. But I've got him this
time,"
1t was the Clutching Hand.
Craig gazed into our living room eau
tiously.
Il can't see anything wrong" he said
| to me as | stood just beside him. Miss
| Dodge" he added, will you and the /.
rest excuse me If ask you to wait
Just moment longer?"
Elaine watched him, fascinated. He
crossed the room, then went into each
of our other rooms. Apparently moth
ing was wrong and minute later he
reappeared at the doorway.
q guess it's all right" he said. Per
haps it was only Jensen, the janitor."
Elaine. Aunt Josephine and Susie
Martin entered. Craig placed chairs
for them, but still ! could see that he
was uneasy. From time to time, while
they were admiring one of our treas
ures after another, he glanced about
suspiciously.
What is the trouble do you think"
asked Elaine wonderingly, noticing
his manner
Il can't just say" answered Craig,
trying to appear easy.
She had risen and with keen inter
est was looking at the books the pic.
lures, the queer collection of weapons
and odds and ends from the under
world that Craig had amasse5 in his
adventures.
AT last her eye wandered across the
room. She caught sight of her own
| picture, occupying a place of honor
but hanging askew.
Isn't that just like mani" she ex-
claimed. Such housekeepers as you
are-sLch carelessness!"
She had taken stop or two across1
the room to straighten the picture.
Miss Dodge!" almost shouted Ken
nedy. his face fairly blanched "Stop!"
She turned. her stunning eyes filled
with amaZement at his suddenness.
Nevertheless she moved quickly to one
side, as he waved his arms. unable to
speak quickly enough.
Kennedy stood quite still, gazing at
the picture. askew, with suspicion.
THAT wasn't that way when we left,
was it, Walter?" he asked.
at certainly was not" l answered
positively. There was more time
| spent in getting that picture just
| right than / ever saw you spend on the
| ROOM"
Craig frowned.
AS for myself did not know what
| to make of 1t.
I'm afraid l shall have to ask you
to step into this back ROOM" said Craig
at length to the ladies. I'm sorry-
but we can't be too careful with this
| intruder, whoever he was"
Elaine, however, stopped at the door.
For a moment Kennedy appeared to
be considering Then his eye fell on
| fishing rod that stood in corner.
He took it and moved toward the pic
| ture.
On his hands and knees, to one
side, down as close as he could get to
| I, ~
arms length, he motioned to me to do
| the same, behind him.
Carefully Kennedy reached out with
the pole and Strengthened the picture.
AS he did SO there was a flash, a
loud, deafening report, and great
| puff of smoke from the fireplace.
The fire screen was riddled and over
turned. A charge of buckshot shat
tered the precious photograph of
Elaine.
We had dropped fat on The floor at
the report. looked about. Kennedy
was unframed and SO were the rest.
With bound he was at the ire
place, followed by Elaine and the rest
of us. There. in what remained of a
package done up roughly In newspa-
per. was shotgun with its barrel
sawed off about six inches from the
lock, fastened to block of wood, and
| connected to a series of springs on
the trigger, released by little electro
magnetic arrangement actuated by
two batteries and leading by wires up
along the molding to the picture where
the slightest touch would complete the
circuit.
| A startled cry from Elaine caused US