The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-03-24


ine. in alarm. Where will this thing
end?'
WE'LL" Elaine laughed. q little nerv-
ously. now that It was all over. Il
want you all to go to bed and stop
worrying about me. Don't you see
I'm perfectly able to take care Of my
self? Besides, there isn't a chance
now of the burglar coming back. Why.
l shot him."
YES" put in Aunt Josephine. but
Elaine laughingly interrupted her
and playfully made as though she
were driving them out of her room.
RUSTY" she called. Down, therel"
The intelligent collie seemed to un-
derstand. He lay down by the door
way, his nose close to the bottom Of
the door. and his ears alert.
Finally Elaine. too. retired again.
Meanwhile the wounded man was
being hurried to one Of the hangouts of
the mysterious Clutching Hand.
This car containing the wounded
Pitts Slim" drew up. and the other
two men leaped out of it. With hur
ried glance about they unlocked the
front door with pass key and en-
tered, carrying the man.
Indoors was another emissary Of the
Clutching Hand. a rather studious.
looking chap.
why, what's the NATTER" he ex,
claimed as the crooks entered his room
supporting their half-fainting. wounded
pal.
slim got couple Of pills." they
painted as they laid him on couch.
How" demanded the other.
Trying to get into the Dodge house,
Elaine did It."
Slim was, quite evidently. badly
wounded and was bleeding profusely.
A glance at him was enough for the
studious-looking chap. He went to a
secret panel and, pressing 1t down,
took out what was apparently-a a secret
house telephone.
In another part Of this mysterious
house was the secret room of the
Clutching Hand himself, where he hid
his identity from even his most trust.
ed followers.
His telephone rang and he took
down the receiver.
Pitts Sims been. wounded. badly,
chief" was all he waited to hear.
With scarcely a word he hung up
the receiver, then opened a table
drawer and took out a full face mask.
Next he went to a nearby bookcase,
pressed another secret spring, and a
panel opened. He passed through; the
mask adjusted.
Across, in the larger outside study,
another panel opened, and the Clutch
ing Hand. all crouched up, trans
formed, appeared. Without word he
advanced to the couch on which the
wounded crook lay, and examined him.
How did it happen? he asked at
length.
Miss Dodge shot him." answered
the others, with an automatic"
That Craig Kennedy must have
given it to her!" he exclaimed with
suppressed fury.
For a moment the Clutching Hand
stopped to consider Then he seized
the regular telephone.
\"Doctor Martini" he asked, as he got
the number he called.
Late as 1t was. the doctor who was
well-known surgeon in that part of
the country, answered from an ex.
tension of his telephone near his I'd.
The call was urgent, and apparently
from a family which he did not feel
that he could neglect.
Doctor Martin was a middle-aged
man, one of those medical men on
whose judgment one instinctively re-
lies.
II was only a matter of minutes be.
fore the doctor was speeding over the
now deserted suburban roads, appar-
emily on an errand Of mercy.
At the address that had been
given him he drew up to the side of
the road, got out and ran up the steps
to the door. A ring at the bell
brought sleepy man to the door, in
his trousers and nightshirt.
"How's the patient?" asked Doctor
Martin. eagerly.
Patient" repeated the man, rub
bing his eyes. There's no one sick
here"
Slowly 1t dawned on the doctor that
it was a false alarm, and that he
must be the victim Of some practical
joke.
We'll, that's q great note," he
growled, as the man shut the door.
He descended the steps, muttering
harsh language ct some unknown
trickster. AS he climbed back into
his machine and made ready to start
two men seemed to rise before him
as IL from nowhere.
AS a matter of fact they had been
sent there by the Clut ching Hand. and
were hiding in a nearby cellarway un-
til their chance came.
One man stood on the running
board. on either side of him. and two
guns yawned menacingly at him.
Drive ahead that way!" muttered
one man, seating himself in the run
about with his gun close to the doc
tors ribs.
The other kept his place on the1run-
ming board, and on they drove in the