The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1915-04-08

moment he hesitated, seeing Elaine
asleep. Then he tiptoed over to the
bed. let us say, and for a moment
looked at her. sleeping
A second later he had thrust his
hand into his pocket and had taken out
a small glass bulb with a long thin
neck. That was ethyl chloride-a
drug which produces a quick anesthe-
STA. But it lasts only minute or two.
That was enough. As he broke the
| glass neck of the bulb-letting the
! pieces fall on the floor near the bed
he showed the thing under Elaine's
face, turning his own head away and
holding a handkerchief over his own
nose. The mere heat of his hand is
enough to cause the ethyl chloride to
| spray out and overcome her instantly.
He steps away from her a moment and
replaces the now empty vial in his
pocket.
Then he took box from his pocket,
opened it. There must have been a
| syringe and a bottle of scopolamin.
| Where they came from / do not know,
but perhaps from some hospital.
shall have to find that out later. He
went to Elaine, quickly jabbing the
| needle. with no resistance from her
| now. Slowly he replaced the bottle
and the needle in his pocket. He
could not have been in any hurry now,
| for it takes time for the drug to
work"
Kennedy paused. Had we known at
| the time, Miehael-he of a sinister
| faee-must have been in the hallway
| that night, careful that no one saw
| him. A tap at the door and the
! "Clutching Hand" must have beckoned
! him. A moments parley and they sep
arated-"Clutching Hand" going back
| to Elaine, Who was now under the In
| fiuence of the second drug
Our criminal" resumed Kennedy
thoughtfully. may have shaken
Elaine. She did not answer. Then he
may have partly revived her. She
must have been startled. 'Clutching
Hand, perhaps, was half crouching,
with a big ugly blue steel revolver
! leYeled full In her face.
One word and | shoot he prob
ably cried. Get up
Trembling, she must have done So
Your slippers and a kimono, he
would naturally have ordered She
put them on mechanically. Then he
must have ordered her to go out of
the door and down the stairs. Clutch
ing Hand must have followed, and as
he did SO he would have cautiously put
out the lights
We were following, spellbound, Ken
nedy's graphic reconstruction of what
must have happened Evidently he
had struck close to the truth. Elaine's
eyes were closed Gently Kennedy led
her along Nov, Miss Dodge he en-
couraged, "try-try hard to recollect
just what it was that happened last
night-eyerything
AS Kennedy paused after his quick
recital, she seemed to tremble all over
Slowly she began to speak We stood
awestruek Kennedy had been right!
The girl was now living over again
those minutes that had been forgot
ten-blotted out by the drug.
And it was all real to her, too-ter
ribly real. She was speaking. plainly
in terror
q see a man-oh. such a figure
with a mask He holds a gun in my
face-he threatens ME | put on my
kimono and slippers, as he tells me.
| am in a daze. / know what | am
doing-and | don't know. l go out
with him. downstairs. into the library.
Elaine shuddered again at the recol
lection Ugh, The room is dark
the room where he killed my father
Moonlight outside streams in. This
masked man and come in, He
switches on the lights.
Go to the safe he says, and
do 1.-THE new safe, you know. DC
you know the combination he asks
me. Yes l reply, too frightened to
say no.
"'Open it them he says, waving that
awful revolver closer. | do SO. Hast
| lily he rummages through it, throwing
papers here and there. But he seems
not to find what he is after and turns
away, swearing fearfully.
Hang it, he cries at me. Where
else did your father keep papers,
point in desperation at the desk. He
takes one last look at the safe. shoves
all the papers he has strewn on the
floor back again and slams the safe
shut.
Now, come on, he says, indicating
with the gun that he wants me to fol
low him away from the safe. At the
desk he repeats the search. But he
finds nothing Almost | think he Is
about to kill me. Where else did youl
father keep papers, he Kisses fiercely
still threatening me with the gun.
Il am too frightened to speak. But
at last am able to say, IL dom
know! Again he threatens me. AS
God is my judge cry, I don't know.
1t is fearful VIII he shoot me?
Thank heaven! At last he believes
me But such look of foiled fury
have never seen on any human face
before.
Sit down. he growls, adding, "a
the desk | do.
Take some of your note paper
the best do that, too.
And a pen. he goes on. My fin
gers can hardly hold it.
'Now-writel he says, and as hi
dictates, | write
"This?" interjeeted Kennedy, eager
ly holding up the letter that he hat
received from her.