Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-04-17
THIRTEENTH EPISODE
TIE DEVIL WoRsHIPERs.

TIE DEVIL WORSHlPERS.
Elaine al seated In the drawing
room with Aunt Josephine one after
noon. when her lawyer. Perry Ben
nett. dropped In Unexpectedly
He had hardly greeted them when
the butler. Jennings. in his usual i'm.
passive manner announced that Aunt
Josephine was wanted on the tele-
phone.
No sooner were Elaine and Bennett
alone than Elaine. turning 70 him. ex-
claimed.
Last night | dreamed that father
came 70 me and told me that n |
would give up Kennedy and put my
trust in o ! would find the Clutch
ing Hand l don't know what 20 think
OF IT,"
Bennett. who had been listening in
tently. moved over nearer 10 Elaine
and bent over her.
Elaine" he said in a low tone. his
remarkable eyes looking straight into
her own. you must know that | love
you Then give me the right 90 pro-
tect you. II was your fathers dearest
wish. ! believe. that We should marry
Let me share your dangers ansi
swear that sooner or later there will
be All end 10 the Clutching Hand
Give me your answer Elaine" H.
urged. and make me the happiest
man VA all the world
Elaine listened. and not unsympa-
thetically. as Bennett continued 10
plead for her answer.
Wait a little while-until tomor-
row" she replied finally
Let IL be as you wish. then.
agreed Bennett quietly
He took her hand aud kissed Il pas
~sionately
An instant later Aunt Josephine re
turned Elaine. unstruug by what
had happened. excused herself and
went into the library
I~nvoluntarily. her mind travelled
back over the rapid succession oi
events of the past few weeks and
the part that she had thought at
least. Kennedy had come 10 play IN
her life.
Then she thought OF their recent
misunderstanding Might there not
be- some simple explanation 81 il. aft
er all. which she had missed What
should she do?
She solved the problem hy taking
up the telephone and asking for Ken
nedys number.
was chatting with craig IN his
laboratory. aYd al the sane time
Was watching him Ia his experimental
work. Just as a call came "a the tele-
phone. he Was pouring some nitro
hydrochloric acid into a test tube 20
complete "A reaction
The telephone tinkled and he laid
down the bottle OF acid m his desk.
while he moved a few steps 10 answer
the call.
Whoever the speaker was. Crais
seemed deepfy Interested. and mot
knowing who Was talking on tie wire.
VAS eager 10 learn whether u was
anyone connected With the case III
the Clutchins Hand
Yes. his Is Mr.. Kennedy. | heard
Gratis say
moved over toward him ana whls-
pered eagerly Is there anything
new
A little impatient az being Interrupt
ad Kennedy waved me on Il uc-
Cured 10 me that he might need a
pad and pencil "a ~lke a note OF
some information. and | reached over
the desk for them.
As | did 80 my arm inadvertently
struck the bottle OF acid. knocking II
over on the top Of the desk Is con
tents streamed out saturating the tele-
phone wires before | could prevent 4.
In trying 60 right the bottle my hand
came Ia contact viii the acid which
burned like liquid fire. and cried out
IN pain.
Craig hastily laid down the re-
,ei,er. seized me and rushed me %
the back ~ the laboratory. where he
preached my hand with a neutralit-
ing liquid.
tie pound ~ the wounds caused b.
the acid. which proved 10 be- slight.
after all, and hen returned - the tele
phone
TO his evident annoyance, hs dis
covered that the acid had burned
through the wires and cut or all con
nectioa
AT the other end o. the line. Elaine
was listening impatiently for a re-
Spouse u her nrst eager words OF In
auiry. she VAS astonished 10 nnd.