The L'Anse sentinel., 1915-06-26

Knocked. The footsteps ceased. Then
the door opened slowly and ! could
see cold blue automatic.
.Its ali right. Michael treasured
Craig calmly. -All right Walter" be
added TO me.
The gun dropped back into the foot
mans pocket We entered and NJ
chaal again locked the door. Not =
word had bsep spoken By him % Tar.
Nett Michael moved 70 the center
Of the room and. q ! realised later.
brought himself IN direct line with the
open window He seemed to b over
come with fear at his betrayal and
stood there breathing heavily.
Professor Kennedy" hs began, Il
have been 20 mistreated that ] have
made up my mind to tell you al ]
know about this Clutching-
Suddenly he drew sharp breath
and both his hands clutched at his
own breast He did not stagger and
fall IN the ordinary manner. but
seemed to bend at the knees and
waist and literally crumple down on
his face.
We ran to him. Craig turned him
over gently on his back and examined
him. He called. No answer. Michael
was almost pulseless.
Quickly Craig tore on his collar and
barred his breast, for the man seemed
to be struggling for breath. As he did
so he drew from Michael's throat .
small. sharp-pointed dart.
Whats that?" ! calculated. horror
stricken.
"A poisoned blowgun dart. such az
Is used by the South American In.
dians on the upper Orinoco," he said
slowly.
He examined It carefully
What is the poison!" asked.
"Curari," he replied simply. 1T acts
on the respiratory muscles, paralyxing
them and causing asphyxiation."
The dart seemed to have been made
Of Quill with very sharp point, hol-
low. and containing the deadly poison
In the sharpened end.
Look out!" cautioned. as he
handled II.
"Oh, that's all right" he answered
casually. III I don't scratch myself, I
am safe enough. I could swallow the
stun and II wouldn't hurt me-unless
I had an abrasion Of the lips or some
internal cut
Kennedy continued TO examine the
dart until suddenly I heard low ex-
clamation Of surprise from him. In
side the hollow quill was q thin sheet
Of tissue paper. tightly rolled. He
drew II out and read:
ITO know me IL Death.
"Kennedy-Take Warning"
Underneath was the inevitable
Clutching Hand sign.
We jumped to our feet. Kennedy
rushed to the window and slammed II
shut. while seized the key from MI
chdel's pocket, opened the door and
called for help.
A moment before, on the roof of q
building across the street, one might
have seen bent skulking figure.
His face was copper colored and on
his head was thick thatch Of mat
ted hair. He looked like q South
American Indian. in very dilapidated
suit of CASTOR American clothes.
He had slipped out through door
way leading to flight Of steps from
the roof to the hallway of the tene.
ment. and. like one of his native ven.
omous serpents. worked his way down
the stairs again.
My outcry brought veritable bat
TALON of aid. The hotel proprietor.
the negro waiter and several others
dashed upstairs. followed shortly by
. portly policeman.
Craig took the policeman into his
confidence. showing him the dart and
explaining about the poison. The on
Ger stared blankly.
Il must get away, too" hurried on
Craig. "Oficer, will leave you to
take charge here. You can depend on
me for the inquest"
The officer nodded.
Come on, Walter" whispered
Craig. eager to get away, then adding
the one word, "Elaine!"
I followed hastily, not slow to un-
derstand his fear for her.
Nor were Craig's fears groundless.
In spite of all that could be done for
her, Elaine was still In bed. much
weaker now than before.
More than that, the Clutching Hand
had not neglected the opportunity.
either.
Suddenly. Just before our return, q
stone had come hurting through the
window, without warning of any kind,
and had landed ON Elaine's bed.
Below, as we learned some time aft
erwards. car had drawn up hastily
and the evil-faced crook whom the
Clutching Hand had used to rid him
self Of the informer. "Limpy Red" had
leaped out and hastily hurled the
stone through the window, ~ quick
" leaping back into the car and
whisking away.
Around the stone was wrapped I
piece Of paper on which was the ON
inous warning. signed a. usual By thu
Hand: