The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-02-18

he ratified some loose change In II
pocket. "Here-there goes q whole
days tips"
He handed Jens q dollar In small
change
Still grumpy. but Modified by the
silver. Jens let them 60 up and opened
the door to our rooms again. There
stood the cabinet. as outwardly limo
cent as when 1t came in.
Logging 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
1t. 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 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 m as l stood just beside lim- Miss
Dodge" he added, will you and the
rest excuse me II 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 a minute later he
reappeared at the doorway.
Il guess it's all right" he said. Per
haps 1t 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,
tryin. 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 amassec 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-sLth carelessness!"
| She had taken a stop or two across
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 1t, Walter?" he asked.
1T certainly was not" | 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 l did not know what
to make of it.
Pm 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
q fishing rod that stood in . corner.
He took 1t and moved toward the pic
ture.
On his hands and knees, to one
side. down as close as he could get to
the floor, with the rod extended at
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 fash.
loud, deafening report, and a great
puff of smoke from the fireplace.
The fire screen was riddled and over
turned. charge OF buckshot shat
tered the precious photograph OF
Elaine.
We had dropped fiat on The floor at
the report. l looked about Kennedy
was unframed and SO we're the rest
With a bound he was at the fire.
place, followed by Elaine and the rest
of u.s. There, in what remained of a
package done up roughly In newspa-
per, was a shotgun with its barrel
sawed OF about six inches from the
lock, fastened to a 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.