The Dermott news., 1915-04-01

7xcIair Rnd Why, this fellow seems 10 talk < a diabolical-I might almost say D; ologieal-pleasure in crimes of yiol ance. revenge. ayarice and self protect HDn. Sometimes it seems as if he deli. .hts in the pure deyiltry of the thing. kf is weird"
 He leaned over and spoke in low. tense tor |Re. "Strangest of all. the tip has just q ome to us that Fletcher. HaX- worth, S lerburne and all the rest of these weI althy men were insured in the Consolidated Mutual Life. Now. JGmesonI l want you to find Taylor Dodge. the president. and interview him. Gej what you can. at any cost"
 had nIturally thought first of Ken nedy. butI there was no time now to call him Ipp and. besides. l must see Dodge imtnedjately.
 Dodge. discovered over the tele- phone, HaNs not at home nor at any of the clubs 70 which he belonged. Late though it lsas I concluded that he was at his oiiie Ie. No amount of persuasion could Eet me past the door. and, though | iVuNd out later and shall tell soon whatI was going on there, l de termiued. IlbOut nine o'clock. that the best way tI get at Dodge was to go to his house on Fifth avenue, if had to camp ahn his front doorstep until morning Hhe harder found the story to get the more l wanted 1t
 With sat4le missivtngs about being admitted rang the bell of the splen did. thoushl not very modern. Dodge residence An English butler. with a nose tha, bust have been his fortune opened the lIoer and grayely informed me that Arl Dodge was not at home. but was eAi ikected at any moment.
 Once .n was not going lightly to give up thal advantage. l bethought myself O. h Is daughter Elaine. one of the most VIpular debutantes of the season. and keut in my card to her. on a chance Of Interesting her and seeing her father. writing on the bottom of the card Would like to interview Mir. Dodge re lgarding Clutching Hand. ,"
 SummouiuE up what assurance had. which isl sometimes considerable, I followed theh butler down the hall as he bore uy pard. As he opened the door of the dIrawing room, l caught a vision ef d lip of a girl in evening clothes.
 Elaine NaG fe WAS both the ingenue and the afale't te-the thoroughly mod ern type ot gtr equally at home with tennis ana tatHEo. table talk and tea.
 Near her recognized from his pie lures liarrs B. tnuett, the rising young ia .Wyer. q mighty good looking fel,aw with an aiTabe. pleas ing way about him. perhaps thirty-tye years old CT 70 but already prominent and quite sreH dly with Dodge
 Who is Y. annineso" she asked
 "A report,r Miss Dodge" answered the butler. plla, 'ing superciliously back at me. And yau know how your father dislikes to ste anyone here at the house" he adIr q deferentially to her.
 Miss Dodte I pleaded lowing as if 1 had knoNa fhem all my life. I've been trying ,e I nd your father all the evening. Its Ntery important"
 She looked ap at me surprised and In doubt whethcr t,p laugh or stamp her pretty little feot in indignation al my stupendous uery a.
 She laughed ' Ou are very brave young man" she rippled with roguish look at Bennetts discontinue over the ot the tete-a-tete.
 There was a nt)te of seriousness in it, too. that ma Ae me ask quickly. Why"
 The smile fitte Il from her face. and in it's place came frank earnest ex- pression, which later learned to like and respect very much. My father has declared he ~ill at the very next re- porter who tries to interview him here" she answer.nd
 1 whs about to prolong the waiting time bv some jolly about such a stun ming girl not hayi ng by any possioil- ity such a Canniba of a parent. when the rattle of the c hanging gears of a car outside ttld ot the approach ot a limousine,
 The big front door opened and Elaine flung hersel0 in the arms of an steru-facedk gray haired man. Why. dad" she clried, where have you been? l misset you so much at dinner. I'll be so d lad when this ter. rible business gets d feared up, Tell me. What is on you mind3 What Is 1t that worries you low?'
 l noticed then th Dat Dodge seemed up and a bi unnerved, for he sank rather heavily into chair. brushed his face witlt his handkerchief and breathed heavilV. Elaine lowered over him solicitously. repeating her question.
 With mighty effjprt he seemed to get himself togetheF. He rose and turned to Bennett.
 Harry he eNclainbed. I've got the Clutching Hand!"
 The two men stared at each other.
 Yes" continued Dddge, I've found out how to trace it, land tomorrow l am going to set the al arms of the city