The L'Anse sentinel., 1915-06-26
FIFTH EPISODE
The Poisoned Room.


The Poisoned Room.
Elaine and Craig were much togeth-
er during the next few days. Some
how or other, It seemed that the chase
Of the Clutching Hand involved long
conferences in the Dodge library. and
even. in fact, extended to excursions
into the notoriously crime-infested
-neighborhood of Riverside drive. with
its fashionable procession Of automo-
biles and go-carts-as far north, In
deed, as that desperate haunt known
as Grants tomb.
But to return to the more serious
eide Of the affair.
Kennedy and Elaine had scarcely
come out of the house and descended
the steps. one afternoon, when sinis-
ter face appeared In q basement area
way near by.
It was the Clutching Hand.
He wore telephone inspectors hat
and coat and carried bag slung by .
strap over his shoulder. For once he
had left OF his mask. but. In place Of
It, his face was covered by scraggy
black beard. The disguise was effec-
tive.
He saw Kennedy and Miss Dodge
and skunk unobtrusively against .
railing, with his head turned away.
Laughing and chatting, they passed.
Then he turned in the other direc-
tion and, going up the steps Of the
Dodge house, rang the bell.
Telephone inspector" he said In q
loud tone as Michael, In Jennings
place for the afternoon. opened the
door.
He accompanied the words with the
sign, and Michael admitted him.
AS It happened, Aunt Josephine was
upstairs In Elaine's room. She was
fixing flowers In vase on the dress
ing table of her idolized niece. Mean
while, Rusty, the collie. lay. half blink
/. ing, on the floor.
"Who is thisf" she asked, as Mi
chael led the bogus telephone ipspec-
tor into the room
"A man from the telephone COM
pany," he answered deferentially.
Aunt Josephine, unsophisticated. al
lowed them to enter without further
question.
Quickly. like good workman,
Clutching Hand went to the telephone
instrument and by dint of keeping his
finger on the hook and his back to
I, Aunt Josephine succeeded in convey
ing the illusion that he was examining
It
No sooner was the door shut than
the Clutching Hand hastily opened his
bag and from II drew q small powder
spraying outfit, such as l have seen
used for spraying bug powder. He
then took out a sort Of muzzle with
an elastic band on It and slipped 1t
over his head so that the muzzle pro-
tected his nose and mouth.
He seemed to work q sort OF pump
ing attachment and from the nozzle OF
the spraying instrument blew out q
cloud Of powder which he directed at
the wall.
Meanwhile, Michael. In the hallway.
on guard to see that no one bothered
the Clutching Hand at his work. was
overcome by curiosity to see what his
master was doing He opened the
door . little bit and gazed stealthily
through the crack into the room.
Clutching Hand was now spraying
the rug close to the dressing table OF
Elaine and was standing near the mir
eor. He stopped down to examine the
rug. Then, a he raised his head. he
happened to look into the mirror. In
Il hs could geo the full reflection OF
Michael behind him. gazing into the
room.
.Ths scoundrsli~ muttered Clutch.
ing Hand. with reprsssed fury at the
discovery.
He rose quickly and shut on the
spraying instrument, stufans Il into
the bag. He took : step or two toward
the door. Michael drew hack. fear
fully, pretending now 70 be on guard
Clutohins HanA opened the door
and, etfl wearing the mussle. beck
oned 70 MiohaoI. Michael oould
scaroelv control his fsaxs. But h>
'obeyed, entering Ulains's room aftsz
The clutehing HIND wh6 looksd ths
door. N y
4wsrs you watchius net- dsmand
~ the nhnster u1nlnat MN no.
Michael, trembling n oyof. 6hoo>
~ head. yor \ mcmook 01ntcnlno
Hand looked bin ovor (lodainf1lIJ
= - clamgy ~ s.. 81,
- - ~ n e'vn