The Ordway new era., 1915-06-04


will answer your question about the
mysterious deadly ray"
I moved over to the table. eager to
satisfy my curiosity and read the
notes which he indicated with his
finger.
iNFRA-RED RAY NOTES.
deyeIoped eli BED by Lecroix from the expert
ments Of the italian scientist, Ulivi. causes.
when concentrated by an apparatus per-
fsStsd BY sn
particularly deadly in Its efect on the
II can be diverted. II Is snid. however.
by a shield composed Of platinum backed
by asbestos.
Next Kennedy opened the case
which he, had taken out Of the cab
met. and from 1t he took out plat
inum-asbestos mirror, which was
something of his own invention. He
held 1t up. and in pantomime showed
me Just how 1t would cut of the dead
ly rays.
He had not finished even that. when
a peculiar noise In the laboratory IT.
self disturbed him, and he hastily
thrust the asbestos-platinum shield
into his pocket.
Though we had not realized 1t. our
return had been anticipated.
Suddenly from a closet projected a
magazine gun. and before we could
move Clutching Hand himself slowly
appeared behind US.
We started to our feet. but in an
instant found ourselves sprawllng on
the floor.
In the cabinet. beneath the labora-
tory table. another crook had been
hidden. and he tackled us with all
the skill OF an old football player.
against whom we had no defense.
Four of them were upon us In
stantly.
At the same time Thomas. the faith
less valet of Bennett. had been dis
patched by the Clutching Hand to
commander his masters roadster in
his absence. and, carrying out the In
structions, he had driven UP before
.Elaine's house at the very moment
when she was going out for walk. p
Thomas jumped out Of the car and
touched his hat deferentially.
"A message from Mr.. Bennett.
ma'am.H he explained. "Mr. Kennedy
and Mr.. Bennett have sent me to ask
you to come over to the laboratory"
Unsuspectingly, Elaine stepped into
the car and drove of.
Instead, however of turning and
the street, Thomas stopped opposite
it. He got out and Elaine, thinking
that perhaps 1t was to save time
that he had not turned the car around.
followed.
The door was opened quickly by
lookout of the Clutching Hand and the
valet asked II Craig and Elaine's law
yer were in. OF course, the lookout
replied that they were, and before
Elaine knew It she was jostled into
the dark hallway.
And as the door slammed she caught
sight OF the fearsome Clutching Hand
himself.
She drew back, but was too fright
ened even to scream.
With q harsh, cruel laugh. the super
criminal beckoned to her to follow
him and look down through small
trapdoor.
Unable now to resist. she did so.
There she saw US. To that extent
the valet had told the truth. Ken
nedy was standing in deep thought.
while sat on an old box. smoking a
cigarette-very miserable.
Watching his chance, when the
street was deserted, the Clutching
Hand and his followers had hustled
us over to the new hangout from the
laboratory. There they had met more
crooks and had thrust US into this vile
hole.
AS the various Intellectual schemes
for escape surged through my head.
happened to look up and caught
glance of horror on Craig's face l
was Elaine!
saw her look from us to the Clutch
ing Hand in terror. But. none Of us
uttered word.
II will now show you. my dear
young lady" almost hissed the Clutch
ing Hand at length, "as pretty a game
of hide and seek as you have ever
seen."
AS he said 1t another trapdoor near
the infra-red ray machine was opened
and a beam of light burst through.
knew it was not that which we had to
fear, but the invisible rays that ac-
companied 1t. the rays that had af-
fected the bolometer.
Just then spot OF light showed
near my foot. moving about the ce-
ment floor until 1t fell on my shoe. In
stantly the leather charred. even be-
fore l could move.
Kennedy and I leaped to our feet
and drew back The beam followed
us. We reteated further. Still it fol-
lowed, inexorably.
Clutching Hand was now holding