The Elbert County tribune., 1915-02-26
SECOND EPISODE
The Twilight Sleep"

The Twilight Sleep"
Kennedy had thrown himself whole
heartedly into the solution of the mys-
terious Dodge case.
Far into the night after the chal-
lenge of the forged finger print, he
continued at work, endeavoring to ex-
tract a clue from the meager evi-
dence-a bit of cloth and trace of poi
son already obtained from other cases
We dropped around at the Dodge
house the next morning. Early though
it was. we found Elaine trife paler,
but more lovely than ever. and Perry
Bennett. themselves vainly endeavor.
ing to solve the mystery of the Clutch
ing Hand.
They were at Dodge's desk. she in
the big desk chair, he standing beside
her looking over some papers.
There's nothing there" Bennett
was saying as we entered.
could not help feeling that he was
gazing down at Elaine bit more ten
derly than mere business warranted.
Have you-found anything?" que.
ried Elaine anxiously, turning eagerly
to Kennedy.
ing his head. but conveying quiet
! idea of confidence in his tone
Just then Jennings, the butler. en-
tered, bringing the morning papers.
Elaine seized the Star and hastily
opened it. On the first page was the
story had telephoned down very late
in the hope OF catching a last city
edition
We all bent over and Craig read
aloud:
"CLUTCHING HAND"
STILL AT LARGE
New York's Master Criminal Remains
Observation-Disclosures New Oar.
ing Murder and Robbery on Mil,
lionaire Dodge.
He had scarcely finished reading
the brief but alarming news story that
= followed and laid the paper on the
desk when a stone came smashing
through the window from the street.
Startled. we all jumped to our
feet Craig hurried to the window.
Not soul was in sight!
He stopped and picked up the stone.
To it was attached a piece of pa
per. Quickly he unfolded it and
read.
Craig Kennedy will give up his
search for the 'Clutching Hand'-or
diei"
Later L recalled that there seemed
to be slight noise downstairs. as if
at the cellar window. through which
the masked man had entered the
night before
In point of fact. one who had beer.
outside at the time might actually
have seen sinister face at that GEL
lar window, but to US upstairs it was
invisible. The face was that of the
servant. Michael
Without another word Kennedy
passed into the drawing room and
took his hat and coat. Both Elaire
and Bennett followed
.Pm afraid / must ask you to ex-
cuse me--for the present." Craig
apologized.
Elaine looked at him anxiously.
''You-you will not let that letter
intimidate you?" she pleaded, laying
her soft white hand on his arm. ''Oh,
Mr.. Kennedy" she added, bravely
keeping back the tears, "avenge him!
All the money in the world would be
100 little to pay-if only"
At the mere mention of money Ken
nedy's face seemed to cloud, but only
for moment.
I'm try" he said simply.
Elaine did not withdraw her hand
as she continued to look up at him.
Miss Dodge" he went on, his voice
steady. as though he were repressing
something, 81 will never take another
case until the 'Clutching Hand is
captured"
The look of gratitude she gave him
would have peen a princely reward
>. in itself
1t was some time after these events
that Kennedy, reconstructing what
had happened, ran across, IN strange
way which / need not tire the reader
oy telling. Doctor Haynes, head of
the Hillside Sanitarium for Women.
whose story 1 shall relate substan-
tally as we received it from his own
lips:
IL must have been that same night a
distinguished visitor drove ul in a cab
TO our Hillside sanitarium. rang the
oeh ana was admitted to my office
am, by the way, the experimenting
physician. and that night was sitting
with Doctor Thompson, my assistant
In the office discussing rather inter.