The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-06-15

gether the portieres
Then he came back closer to Elaine.
A moment she looked at him, not
quite knowing from his strange &C.
tons whether to call for help or not.
At a motion from Kennedy. as he
pulled of his wig, / pulled off the
little false beard.
Elaine looked at US, transformed,
startled.
"Wh-what"-she stammered. ooh
I'm-so-glad. How"
Kennedy said nothing. He was
thoroughly enjoying her face.
Don't you understand l ex-
planned, laughing merrily. II admit
that / didn't, until that last minute
in the stateroom on the boat when
we didn't come back to wave a last
good-by. But all the care that Craig
took in selecting the porters was the
result Of work he did yesterday, and
the insistence with which he chose
our travelling clothes had .deep-laid
purpose.
THE change was made quickly in
the stateroom. Kennedy's man threw
on the coat and hat he wore, while
Craig donned the rough clothes OF
the porter and added a limp and a
wig. The same sort of exchange of
clothes was made by me, and Craig
clapped a Vandyke beard on my
chin"
ssA6uvo,c +ba x,,ord - cautioned Kau.
nedy. "You must smuggle us out OF
the house some way"
Kennedy lost no time In confirm
ing the suspicious of his bolometer as
to the cause of the death of the in
nocent victims of the Vaccinations of
the Clutching Hand.
Both of them, he had learned, had
been removed to a nearby undertake
ing shop, awaiting the verdict of the
coroner. We sought out the shop
and prevailed on the undertaken to
let US see the bodies.
AS Kennedy pulled down the shroud
from the face of the first victim he
disclosed on his forehead a round,
dark spot about the size of a small
coin. Quickly he moved to the next
coffin and, uncovering the face, dis
closed a similar mark.
nWhat is it?p ! asked, awe-struck.
"Why,' he said, 1--WE heard of GER
| tain Viennese, one LeCroix, ! believe.
| who has discovered, or perfected, an
infra-red ray instrument which shoots
| Its power great distance with ex-
treme accuracy and leaves mark
like these"
We thanked the undertaken for his
courtesy and went out.
| Meanwhile Elaine had called up Per
ry Bennett.
"Mr. Bennett" she exclaimed over
the wire. lust guess who called on
me?"
"Who?" he answered; II give 1t up
"Mr. Kennedy and Mr.. Jameson"
she called back.
rs that so?" he returned. isn't
that fine? / didn't think he was the
kind to run away like that. How did
1t happen?"
Elaine quickly told the story as
had told her
Had she known 1t, however, Benefits
valet, Thomas, was at that very mo-
ment listening at the portieres. IN
tensely interested.
AS Bennett hung up the receiver
Thomas entered the room.
IF anyone calls me-" ordered Ben
nett, take the message, particularly
If it is from Miss Dodge"
Eyes, sir" nodded the valet with
covert glance at his master.
It was not long afterward that
knock sounded at the door of the new
headquarters of the Clutching Hand.
LeCroix and the secretary were there,
as well as couple Of others.
THE Chiefl" exclaimed one.
The secretary opened the door,
and. sure enough the Clutching Hand
entered.
There came another knock. This
time. as the door opened, It was
Thomas, Benefits faithless valet, who
entered.
Say" blurted out the informer, ado
you know Kennedy and Jameson are
back?"
"Back?" cried the crooks.
Eyes they didn't go. Changed
clothes with the porters. just heard
Miss Dodge telling Mr.. Bennett"
Clutching Hand eyed him keenly,
then seemed to burst into an ungov-
ernable fury.
n..41 - oaSo
at the valet and the others. Then,
with the secretary and two Of the
other crooks he left by another door