Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-06-11
EIGHTH EPISODE
The Hidden Voice.

The Hidden Voice.
Jameson, wake up"
The strain Of the Dodge case was
beginning to tell on me, for it was
keeping us at work at all kinds OF
hours to circumvent the Clutchine
Hand, by far the cleverest criminal
with whom Kennedy had ever had
anything to do.
leaped out of bed, still in my pa.
jamas, and stood for a moment staring
about. Then ran into the living
room. looked about, rubbing my
eyes, startled. No one was there.
"Hey-Jameson-wake up!"
1t was spooky.
"Where-the deuce-are your" / de.
manded.
Suddenly l heard the voice again
no doubt about 1t, either.
Here am-over on the couch!"
scratched my head, puzzled. There
was certainly no one on that couch.
A laugh greeted me- Plainly, though,
1t came from the couch. I went over
to it and. ridiculous as it seemed, be-
gan to throw aside the pillows.
There lay nothing but a little OBJ
long oaken box. perhaps eight or ten
inches square at the ends. In the face
were two peculiar square holes, and
from the top projected a black disk,
about the size of a watch, fastened on
a swinging metal arm. In the face of
the disk were several perforated holes
/ picked up the strange looking
thing in wonder, and from that magic
oak box actually came a burst of
laughter.
Come over to the laboratory. right
away" pealed forth a merry voice.
I've something to show you"
WELL" gasped, what do you
know about that?"
Very early that morning Craig had
got up. leaving me snoring. Cases
never wearied him. He thrived on ex-
element.
He had gone over to the laboratory
and set to work in a corner over an
other Of those peculiar boxes. exactly
like that which he had already left in
our rooms.
Half an hour afterward I walked
into the laboratory, feeling a little
sheepish over the practical joke, but
none the less curious to find out all
about Il.
What is it?" asked, indicating the
apparatus.
"A vocaphone," he replied, still
the loud speaking telephone.
the little box that hears and talks.
1t talks right out in meeting,
transmitter to hold to
the mouth, no receiver to hold to
the ear. You see, this trans
mitter is so sensitive that it picks up
even q whisper, and the receiver is
placed back Of those two megaphone-
ike pyramids"
He was standing at a table, careful
y packing up one of the vocaphones
and lot Of wire.
Il believe the Clutching Hand has
been shadowing the Dodge house." he
Enthusiastically. "As long as
We watch the place. too, he will do
nothing. But II We should seem, o.
not to be watching. per-
laps he may try something. and we
nay be able to get a clue to his iden-
ity over this vocaphone. See?"
l nodded. We've got to run him
lown somehow" l agreed.
YES" he said. taking his coat and
lat. 81 am going to connect up one
4 these things in Miss Dodges libra
y and arrange with the telephone
ompany for a clear wire so that we
an listen in here, where that fellow
viii never suspect"
At about the same time that Craig
nd I sailed forth on this new mis-
ion. Elaine was arranging some flow
rs on a stand near the corner of the
lodge library where the secret panel
'as in which her father had hidden
he papers for the possession of which
he Clutching Hand had murdered
i'm.
She had moved away from the table,
ut. as she did So her dress caught
4 something in the woodwork. She ]
He'd to loosen It and in so doing
,uched the little metallic spring on 9
'hich her dress had caught.
Instantly. to her utter surprise, the
anel moved. Il slid open, disclosing
strong box.
Elaine took 1t. amused, looked at 1t 4
moment. then carried 1t to a table 7
nd opened II. r
Inside were some papers. sealed in n
a envelope and marked "Limpy Red v
They must be the Clutching Hand U
apers!" she exclaimed to herself. {,
moment. in doubt what to t