Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1915-02-20

hand to trace them by"
The editor paused moment, then
exclaimed: why this fellow seems
to take diabolical-I might almost
say pathological-pleasure in crimes
OF violence, revenge, avarice and self
protection. Sometimes it seems as il
he delights in the pure deviltry of the
thing. 1t is weird"
He leaned over and spoke in a low,
tense tone. "Strangest of all, the tip
mas just come to us that Fletcher, Hax-
| worth, Sherburne and all the rest of
these wealthy men were insured in
the Consolidated Mutual Life. Now,
jameson, l want you to find Taylor
Dodge, the president, and interview
him. Get what you can, at any cost"
had naturally thought first of Ken
pedy, but there was no time now to
call him up and, besides, | must see
Dodge Immediately.
Dodge, l discovered over the tele.
phone, was not at home nor at any Of
the clubs to which he belonged. Late
though it was l concluded that he was
at his office. No amount of persuasion
could get me past the door, and
though | found out later and shall tell
soon what was going on there, l de-
termined, about nine o'clock, that the
best way to get at Dodge was to go to
his house on Fifth avenue, if had
to camp on his front doorstep until
morning. The harder found the story
to get the more | wanted it.
With some misgivings about being
admitted, | rang the bell of the SPLEEN
did, though not very modern, Dodge
residence. An English butler, with
nose that must have been his fortune,
opened the door and gravely informed
me that Mr.. Dodge was not at home,
but was expected at any moment
Once in, l was not going lightly to
give up that advantage. | bethought
myself Of his daughter Elaine, one of
the most popular debutantes of the
season, and sent in my card to her, on
a chance of interesting her and seeing
her father, writing ON the bottom of
the card: Would like to interview,
Mr.. Dodge regarding Clutching Hand. ~
Summoning up what assurance l.
had, which is sometimes considerable,
/ followed the butler down the hall as
he bore my card AS he opened the
door of the draWingroom, l caught
vision of slip of a girl in evening
clothes.
Elaine Dodge was both the ingenue
and the athlete-the thoroughly mod
ern type of girl-equally at home with
tennis and tango, table talk and tea.
Near her ! recognized from his pic
lures Harry Bennett, the rising young
lawyer, a mighty good
looking fellow, with an affable, pleas
ing way about him, perhaps thirty-five
years old or so, but already prominent
and quite friendly with Dodge.
"Who is it, Jennings?' she asked
"a reporter, Miss Dodge" answered
the butler, glancing superciliously back
at me. "And you know how your father
1islikes to see anyone here at the
house," he added deferentially to her
Miss Dodge" pleaded, bowling as
If had known them all my life, i've
been trying to find your father all the
evening. It's very important"
She looked up at me surprised and in
doubt whether to laugh or stamp her
pretty little foot in indignation at my
nerve.
She laughed. you are a very brave
Young man, she rippled with roguish
ook at BENEFITS discontinue over the
Interruption of the tete-a-tete.
There was a note of seriousness in
t, too, that made me ask quickly,
'Why?"
The smile fitted from her face, and
n its place came a frank earnest ex-
preston, which later learned to like
md respect very much. My father has
declared he will eat the very next re-
)OIlbE WHO bIIGS u lHI5I view MIN
lere," she answered.
/ was about to prolong the waiting
.ime by some jolly about such a stun
hing girl not having by any possibil-
ty such a cannibal of parent, when |
he rattle of the changing gears of a
,ar outside told of the approach of a
limousine.
The big front door opened and |
elaine flung herself in the arms of an
elderly, stern-faced, gray-haired man.
Why, dad" she cried, where have
-ou been? | missed you SO much at
Inner. I'll be so glad when this ter
ible business gets cleared up. Tell
ne. What is on your mind? What is
t that worries you now?"
| noticed then that Dodge seemed
wrought up and bit unnerved for he
ank rather heavily into a chair,
rushed his face with his handkerchief
nd breathed heavily. Elaine lowered
yer him solicitously, repeating her
uestion.
With a mighty effort he seemed to
ct himself together. He rose and
lrned to Bennett.
Harry he exclaimed, I've got the
lutching Hand!"
The two man c4ara5 o. oooL o+Iar