The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-02-24

explosion point.
It was now within less than an inch
of sure death.
Suddenly he raised it and hurled the
deadly thing down through the hole.
We could hear the imprecations Of
the crooks as it struck the cellar floor,
near them.
Leave the store-quick!" rang out
Kennedy's voice.
Down below the crooks were beat
ing a hasty retreat through a secret
entrance which they had effected.
1.-THE bagl The bag!" we could
hear one of them below.
"The bomb-runl" cried another
voice gruffly.
The explosion that followed lifted
us fairly off our feet.
AS the smoke from the explosion
cleared away, Kennedy could be seen,
the first to run forward.
Meanwhile Martins detectives had
rushed down a flight of back stairs
that led into a coal cellar. With coal
shovels and bars, anything they could
lay hands on, they attacked the door
that opened forward from the coal cell
lar into the front basement where
the robbers had been.
A moment Kennedy and Bennett
paused on the brink of the abyss
which the bomb had made, waiting for
the smoke to decrease. Then they
began to climb down cautiously over
the piled-up wreckage.
The explosion had set the basement
afire, but the fire had not gained much
Roadway by the time they reached the
basement. Quickly Kennedy ran to
the door into the coal cellar and
opened it.
From the other side Martin, fol
lowed by the police and the detec-
tives, burst in.
"Fire!" cried one of the policemen,
| leaping back to turn in an alarm from
the special apparatus upstairs.
All except Martin began beating out
the flames, using such weapons as
they already held in their hands to
batter down the door.
To Martin there was one thing para
mount-the jewels.
In the midst of the confusion, Elaine,
closely followed by her friend, Susie,
made her way fearlessly into the stifle
of smoke down the stairs.
There are your jewels, Mr.. Martin, -
cried Kennedy, kicking the precious
| burlap bag with his foot as If it had
| been so much ordinary merchandise
and turning toward what was in his
mind the most important thing al
stake-the direction taken by the
agents of the Clutching Hand.
Thank heaven!" calculated Martin
fairly bouncing on the bag and tearing
it open. "They didn't get away with
them-after ALL" he exclaimed, exam
lining the contents with satisfaction
Events were moving rapidly.
The limousine had been standing in
nocently enough at the curb near the
corner, with the taxicab close be
hind it.
Less than ten minutes after they
had entered. three well-dressed mer
came out of the vacant shop, appar
emily from the tailor's above, and
climbed leisurely into their car.
AS the last one entered, he hal
turned to the taxicab driver, hiding
from passers-by the sign of the Clutch
ing Hand, which the taxicab driver re
turned in the same manner. Then the
big car whirled up the avenue.
All this we learned later from ;
street sweeper who was at work nea
by.
Down below, while the police ant
detectives were putting out the fire
Kennedy was examining the wall o
the cellar, looking for the spot wher
the crooks had escaped.
= "a secret door," he exclaimed, a
he paused after tapping along the wal
to determine its character. You CA
see how the force of the explosion ha
loosened it."
Sure enough, when he pointed it ou
to US, 1t was plainly visible. One c
the detectives picked up a crowbar an
others, still with the hastily seleete
implements they had seized to figt
the fire, started in to pry it open.
AS it yielded Kennedy rushed hi
way through; Elaine, always utterl
fearless, followed. Then the rest {
us went through.
There seemed to be nothing, HOY
ever, that would help us in the celia
next door, and Kennedy mounted tt
steps of stairway in the rear.
The stairway led to a sort of stor
; room, full of barrels and boxes, bl
.. otherwise characterless. When 1 a
rived Kennedy was gingerly holdin
up the smocks which the crooks hs
worn.
"we're on the right trail" common
ed Elaine as he showed them to he
but where do you suppose the ow
ers are?'
Craig shrugged his shoulders al
! gave a quick look about. Evident
t they came in from and went away |
the street" he observed. hurrying
the door. followed by Elaine.
T On the sidewalk he gazed up II
!, avenue, then catching sight of Il
street cleaner, called to him.
q eyes, sor," replied the man, stolidl
looking up from his work 81 see thr,
: gintlemen come out and get into /
automobile"
(Which way did they gog" ask
Kennedy
For answer the man jerked b
thumL over his shoulder In the gencf
direction uptown.
with keen glance. Kennedy strain
Els eyes. Far up the AVENUE he con
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