The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1915-05-08


left the telephone without any expia.
nation or apology.
Z Why--he rang on" she exclaimed
angrlly to herself. az she hung up the
receiver and left the room.
o.
In the center OF devious and wind.
'Eg way, quite unknown TO all except
those who knew the innermost secrets
OF the Chinese quarter, and even un.
known TO the police. there was dingy
tenement house. apparently inhabited
by hard.working Cinnamon, but In re.
ality the headquarters OF the notori.
Gus devil w6rshiDers, u sect OF satan.
lists. banned even IN the Celestial EN-.
pire
The followers OF the cult comprised
some Of the most dangerous Chinese
criminals. thugs and assassins. be-
sides number Of dangerous charac.
tern who belonged TO various Chinese
secret societies. At the head OF this
I formidable organization was Long Sin.
the high priest OF the devil god, and
Long Sin had. as we know. already
Joined forces with the notorious
Clutching Hand.
The room In which the uncanny rites
Of the devil worshipers were conduct.
ed was large apartment decorated In
Chinese style, with highly colored por.
traits OF some OF the devil deities and
costly sllken hangings. Beside large
dais depended huge Chinese gong.
On the dais itself stood. or rather
sat. an ugly figure covered with some
sort OF metallic plating II almost
seemed to be the mummy OF China
man covered with gold leaf
Into this room came Long Sin at
tired In an elaborate silken robe. He
advanced and koiowed before the
dais with It's strange figure. and laid
down an offering before t.
This performance was witnessed by
twenty or thirty Cinnamon who knelt
In the rear OF the room.
At the same time an nged Chinaman
carrying prayer wheel entered the
place and. after prostrating himself
devoutly. placed the machine on
sort Of low stool or tabourette and
began turning Il slowly. muttering.
A few moments later Long Sin, who
had been bowling before the metallic
figure In deepest reverence. suddenly
sprang to his feet. His glazed eye and
excited manner indicated that he had
received a message from the lips OF
tho strange god.
The worshipers who had prostrated
themselves. In awe at the sight OF their
high priest In the unholy frenzy. all
rose to their feet and crowded for.
ward
Long Sin struck several blows on
the resounding gong and then raised
his voice in solemn tones.
"Ksing Chau. the Terrible. demands
q consort. She Is to be foreign fair
OF face and with golden hair"
At the same time. In room OF the
adjoining house. the Clutching Hand
himself was busily engaged in max
ing the most elaborate preparations
for some nefarlous scheme which his
fertile mind had evolved.
The room had been fitted up as
mediums seance parlor.
Two OF the Clutching Hands most
,trusted confederates and hard.faced
woman of middle age, dressed In plain
black, were putting the finishing
touches to this apartment, when their
chief entered.
Clutching Hand gazed about the
room, now and then giving an order
or two to make more effective the
setting for the purpose which he had
In mind.
Finally he nodded In approval aud
stepped over to the fireplace where
logs we're burning brightly In u crate.
Pressing spring in the mantelpiece.
the master criminal effected an instant
transformation. The logs In the fire.
place, still burning, disappeared imme-
diately through the bottom OF the brick
thing and motal sheet covered them.
An aperture opened at the back. as II
by magic.
Through this opening Clutching
Hand made hts way quickly anu ais-
appeared.
Emerging on the other side OF the
peculiar fireplace. Clutchins Hand
pushed aside curtain which barred
the way and looked into the Chinese
temple, taking UP position behind
the metallic figure on the dais,
The Cinnamon had by this time mn
ished their devotions. II such they
might DO called. and tho last one was
leaving. while Long Sin stood alone
on the dais.
The noise OF the departing satanists
had scarcely died away when Clutch
ing Hand stepped out,
Follow me-" he ordered hoarsely.
ssising Long Sin by the arm and lead
Ing him away
They passed through the passage
way OF the fireplace and. having en-
tered the seance room. Clntohing Hand
began br;eay explaining the purpose
aA.A txnA