The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1915-03-09

They are strangling met"
The effect was terrific.
Clutching Hand and Dan, hardened
in crime as they were, fell back,
dazed. overcome for the moment at
the startling effect.
They looked about Not soul.
Then to their utter consternation,-
from the helmet again came the deep,
vibrant warning.
Help Murder, Police"
Kennedy and | had been listening
over the vocaphone, for the moment
nonplused at the fellows daring
Then we heard from the uncanny
instrument: For Heavens sake,
Chief hurry The Falsers have fallen
down The girl herself is coming"
What it meant we did not know. But
Craig was almost beside himself as
he ordered yne to get the police by tel
ephone, if there was any way to block
them Only instant action would count,
however. What to do?
We could hear the master Grim
inal plainly fumbling now
Yes. that's the Clutching hand he
repeated
Wait l cautioned, someone else
is coming'"
By a sort of instinct he seemed to
recognize the sounds.
Elaine" he exclaimed, paling.
Instantly followed, in less than l
can tell it, the sounds of suppressed
shuttle.
He has seized her-gagged her"
| cried In an agony of suspense
We could now hear everything that
was going on In the library Craig
was wildly excited AS for me. was
speeches.. Here was the vocaphone
we had installed. 1t had warned US
But what could we do?
l looked blankly at Kennedy. He
was equal to the emergency
He calmly turned the switch.
Then. at the top of his lungs he
shouted: Help. Help, Police They
are strangling mel"
! looked at him in amazement What
did he think he could do-blocks
away?
TT works both ways" ne muttered.
Help, Murder, Police"
We could hear the astonished ours
ing of the two men. Also, down the
hail. now, we could hear footsteps ap-
preaching in answer to his call for
help-Aunt Josephine, Jennings, Marie
and ut harc aJ1 eb h,t
were cries in the library.
The deuce. What is it," muttered
gruff voice.
The man in armor." Kissed Clutch
ing Hand.
Here they come. too, Chief"
There was a parting scutfle.
"There-take that"
"A loud metallic ringing came from
the vocaphone.
Then silence,
What had happened?
In the library, recovering from their
crock of surprise, Dan cried out to
the Clutchipg Hand. THE deuce!
What is ite"
Then looking about, Clutching
Hand quickly took in the situation
The man in armor," he pointed
out
Dan was almost dead with fright
at the weird thing.
Here they come. too, Chief he
gasped, as, down the hall he could
hear the family shouting out that
someone was in the library. y,
With a parting thrust, Clutching
Hand sent Elaine Keeling.
She held on to only corner of the
papers He had the greater part of
them. They were torn and destroyed,
anyway.
Finally. with all the venomousness
of which he was capable Clutching
Hand rushed at the armor suit, drew
back his gloved fist and let ii shoot
out squarely in a vicious solar plexus
blow
"There-take that" he roared
The suit ratified furiously. Out Of
1t spilled the vocaphone. with a bang
on the floor
An instant later those in the hall
rushed in. But the Clutching Hand
and Dan We're gone out of the win
dow, the criminal carrying the greater
part of the precious papers.
Some ran to Elaine, others to the
window. The ladder had been kicked
away, and the criminals were gone.
Leaping into the waiting car. they had
heen Whisked away
Hello! Hello! Hello" called a
voice, apparently from nowhere.
What is that" cried Elaine.
She had risen by this time, and was
gazing about, wondering at the strange
voice. Suddenly her eye fell on the
armor scattered all over the floor
She spied the little oak box.
"Elaine,"
Apparently the voice came from
that Besides it had familiar ring
to her ears.
"Yes-Craig!" she cried.
That is my vocaphone-the little
box that hears and talks" came back