The hummer. (Houston, Miss.) 1914-19??, 1915-07-16


Poisoned Room.
spite Of the fact that It was broad
daylight, It was running. His face
puokered.
They are using no current at pres
ent in the house." he ruminated, yet
the meter is running"
He continued to examine the meter.
Then he began to follow the electric
wires along. At last he discovered q
place where they had been tempered
with and tapped by other wires.
"The work Of the Clutching Handl"
he muttered.
Eagerly he followed the wires to
the furnace and around to the back
There they led right into a little
water tank Kennedy yanked them
out. AS he did 50 he pulled some
thing with them.
Two electrodes the villain placed
there" he exclaimed, holding them az
Tiumphantly for ne to see.
yves" / replied, obviously, but
what does It all meant"
why. don't you sect Under the in
iuence Of the electric current the va
ter was decomposed and gave OF oxy-
gen and hydrogen. The free hydrogen
passed up the furnace pipe and com
bining with the arsenic In the wan
paper formed the deadly arseniuretted
hydrogen"
He cast the whole improvised cleo.
trolysls apparatus on the floor and
dashed up the cellar steps.
'I've found IT." he Grief, hurrying
into Elaine's room. ITS IN this room
"a deadly gas-arseniurettef hydro
gen"
He tore open the windows.
Have her moved" he shouted 70
Aunt Josephine "Then have a vac
uum cleaner 80 over every inch Of
wall, carpet and upholstery"
Standing beside her, he breathless-
ly explained his discovery. "That wall
paper has been loaded down with
arsenic. probably paris green OF
schweinfurth green, which Is acetoar-
semitic Of copper. Ever minute you
are here you are breathing arseniuret
ted hydrogen. This Clutehing Hand
is a diabolical genius. Think OF IT.
poisoned wall paper!"
No one said a word. Kennedy
reached down and took the two
Clutching Hand messages Elaine had
received. 81 shall want to study
these notes, more. too" he said, hold
ing them up to the wall at the head
Of the bed as he flashed his pocket
lens at them. you see. Elaine, may
be able to get something from study
ing the ink, the paper, the hand writ
ing"
Suddenly both leapsd back. with q
cry.
Their faces had been several inches
apart Something had whizzed between
them and literally impaled tho two
notes on the wall.
Down the street, on the roof OF a
carriage house, back Of a neighbor's.
might have been seen the unoouth dg.
ure Of the shabby South American NJ
dian crouohing behind q chimney and
gazing intently at the Dodge house.
AS Craig had thrown open Hlaine'a
window and turned to Elaine the figure
had orouohed closer to the chimney.
Then with an uncanny determine
ton, he slowly raised the hlowgun q
his lips
! jumped forward, followed By Doc
tor Hayward, Aunt Josephine end
Marie. Kennedy had a peculiar loot
as be pulled out from the wall q blow.
gun dart similar IN every way to that
which had killed Michael.
"Craigl" gasped Elaine. reaching ~
and laying her soft. white hand on hll
arm IN undisguised fear for him, ayog
You must give up this chase for tAg
Ciutohing Handi"
.Give up the chase for the Clutch
ing Hand7" he repeated in surprise
=Neverl Not until either no OF a
deadi"
There was both fear and admiratl1
mingled IN her look. &c be reao5EE
down and patted her dainty shcut i
encouragingly.
{To BIZ coNIuFuao1