Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-03-13
EIGHTH EPISODE
The Hidden Voice.

The strain of the Dodge case was
beginning 10 tell on me. for il was
keeping us at work at all kinds OF
hours to ~circumvent the Clu,ching
Hand. by far the cleverest criminal
with whom Kennedy had ever had
anything To do.
leaped out OF bed. still in my pa
jamas. and stood for a moment staring
about. Then ! ran into the living
room. looked about. rubbing my
eyes. startled. No one a there.
"Hey-Jameson-wake up"
II was spooky.
"Where-the deuce-are you?" / de-
manded.
Suddenly | heard the voice again
no doubt about IL. either.
Here ] am-over on the couch,"
l scratched my head. puzzled. There
was certainly no one on that couch.
A laugh greeted me. Plainly. though.
II came from the couch. | went over
TO IL and. ridiculous as il seemed. be-
gan 10 throw aside the pillows.
Their lay nothing but a little OBJ
long oaken box. perhaps eight or ten
inches square at the ends. In the face
were two peculiar square holes. and
from the top projected a black disk.
about the size of a watch. fastened on
a swinging metal arm. In the face OF
the disk were several perforated holes
picked up the strange looking
thing in wonder and from that magic
oak box actually came a burst OF
laughter.
Come over TO the laboratory. right
away" pealed forth a merry voice.
I've something TO show you"
Well" I gasped. what do you
know about tkat?"
Very early thar morning Craig had
got up, leaving me snoring. Cases
never wearied him. lie thriyed on eX-
element.
lie had gone over 10 the laboratory
and set to work in n corner over an
other of those peculiar boxes. exactly
like that which he had already left in
our rooms.
Half an hour afterward ! walked
into the laboratory. feeling a little
sheepish over the practical Joke, but
none the less curious Ia find out all
about IL.
"What is it," | asked. indicating the
apparatus.
"A vocaphone." he replied. still
laughing. the loud speaking telephone.
the little box that hears and talks.
II talks right put in meeting,
too-no transmitter TO hold to
the mouth. no receiver TO hold TO
the ear. You see. this trans
mitter is so sensitive that il picks up
even a whisper. and the receiver Is
placed back of those two m%egaphone-
like pyramids"
He was standing al a table careful
" packing up one Of the yocaphones
and a lot Of wire.
IL believe the Clutching Hand has
been shadowing the Dodge house, he
continued t~houghtfully. AS long as
we watch the place. too. he viii do
nothing. But II We should seem. os-
tentatiously. not to be watching. per-
haps he may try Something. and We
may be able to get n clue 10 his iden-
tity over this v%ocaphone. See"
| nodded. We've got 10 run him
down somehow | agreed.
Yes" he said. taking his coat and
hat. Il am going 10 connect up one
Of these things in Miss Dodge's libra
ny and rrange with the telephone
company for n clear wire so that we
can listen in here, where that fellow
will never suspect
AT about the same time that Craig
and | sailed forth on this new mis-
sion. Elaine was arranging some flow
ers on n stand near the corner of the
Dodge library where the secret panel
was in which her father had hidden
the papers for the possession OF whif
the Clutching Hand had murdered
him.
She had moved away from the table,
but. as she did so her dress caught
I'm something in the woodwork. she
tried TO loosen II and in so doing
touched the little metallic spring on
which her dress had caught.
Instantly. to her utter surprise. the
panel moved. II slid open. disclosing
a strong box.
Elaine took Il, amused, looked az II
n moment. then carried IL TO a table
and opened IL.
Inside were sSne papers. sealed IN
an envelope and marked "Limpy Red
Correspondence"
''They must be the Clutching HAND
papers," she exclaimed to herself.
hesitating a moment in doubt what TO
do.