The Monticellonian., 1915-05-27

order to get another. I'll have to go.

order to get another. | II nave to go. I'll get this story from you, Craig.
 
 The day before, in the suburban house. the Clutching Hand had been 1 talking to two of his emissaries, an at- l traetive young woman and man.
 They were Flirty F1orrie and Dan the Dude.
 Now, I want you to get Kennedy, p he said "The way to do it is to sep arate Kennedy and Elaine-see?"
 All right. Chief, we'll do 1t" they replied.
 Clutching Hand had scarcely left when Flirty Florrie began by getting published in the papers the story which l had seen.
 The next day she called me up from the suburban house. Having got me to promise to see her, she had scarce ly turned from the telephone when Dan the Dude walked in from the next room.
 He's coming" she said
 Dan was carrying a huge stag head with d beautifully branched pair of antlers Under his arm was coil of wire which he had connected to the inside of the head.
 Fine" he exclaimed. Then, point ing to the head, he added, It's all ready See how fixed it? That ought to please the Chief.
 Dan moved quickly to the mantel and mounted stepladder there by which he had taken down the head and started to replace the head above the mantel.
 He hooked the head on nail.
 There" he said, unscrewing one of the beautiful brown glass eyes of the stag
 Back of it could be seen a camera shutter.
 "One of those new quick shutter cameras" he explained.
 Then he ran a couple of wires along the molding around the room and into a closet, where he made the connec tion with q sort of switchboard on which button was marked, SHUT TER" and the switch, WIND FILM. ," Now, Flirty," he said, coming out of the closet and pulling up the shade which let a flood of sunlight into the room, you see, I want you to stand here-then, do your little trick"
 Just then the bell rang.
 That must be Jameson" she cried "Now-get to your corner.
 With a last look Dan went into the closet and shut the door
 Perhaps half an hour later Clutching Hand himself called me up on the telephone. It was he-not the Star as learned only too late.
 
 had scarcely got out of the house, as Craig told me afterwards, when F1irty Florrfe told all ever again the embroidered tale that had caught my ear.
 Kennedy said nothing, but listened intently, perhaps betraying in his face the skepticism he felt.
 You see,' she said; still voluble and eager to convince him, .1 was only walking on the street. Here-let me show you. It was just like this
 She took his arm and. before he knew, it, led him to the spot on the floor near the window which Dan had indicated. Meanwhile Dan was lis tening attentively in his closet.
 Newsstand there You are just as 1 was-only l didn't expect any thing
 She was pantomiming some one ap- preaching stealthily while Kennedy watched her with interest, tinged with doubt Behind Craig in his closet, Dan was reaching for the switchboard button.
 You see," she said advancing quickly and acting her words, he so-then threw his arms about my neck-sot"
 She said no more, but imprinted deep, passionate kiss on kennedy's mouth, clinging closely to him. Be fore Kennedy could draw away, Dan in the closet. had pressed the but ton and the switch several times in rapid succession.
 "Th-that's very realistic" gasped Craig, good deal taken aback by the sudden osculatory assault.
 He drowned.
 "I-Ill look into the case" he said, backing away. "There-there may be some scientific explanation-but- er'i-
 He was plainly embarrassed and hastened to make his adieuX.
 How little impression the thing made on Kennedy can be easily seen from the fact that on the way down. town that afternoon he stopped at Martins, on Firth avenue, and bought a ring-a very handsome solitaire. the finest Martin had in the shop.
 It must have been about the time that he decided to stop at Martins that the Dodge butler, Jennings, ad- mitted a young lady who presented a card on which was engraved the name
 Miss Florence Leigh,
 20 Prospect Avenue.
 As he handed Elaine the card, she looked up from the book she was read ing and took it.
 "All right, show her in, Jennings. I'll see her.