The Monticellonian., 1915-05-13
EIGHTH EPISODE
The Hidden Voice.

The Hidden Voice.
 Jameson, wake up!"
 The strain of the Dodge case was beginning to tell on me, for it was keeping us at work at all kinds of hours to eireumvent the Clutching Hand. by far the cleverest criminal with whom Kennedy had ever had anything to do.
 I leaped out of bed, still in my pa- jamas, and stood for moment staring about. Then I ran into the living room. I looked about. rubbing my eyes, startled. No one was there
 "Hey-Jameson-wake upia
 It was spooky.
 "Where-the deuce-are you?" de handed
 Suddenly heard the voice again no doubt about it, either
 Here I am-+oyer on the couch,"
 scratched my head. puzzled. There was certainly no one oa that couch.
 A laugh greeted me. Plainly, though, it came from the couch. went over to it and. ridiculous as it seemed, be gan to throw aside the pillows.
 There lay nothing but a little ob- 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 watch, fastened on n swinging metal arm. In the face of the disk were several perforated holes I picked up the strange looking thing in wonder. and from that magic oak box actually came burst of laughter
 Come over to the laboratory, right away" pealed forth a merry voice. I've something to show you"
 Well" l gasped, what do you know about that?"
 Very early that morning Craig had got up, leaving me snoring. Cases never wearied him. He thrived on ex- citement.
 He had gone over to the laboratory and set to work in a corner over an other of those peculiar boxes, exactly like that which he had already left in our ro6ms.
 Half an hour afterward I walked into the laboratory. feeling little sheepish over the practical joke, but none the less curious to find out all about 1t.
 What is it?" asked, indicating the apparatus.
 "A vocaphone," he replied, still laughing, the loud speaking telephone, the little box that hears and talks. It talks right out in meeting. too-no transmitter to hold to the mouth. no receiver to hold to the ear. You see, this trans hitter is so sensitive that it picks up even a whisper and the receiver is placed hack of those two megaphone- like pyramids"
 He was standing at table, careful ly packing up one of the yoeaphones and lot of wire.
 T believe the Clntching Hand has been shadowing the Dodge house" he continued thoughtfully As long as we watch the place, too, he will do nothing. But if We should seem, os- tentatiously, not to be watching. per haps he may try something, and we may be able to get clue to his iden- tity over this vocaphone. See?"
 nodded. We've got to run him down somehow l agreed.
 Yes" he said. taking his coat and hat T am going to connect up one of these things in Miss Dodges libra " and arrange with the telephone company for clear wire so that we can listen in here. where that fellow will never suspect"
 At about the same time that Craig and I sallied forth on this new mis- sion, Elaine was arranging some flow CTS on 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 which the Clutching Hand had murdered him.
 She had moved away from the table, but. as she did so. her dress caught in something in the woodwork. She tried to loosen it and in so doing touched the little metallic spring on which her dress had caught
 Instantly. to her utter surprise, the panel moved. It slid open, disclosing a strong box.
 Elaine took it, amused. looked at it a moment then carried if 10 A table and opened 1t.
 Inside were some papers, sealed in an envelope and marked "Limpy Red Correspondence
 They must be the Clutching Hand papersi" she exclaimed to herself hesitating a moment, in doubt what to do.
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