Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-31


LAME and Craig were much together dur
~ ing the next few days. Somehow OF other.
It seemed that the chase Of the Clutching
Hand involved long conferences In the
Dodge library. and even, in fact extended
TO excursions into the VIGOROUSLY crime-infested
neighborhood OF Riverside Drive, with its fashion
able procession Of automobiles and go-carts--as
far north. indeed, as that desperate haunt known
as Grants Tomb.
More than that these delvings into the under
world involved Kennedy in the necessity of
ing frock coat and silk hat in the afternoon. and
fou-t that he was selecting his necowear with
care that had been utterly foreign him during all
the years previous that had known him.
It all looked very suspicious to me.
But to return to the more serious side of the
affair."
Kennedy and Elaine had scarcely come out Of
the house and descended the steps, one afternoon
when q sinister face appeared in q basement
way nearby.
The figure was crouched over with his back
bumped I'D almost II defOrmed and his left hand
had an unmistakable twist.
It was the clutching Hand.
He wore a telephone inspectors hat and coat
and carried bag slung by a strap over his shout
der. For once he had left off his mask. but, in
place Of IT, his face covered by a scraggly black
beard In fact he seemed TO avoid turning his face
full, three-quarters or even profile to anyone
less he had to do so. AS much as possible he
averted Il. but he did so in clever way that made
it seem quite naturally The disguise was effective.
He saw Kennedy and Miss Dodge and skunk
unobtrusively against a railing. with his head
turned away. Laughing and chatting, they passed.
As they walked down the street. Clutching Hand
turned and gaEed after them Involuntariiy tho
menacing hand clutched in open hatred.
Then he turned in the other direction and, go
ing up the steps OF the Dodge house. rang the bell
Telephone inspector" he said in a loud tone
as Michael. in Jennings place for the afternoon.
opened the door.
He accompanied the words with the sign, and
Michael. taking care that the words be heard in
case any one was listening. admitted him.
As It happened. Aunt Josephine was upstairs in
Elaines room. She was fixing flowers in vase on,
the dressing table for her idolized niece. Mean
while. Rusty, the collie lay. half blinking on the
+. floor.
who is this?" she asked as Michael led the
bogus telephone inspector into the room.
"A man from the telephone company" he an
swered deferentlaly.
Aunt Josephine, unsophisticated. allowed them
to enter without further question.
Quickly, like a good workman, Clutchng Hand
went TO the telephone instrument and by dint of
keeping his finger on the hook and his back to
Aunt Josephine succeeded in conveying the illusion
that he was examining IL.
Aunt Josephine moved to the door. Not So
Rusty. He did not like the looks OF the stranger
and he had no seruples against letting It be known
As she put her hand on the knob TO go out into
the hail. Rusty uttered a low growl which grew
into ful-lunged snan at the clutching Hand
clutehing Hand kicked at him vigorously. II sur
reptltiously. Rusty barked.
Lady" he disguised his voice. will yer please
ter call off the dogg Me and him don't seem TO
cotton to each other"
Here. Rusty" she commanded, down."
Together Aunt Josephine and Michael removed
the BtiII protesting Rusty.
No sooner was the door shut than the clutching
Hand moved over swiftly to It. For a few seconds
he stood gazing at them they disappeared down.
stairs. Then he came back into the center OF the
room.
Hastily he opened his bag and from Il drew
small powder-spraying outfit. such as l have seen
used for spraying bugpowder. He then took out a
49, = snnzzla with elastic band on II and