Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-31

the door opened slowly ana | could
see a cold blue automatic
Its all right, Michael treasured
Craig calmly. "All right, Walter" he
added to me. r,
The gun dropped back into the foot
mans pocket We entered and MI
ehael again locked the door, Not a
word had been spoken by him so far.
Next Michael moved to the center
of the room and. as | realized later,
brought himself in direct line with the
open window. He seemed to be over.
come with fear at his betrayal and
stood there breathing heavily
Professor Kennedy" he began. Il
have been so mistreated that ! have
made up my mind TO tell you all |
know about this ClutehIng-"
Suddenly he drew sharp breath
and both his hands cutohed at his
own breast. He did not stagger and
fall In the ordinary manner but
seemed TO bend at the knees and
waist and literally erumple down ON
his face.
We ran to him. Craig turned him
over gently on his back aud examined
him. He called No answer, Michael
was almost pulseless,
Quickly Craig tore off his collar and
barred his breast. for the man seemed
to be struggling for breath. As he did
so he drew from Michael's throat a
small, sharp-pointed dart.
whats that?" | calculated. horror
stricken.
"A poisoned blowgun dart. such as
is used by the South American In
dams on the upper orinoco," he said
slowly.
He examined II carefully
What is the poison?" | asked.
"Curari," he replied simply. 1T acts
on the respiratory muscles, paralyzing
them and causing asphyxlatlon."
The dart seemed to have been made
of quill with very sharp point, hol-
low. and containing the deadly poison
In the sharpened end.
Look OUT" cautioned, as he
handled II.
"0h, that's all right" he answered
casually. IF I don't scratch myself, |
am safe enough | could swallow the
stuff aud II wouldn't hurt me-unless
/ had an abrasion, of the lips or some
internal cut.
Kennedy continued to examine the
dart until suddenly heard low ex-
clamation of surprise from him. In.
side the hollow quill was a thin sheet
of tissue paper tightly rolled. lie
drew it out and read:
ITO know me is Death.
Kennedy-Take Warning"
Underneath was the inevitable
Clutehing Hand sign.
We jumped to our feet Kennedy
rushed to the window and slammed 1t
shut, while seized the key from MI
chaels pocket, opened the door. and
called for help
A moment before. on the roof of a
building across the street. one might
have seen a bent, skulking figure
His face was copper colored and on
his head was a thick thateh of mat
ted hair. He looked like a South
American indian in very dilapidpted
suit Of cast-off American clothes.
He had slipped out through door
& way leading TO flight of steps from
the roof 10 the hallway of the tene-
ment, and, like one of his native VEN
omous serpents, worked his way down
the stairs again.
My outcry brought a verltable bat
TALON of aid. The hotel proprietor
the negro waiter and several others
dashed upstairs, followed shortly by
a portly policeman
Craig took the policeman into his
confidence, showing him the dart and
explaining about the poison. The off,
Ger stared blankly.
Il must get away. too" hurried on
Craig Officer. | Will leave you to
take charge here. You can depend on
me for the inquest"
The officer nodded
Come on. Walter whispered
Craig, eager to get away, then adding
the one word. "Elaine!"
/ followed hastily. not slow to UNI
derstand his fear for her.
Nor were Craig's fears groundIess.
In spite of all that could be done for
her. Elaine was still in bed, much
weaker now than before.
More than that, the Clutching Hand
had not neglected the opportunity,
either
Suddenly, just before our return,
stone had come hurting through the
window, without warning of any kind,
and had landed on Elalnes bed.
Below, as we learned some time aft
erwards, car had drawn up hastily
and the evil-faced crook whom the
Clutohing Hand had used to rid him
self OF the informer, "Limpy Red" had
leaped out and hastily hurled the
stone through the window, as quick
ly leaping back into the car and
whlsking away.
Around the stone was wrapped a
piece of paper on which was the ON
nous warning, signed as usual by the
Hand: