The Monticellonian., 1915-05-20

Before Elaine could recover heI tongue he seized them and stuck them into a tall beaker like a vase Then he deliberately walked to the window and placed the beaker on the ledge in a most prominent position.
 Elaine and Bennett, to say nothing of myself, gazed at him. awe-struck
 Isis there no other way but to surrender" she asked
 Kennedy mournfully shook his head
 I'm afraid not" he answered slow ly, There's no telling how far fel- low who has this marvellous power might go think I'd better leave. to save you. He may not content him self with innocent outsiders always.
 Nothing that any of us could say, not even the pleadings of Elaine her self. could move him. The thought that at eleven o'clock a third innocent passer-by might lie stricken on the street seemed to move him powerfully
 I'm so sorry-Craig," murmured Elaine, choking back her emotion and finding it impossible to go on.
 So am I, Elaine" he answered, tensely -perhaps-when this trouble blows over"-
 He paused. unable to go on, turned and shook his head. Then with a forced gayety he bade Elaine and Perry Bennett adieu, saying that per haps trip might do him good
 They had scarcely gone out, and Kennedy closed the door carefully. when he turned and went directly to the instrument which I had seen him observing so interestedly.
 Plainly I could see that it was reg istering something.
 He walked fairly close 10 the win dow this time, keeping well out of the direct line of it, however. and there stood gazing out into the street.
 "'We are being watched" he said slowly, turning and looking at me fix edly @but don't dare investigate lest it cost the lives of more unfortunates .
 He stood for moment in deep thought Then he pulled out suit case and began silently to pack it.
 Although We had not dared 10 in vestigate, We knew that from a build ing across the street emissaries Of the Clutehing Hand were watching for OUT signal Of surrender.
 The fact was. as We found out later, that in a poorly furnished room. much after the fashion of that which, with the help of the authorities, We had once raided in the suburbs. there were at that moment two crooks.
 One of them was the famous, or rather infamous. Professor LeCroix The other was the young secretary of the Clutching Hand
 This was the new headquarters of the master criminal. very carefully guarded.
 Look" cried LeCroix, very much excited by the effect that had been produced by his infra-red rays There is the sign-the vase of flowers We have got him this time!"
 LeCroix gleefully patted a peculiar instrument beside him. Apparently it was a combination of powerful cleo tric arcs, the rays of which were shot through a funnel-like arrangement into a converted or, rather, a sort of concentration apparatus from which the dread power could be released through tubelike affair at the end It was his infra-red heat wave. Fray, engine.
 T told you it would work" cried LeCroix
 
 did not argue any further with Craig about his sudden resolution to go away. But it is a very solemn pro- ceeding to pack up and admit defeat after such brilliant succession of cases as had been his until We met this master criminal
 He was unshakable. however. and the next morning we closed the laboratory and loaded our baggage into taxicab.
 Neither of us said much, but 1 saw a quick look of appreciation on Craigs face as we pulled up at the wharf and saw that Elaines car was already there. He seemed deeply moved that Elaine should come at such an early hour to have a last word
 Our car stopped, and Kennedy moved over toward her car direct ing two porters. whom I noticed that he chose with care to wait at one side. One of them was an Irishman with slight limp: the other a wiry Frenehman with pointed beard.
 In spite Of her pleadings. however, Kennedy held to his purpose, and as We shook hands for the last time thought that Elaine would almost break down.
 We finally tore ourselves away, followed by the porters carrying as much as they could,
 Bon yoyage!' called Elaine brave ly keeping back a choke in her voice.
 Near the gangplank. in the crowd, I noticed a couple of sinister faces watching the ships officers and the passengers going aboard Kennedy's quick eye spotted them, too, but he did not show in any way that he no- ticed anything as. followed by our two was needless or ugly, leaving the use f,,1 tho c0y,,FortaAfn apd thu boau+iful