The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-06-17
THIRTEENTH EPISODE
1hE DEVIL WoRsHIPERs.

the DEVIL WoRsHIPEHS
Elaine vas seated In the drawing
room with Aunt Josephine one after.
noon. when her lawyer. Perry ben.
nett. dropped In unexpectedly.
Ho had hardly greeted them when
the butler. Jennings. In his usual i'm.
passive announced that Aunt
Josephine was wanted on the tclc.
phone.
No sooner were Elaine aud Bennett
alone than Elaine. turning TO him. cx.
clnimed:
Last night I dreamed that father
came TO mo and told me that II !
would give up Kennedy and put my
trust In YOU. I would ind the Clutch.
ing Hand. don't know what to think
Of H."
Bennett. who had been listening In.
tontly. moved ovc nearer to Elaine
and bent over her.
Elaine" he said in n low tone. his
remarkable eyes looking straight into
her own. you must know that | love
you. Then give mo the right to pro.
tect you. II n your fathers dearest
wish I believe. that We should marry.
Let me share your dangers aud
swear that sooner or later there will
be an end To the C%lutching Hand.
Give me your answer. Elaine" he
urged. and make mo the happicst
man In all the world"
Elaine listened. and not unsymra.
t~hetically, as Bennett continued TO
plead for her answer.
Wait a little while-until tomor-
row." she replied finally.
let II be ns YOU Wish. then
agreed Bennett quietly.
lie took her hand and kissed Il pas.
s~ionateiy.
An instant later Aunt Josephine re.
turned. Elaine. unstrung by what
had happened. excused herself aud
went into the library.
~involuntarily, her mind travelled
back ovor the rapid succession Of
events Of the past few weeks and
the part that she had thought. a,
least Kennedy had come 20 play In
her life.
Then she thought Of their recen,
misunderstanding Might there not
be some simple explanation 81 Il, aft,
err all, which she had missed: What
should she do
She solved the problem by takine
up the telephone and asking for Ken
ncdy's number.
was chatting with Craig In his
laboratory, and. at tho anne time
Was watching him in his experimental
work Just as a call came on the tcle
phose, he was pouring some nitro
hydrochloric acid into q test tube &
complete a reaction,
The telephone tinkled and he laid
down the bottle Of acid on his desk
while he moved a few steps 20 answel
the call.
Whoever the speaker was, Graf.
seemed deeply interested, and. no
knowing who was talking on the wire
| VAS eager 10 learn whether Il wa
anyone connected with the case 0
the Clutehins Hand.
Yes, this 10 Mr.. Kennedy" | hear,
Craig say
moved over toward him and whis
pered eagerly, lie there anything
newr'
A little impatient AT being interrupt
ed. Kennedy waved me OF. II oc
CURED 90 me that he might need
rad and pencil Z make q note @
some information, and I reached owe
the desk for them.
As ! did so my arm inadvertentl
struck the bottle Of acid. knocking
over on the top Of the desk. Its cor
tents streamed sui saturAting the tel,
phone wires before l could prevent 1
In trying to right the bottle my han
came In contact with the acid whic
burned uke liquid FIRE. and I cried on
IN pain.
Craig hastily laid down the r
eeiver. seised me ahd rushed me
the back % the laboratory, where b
drenched my hand with q neutraii
ing LIQUID.
lie bound ~ the wounds oaueed \
the acid. which proved 20 be sligh
after all. and then returned 10 the tel
phone
To his evident annoyance he al
covered that the acid had burn'
through the wires and cut of all 90
uection.
Al the OF nd 81 the line. ElaiI
MAS ~listcnlr- impatient,y for . 7
sponse 60 her Grsi eager words 81
eairy She was as,onished TO IN