The hummer. (Houston, Miss.) 1914-19??, 1915-06-25
SECOND EPISODE

The Twilight Sleep"
Kennedy had thrown himself whole
heartedly into the solution Of the mys-
erious Dodge case.
Far into the night, after the ohal
gsnge OF the forged finger print, he
continued at work, endeavoring TO ex-
tract a clue from the meager evil
dence-a bit Of cloth and trace Of poi
son already obtained from other cases.
We dropped around at the Dodge
house the next morning. Early though
II was, we found Elaine triie paler,
but more lovely than ever, and Perry
Bennett themselves vainly endeavor-
ing to solve the mystery Of the Clutch
ing Hand.
They were at Dodge's desk, she in
the big desk chair, he standing beside
her looking over some papers.
There's nothing there" Bennett
was saying as we entered.
! could not help feeling that he was
gazing down at Elaine a bit more ten
aerly than mere business warranted.
Have you-found anything?" que
r1ed Elaine anxiously, turning eagerly
20 Kennedy.
"Nothing-yet," he answered. shak-
ing his head, but conveying q quiet
idea of confidence in his tone.
Just then Jennings, the butler, en-
tered, bringing the morning papers
Elaine seized the Star and hastily
opened 1t. On the first page was the
story had telephoned down very late
IN the hope Of catching a last city
edition.
We all bent over and Craig read
aloud:
"CLUTCHING HAND"
STILL AT LARGE
New York's Master Criminal Remains
Observation-Disclosures New Oar
ing Murder and Robbery on Mil
honaire Dodge.
he had scarcely finished reading
che brief but alarming news story that
! followed and laid the paper on the
desk when a stone came smashing
through the window from the street.
Startled, we ell Jumped to our
feet. Craig hurried to the window.
Not q soul was in sight
He stopped and picked up the stone.
To it was attached a piece of pa
per. Quickly he unfolded It and
read:
Craig Kennedy win give up his
search for the 'Clutching Hand'-or
diei"
Later / recalled that there seemed
TO be a slight noise downstairs, as If
at the cellar window, through which
the masked man had entered the
night before.
In point OF fact, one who had been
outside at the time might actually
have seen a sinister face at that eel
lar window. but to US upstairs 1t was
Invisible The face was that Of the
servant. Michael
Without another word Kennedy
passed into the drawing room and
took his hat and coat Both Elaine
and Bennett followed.
"Pm afraid I must ask you to ex-
cuse me-for the present" Craig
apologized
Elaine looked at him anxiously.
'You-you win not let that letter
intimidate your" she pleaded, laying
her soft white hand on his arm. "Oh,
Mr.. Kennedy" she added, bravely
keeping back the tears, 'avenge him!
All the money in the world would be
too little to pay-if only"
At the mere mention of money Ken
nedy's face seemed to cloud, but only
for a moment.
'T'u try" he said simply.
Elaine did not withdraw her hand
IS she continued to look up at him.
"Miss Dodge" he went on, his voice
steady. as though he we're depressing
! something. Il will never take another
case until the Clutching Hand Is
captured"
The look Of gratitude she gave him
would have been princely reward
IN itself
Il was some time after these events
that Kennedy, reeonstructing what
had happened, ran across. in a strange
way which / need not tire the reader
BY telling. a Doctor Haynes, head OF
The Hillside Sanitarium for Women,
whose story / shall relate substan-
tally as we received it from bis own
lips.
II must have been that same night a
distinguished visitor drove ur in cab
70 our Hillside sanitarium, rang the
bell and was admitted to my Office.
am. by the way, the experimenting
paysician. and that night was sitting
eth Doctor Thompson, my assistant,
s tAs once discussing 3 rather inter