The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-05-04


cred into thousand bits.
A volley of shots whizzed past US,
and another. While one crook was
hastily stuffing the untold wealth Of |
jewels into a burlap bag the others
had drawn revolvers and were firing |
up through the hole in the floor des-
perately.
Look QUIT" cried someone behind
us before we could recover from our
first surprise and return the fire.
One Of the desperadoes had taken a
bomb from under his smock, lighted 1t
and thrown 1t up through the hole in
the floor.
1t sailed up over our heads and land
ed near our little group. on the floor,
the fuse sputtering ominously.
heard an exclamation Of fear from |
Elaine.
Kennedy had pushed his way past |
us and picked up the deadly internal
machine in his bare hands.
l watched him, fascinated. AS near
as he dared, he approached the hole in
the floor, still holding the thing OF at
arms length. Would he never throw
It?
He was coolly holding II, allowing
the fuse to burn down closer to the
explosion point.
It was now within less than an inch
of sure death.
Suddenly he raised It and hurled the
deadly thing down through the hole
We could hear the imprecations Of
the crooks as 1t struck the cellar floor.
| near them.
Leave the store-quick!" rang out
Kennedy's voice.
Down below the crooks were beat
ing a hasty retreat through secret
entrance which they had effected.
The bag! The bag!" we could
hear one Of them below.
THE bomb-runi" cried another
voice gruf1y.
The explosion that followed lifted
us fairly off our feet.
AS the smoke from the explosion
cleared away, Kennedy could be seen,
the first to run forward.
+ Meanwhile Martins detectives had
rushed down q flight OF back stairs
that led into a coal cellar. With coal
shovels and bars, anything they could
lay hands on, they attacked the door
that opened forward from the coal cell
lar into the front basement where
the robbers had been.
A moment Kennedy and Bennett
paused on the brink of the abyss
which the bomb had made. waiting for
the smoke to decrease. Then they
began to climb down cautiously over
the piled-up wreckage.
The explosion had set the basement
afire, but the fire had not gained much
Roadway by the time they reached the
| basement Quickly Kennedy ran to
the door into the coal cellar and
opened it.
From the other side Martin, fol-
lowed by the police and the detec-
| tives, burst In.
"Firel" cried one of the policemen,
leaping back to turn In an alarm from
the special apparatus upstairs.
All except Martin began beating out
the flames, using such weapons as
they already held In their hands to
batter down the door.
To Martin there was one thing para
mount-the jewels.
In the midst of the confusion, Elaine,
closely followed by her friend. Susie,
made her way fearlessly into the stifie
Of smoke down the stairs.
There are your Jewels, Mr.. Martin"
cried Kennedy, kicking the precious
burlap bag with his foot as II 1t had
been so much ordinary merchandise,
and turning toward what was in his
mind the most important thing at
stake-the direction taken by the
agents of the Clutching Hand
Thank heaveni" calculated Martin.
fairly bouncing on the bag and tearing
1t open. '"They didn't get away with
them-after ALL" he exclaimed. exam
lining the contents with satisfaction.
Events were moving rapidly.
The limousine had been standing IN
nocently enough at the curb near the
corner, with the taxicab close be-
hind It,
Less than ten minutes after they
had entered, three welldressed men
came out Of the vacant shop, appar-
emily from the tailor's above, and
climbed lefsurely into their car.
AS the last one entered. he half
turned to the taxicab driver. hiding
from passers-by the sign Of the Clutch
ing Hand, which the taxicab driver re-
turned in the same manner. Then the
big car whirled up the avenue.
All this we learned later from
street sweeper who was at work near
by.
Down below, while the police and
detectives we're putting out the fire,
Kennedy was examining the wall of
the cellar. looking for the spot where
the crooks had escaped.
"a secret doOrP' he exclaimed, as
he paused after tapping along the wall
. to determine its character. you can
see how the force Of the explosion has
loosened it"
Sure enough, when he pointed It out
to US, 1t was plainly visible. One Of
the detectives picked up crowbar and
others, still with the hastily selected
implements they had seized to fight
the fire, started in to pry It open.
AS 1t yielded Kennedy rushed his
way through; Elaine. always utterly
: fearless, followed Then the rest Of
us went through.
There seemed to be nothing, how
ever, that would help US in the cellar
next door, and Kennedy mounted the
steps Of stairway In the rear.
The stairway led to sort of store
room. full of barrels and boxes. but
otherwise characteristics When ar
rived Kennedy was gingerly holding
up the smocks which the crooks had
, worn.
"We're on the right trail" comment
ed Elaine as he showed them to her.
but where do you suppose the own
ers are7"
Craig shrugged hts shoulders and
gave a quick look about. Evidently
they came in from and went away by
! the street." he observed. hurrying to
the door. followed by Elaine.
On the sidewalk be gassd up the