The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-05-25

His telephone rang and he took
down the receiver.
Pitts Sims been wounded, badly,
chief" was all he waited to hear.
With scarcely word he hung up
the receiver, then opened a table
drawer and took out a full face mask.
Next he went to a nearby bookcase,
| pressed another secret spring, and a
panel opened. He passed through, the
mask adjusted.
Across in the larger outside study,
another panel opened and the Clutch
ing Hand, all crouched up, trans
formed. appeared. Without word he
advanced to the couch on which the
wounded crook lay and examined him.
How did it happen?" he asked at
length.
Miss Dodge shot him." answered
the others, with an automatic"
That Craig Kennedy must have
given it to her!" he exclaimed with
suppressed fury.
For moment the Clutching Hand
stopped to consider. Then he seized
the regular telephone.
Doctor Martini" he asked, as he got
the number he called.
Late as it was, the doctor, who was
a wellknown surgeon in that part Of
the country, answered from an ex-
tension of his telephone near his bed
The call was urgent, and apparently
from family which he did not feel
that he could neglect.
Doctor Martin was a middle-aged
man. one of those medical men on
whose judgment one instinctively re-
lies.
1t was only matter of minutes be-
fore the doctor was speeding over the
now deserted suburban roads, appar-
emily on an errand of mercy.
At the address that had been
! given him he drew up to the side of
the road, got out and ran up the steps
to the door. A ring at the bell
brought sleepy man to the door, in
his trousers and nightshirt
"How's the patient?' asked Doctor
Martin, eagerly.
Patient" repeated the man, rub
bling his eyes. There's no one sick
here"
Slowly it dawned on the doctor that
it was a false alarm, and that he
must be the victim of some practical
joke.
We'll, that's a great note" he
growled, as the man shut the door.
He descended the steps, muttering
harsh language at some unknown
trickster. AS he climbed back into
his machine and made ready to start
two men seemed to rise before him
as If from nowhere.
AS a matter of fact they had been
sent there by the Clutching Hand, and
were hiding in nearby cellarway un-
til their chance came.
One man stood on the running
board, on either side OF him, and two
guns yawned menacingly at him.
Drive ahead that way!" muttered
one man, seating himself in the run
about with his gun close to the doc
tors ribs.
The other kept his place on the rum
ming board and on they drove in the
direction Of the mysterious. dark
house. Half mile. perhaps. down
the road, they halted and left the car
beside the walk.
Doctor Martin was too surprised to
marvel at anything now. and he real
lied that he was in the power Of two
desperate men. Quickly they blind
folded him.
1t seemed an interminable walk, as
they led him about to confuse him. but
at last he could feel that they had
taken him into house and along
passageways, which they were making
unnecessarily long In order to de-
stroy all recollection that they could
Finally he knew that he was In a
room in which others were present.
A moment later he felt them remove
the bandage from his eyes, and, blink
ing at the light, he could see a hard
faced fellow, pale and weak, on a
blood-stained couch. Over him bent
a masked man and another man stood
near by endeavoring by improvised
bandages to stop the flow of blood
What can you do for this felloww
asked the masked man.
Doctor Martin. seeing nothing else
| to do, for he was more than outnum-
bered now, bent down and examined
! him.
AS he rose, he said, "He will be
| dead from loss of blood by morning,
no matter If he is properly bandaged."
els there nothing that can save
him?" whispered the Clutching Hand
hoarsely.
blood TRANSMISSION might save him."
replied the doctor. But so much blood
would be needed that whoever gives
it would be liable to die himself"
Clutching Hand stood silent a mo
ment, thinking, as he gazed at the
man who had been one of his chief
reliance. Then, with a menacing ges-
ture. he spoke in low. bitter tone:
"She who shot him shall supply the
blood"
/ A few quick directions followed to
his subordinates, and as he made
ready to go he muttered. Keep the
doctor here. Don't let him stir from
the ROOM"
1t was just before early daybreak
when the Clutching Hand and his con-
federate reached the Dodge house in
the city and came up to the back door,
over the fences. As they stood there
the Clutching Hand produced mas
ter key and started to open the door.
But before he did so he took out his
watch.
Let me see," he ruminated. "Twen-
ty minutes past 4. At exactly half
past ! want you to do as tGsd you
seer"
The other crook nodded.
"You may co. ordered the Clutch
ing Hand.
AS the crook skunk away Clutching
Hand stealthily let himself into the
house Noiselessly he prowled through
the halls until he came to Elaine's
doorway.
He gave hasty look up and down
the hall. There was no sound. Quickly
he took syringe from his pocket and
bent down by the door. Inserting the
end under it, he squirted some liquid
through. which vaporized rapidly In a
wide, fine stream OF spray. Before he
could give an alarm Rusty was over
come by the noxious fumes. rolled
over on his back and lay STILL