The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1915-04-30

watched Benefits astounding meta
morphosis, he ran to the door leading
to the outer Office and hastily locked
that also.
Then, with his eyes cleaning with
rage and his hands working in murder
GUS frenzy, he crouchcd nearer and
nearer, toward Elaine.
She shrank back, screaming again
and again in terror.
| He was the Clutching Hand
In spite of closed doors we could
now plainly hear Elaine's shrieks.
Craig, the secretary and myself made
a rush for the door to Bennett's pri-
yate Office. Finding 1t locked, we be-
gan TO batter 1t.
BY this time, however, Bennett had
hurled himself upon Elaine and was
slowly choking her
| Kennedy found that 1t was impos-
sible to batter down the door In time
by any ordinary means. Quickly he
seized the typewriter and hurled it
through the panels. Then he thrust
his hand through the opening and
turned the catch
AS we flung ourselves into the room
| Bennett rushed into closet In a cor
ner, slamming the door behind him. II
was composed of sheet iron, and effec-
tually prevented anyone from break
ing through Kennedy and tried vain
ly, however, to pry 1t open.
While we were thus endeavoring to
force an entrance Bennett, in sort
of closet, had put on the coat, hat
and mask which he invariably wore
in the character OF the Clutching
Hand. Then he cautiously opened a
secret door in the back of the closet
and slowly made an exit.
Meanwhile the secretary had been
doing his best to revive Elaine, who
was on the floor, historical and half
unconscious from the terrible shock
she had experienced.
| Intent on discovering Benefits
whereabouts, Kennedy and examined
the wall of the office, thinking there
might be some button or secret spring
which would open the closet door.
| While we were doing so the door
| of large safe in the secretarys Of
fee gradually opened, and the Clutch
ing Hand emerged from 1t, stepping
carefully toward the door leading to
the outer office, intent on escaping IN
| that direction.
At that moment l caught sight oil
him, and leaping into the secretary
office, drew my revolver and ordered
him to throw up his hands. He obeyed.
Holding up both hands, he slowly
drew near the door to his private OF
fee.
Suddenly he dropped one hand and
pressed hidden spring in the wall
Instantly heavy iron door shot out
and closed over the wooden door. En-
trance to the private office was abso
lutely cut off.
With an angry snarl the Clutchine
Hand leaped at me.
AS he did so fired twice.
He staggered back.
The shots were heard by Kennel!
and Elaine as well as the secretary
and at the same instant they discov
cred the iron door which barred the
entrance to the secretary's office.
Rushing into the outer office they
found the clerks excitedly attempting
to open the door of the secretary'i
office, which was locked. Kennel.
drew a revolver and shot through thu
lock, bursting open the door.
They rushed into the room.
ClutchIng Hand was apparently seat
ed in a chair at desk, his face bur
led in his arms, while I was appar
emily disappearing through the door
Kennedy and the clerks pounce
upon the figure in the chair and tor
off his mark, To their astonishmen
, they discovered it was myself!
NV shots had missed, and Clutchin
Hand had leaped on me with mac
: dened fury.
, Dressed in my coat and hat, whic
/ he had deftly removed after overpoW
ering me, Clutching Hand had by TIL
: time climbed through the window @
: the outer office and was making hi
, way down the fire escape to the street
n He reached the foot of the iron steps
| leapcd off and ran quickly away
Shouting few directions to the SCI
a rotary, the clerks and Elaine, Kennel
climbed through the window and dar
|. ed down the fire escape in swift pu
a suit.
! The Clutching Hand, however, mai
. aged to elude capture again.
q While these exciting events wer
: occurring in Benefits office som
queer doings were in progress in tn
n heart Of Chinatown.
: Deep underground, in one of tn
catacombs known only to the inne
!. most members of the Chinese secr'
h societies, was Tong Wah, popularl
/ known as ''the hider." engaged
i. some mysterious work.
Before him were eight odd-shape
4 Chinese walls, and from these he We
t carefully measuring certain propo
d tions, as If connecting some powerf'
Z potion.
He stepped back and looked arour
/, suspiciously as he suddenly heal