The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-04-14

YES" she reasserted quickly. "Ex-
cuse me a second"
She answered the call. "Oh-why
yes, he's here. Do you want to speak
to him? Mr.. Jameson, it's the Star"
"Confound it," / exclaimed, isn't
that like the old man-dragging me of
this story before it's half finished in
order to get another. I'll have to go.
I'll get this story from you, Craig"
The day before, in the suburban
house, the Clutching Hand had been
talking to two of his emissaries, an at
tractive young woman and a man.
They were F'lirty Florrie and Dan
the Dude.
Now, l want you to get Kennedy"
he said. 1.-THE way to do it is to sep
arate Kennedy and Elaine-see?"
"All right. Chief, we'll do it," they
replied
Clutching Hand had scarcely left
when F1irty F1orrie began by getting
published in the papers the story
which / had seen.
The next day she called me up from
the suburban house. t-aving got me
to promise to see her, she had scarce
ly turned from the telephone when
Dan the Dude walked in from the next
room.
He's coming" she said.
Dan was carrying a huge stag head
with a beautifully branched pair of
antlers. Under his arm was a coil of
wire which he had connected to the
inside of the head.
Fine" he exclaimed. Then, point
ing to the head, he added, Its all
ready. See how fixed it? That ought
to please the Chief.
Dan moved quickly to the mantel
and mounted a stepladder there by
which he had taken down the head,
and started to replace the head above
the mantel.
He hooked the head on a nail.
There" he said, unscrewing one of
the beautiful brown glass eyes of the
stag.
Back of it could be seen a camera
shutter.
Zone of those new quick shutter
cameras" he explained.
Then he ran a couple of wires along
the molding around the room and into
a closet, where he made the connec-
ton with a sort of switchboard on
which a button was marked, SHUT
| TER" and the switch, WIND FILM"
Now, Flirty," he said, coming out
of the closet and pulling up the shade
which let a food of sunlight into the
room, you see, 1 want you to stand
here-then, do your little trick"
Just then the bell rang.
THAT must be Jameson" she cried.
'Now-get to your corner"
With a last look Dan went into the
closet and shut the door.
| Perhaps half an hour later Clutching
Hand himself called me up on the
telephone. 1t was he-not the Star
as l learned only too late.
|
l had scarcely got out of the house.
as Craig told me afterwards, when
Flirty Florrie told all over again the
ear.
Kennedy said nothing, but listened
! intently, perhaps betraying in his face
the skepticism he felt.
You see," she said, still voluble and
eager to convince him, 81 was only
walking on the street. Here-let me
show you. 1t was just like this
She took his arm and, before he
knew, it, led him to the spot on the
floor near the window which Dan had
indicated. Meanwhile Dan was lis
| tening attentively in his closet.
Newsstand there. You are just
as l was-only l didn't expect any
thing"
She was pantomiming some one ap
preaching stealthily while Kennedy
watched her with interest, tinged with
doubt. Behind Craig in his closet
Dan was reaching for the switchboard
button.
You see," she said advancing
quickly and acting her words, che
placed his hands on my shoulders
so-then threw his arms about my
neck-soi"
She said no more, but imprinted g
deep, passionate kiss on Kennedy's
mouth, clinging closely to him. Be
fore Kennedy could draw away, Oar
in the closet, had pressed the but
ton and the switch several times il
|
"Th-that's very realistic" gasped
Craig, good deal taken aback by the
sudden osculatory assault.
He frowned.
"I-I1l look into the case" he said
backing away. "There-there may b.
some scientific xplanation-but-
err
He was plainly embarrassed 1nC
fastened to make his adieux.
How little impression the thinl
made on Kennedy can be easily seel
from the fact that on the way down
town that afternoon he stopped a
Martins, on Fifth avenue, and bough
! a ring-a very handsome solitaire, tn
finest Martin had in the shop.
1t must have been about the tim
that he decided to stop at Martin
that the Dodge butler, Jennings, a6
mitted a young lady who presented
card on which was engraved tn
! name
Miss Florence Leigh,
20 Prospect Avenue.
, AS he handed Elaine the card, sh
looked up from the book she was read
ing and took it.
/ "All right, show her in. Jennings
I'll see her."
Elaine moved into the drawing room
Jennings springing forward to part tn
portieres for her and passing throug
the room quickly where Flirty Florri
sat waiting. Flirty Florrie rose an
stood gazing at Elaine, apparent
very much embarrassed, even afte