The Springdale news., 1915-03-12
FIFTH EPISODE
The Poisoned Room.

CT during the next few days. Some how or other, it seemed that the chase of the Clutehing Hand involved long conferences in the Dodge library and even, in fact, extended to excursions into the notoriously crime-infested neighborhood of Riverside drive, with It's fashionable procession of automo. piles and go-carts-as far north, in- deed, as that desperate haunt known as Grants tomb
 But to return to the more serious side of the affair
 Kennedy and Elaine had scarcely come out of the house and descended the steps, one afternoon, when a sinis- ter face appeared in a basement area way near by.
 It was the Clutehing Hand
 He wore telephone inspectors hat and coat and carried bag slung by a strap over his shoulder. For once he had left off his mask, but. in place of it, his face was covered by a seraggy black beard. The disguise was effec- tive
 He saw Kennedy and Miss Dodge and slunk unobtrusively against a railing, with his head turned away. Laughing and chatting. they passed
 Then he turned in the other diree. tion and, going up the steps of the Dodge house, rang the bell.
 Telephone inspector he said in loud tone as Michael, in Jennings place for the afternoon. opened the door.
 He accompanied the words with the sign. and Michael admitted him
 As it happened, Aunt Josephine was upstairs in Elaines room She was fixing flowers in a vase on the dress ing table of her idolized niece Mean. while. Rusty, the collie. lay half blink ing, on the floor.
 Who is this?" she asked, as Mi chael led the bogus telephone inspec- tor into the room.
 "A man from the telephone com. pany." he answered deferentially
 Aunt Josephine. unsophisticated, all lowed them to enter without a further question
 Quickly, like good workman, Clutching Hand went to the telephone instrument and by dint of keeping his finger on the hook and his back to Aunt Josephine succeeded in convey. ing the illusion that he was examining it
 No sooner was the door shut than the Clutching Hand hastily opened his bag and from it drew a small powder spraying outfit, such as l have seen used for spraying bug powder lie then took out sort of muzzle with an elastic band on it and slipped It over his head so that the muzzle pro- tected his nose and mouth.
 He seemed to work a sort of pump ing attachment and from the nozzle o1 the spraying instrument blew out cloud of powder which he directed at the wall.
 Meanwhile, Michael, in the hallway, on guard to see that no one bothered the Clutching Hand at his work, was overcome by curiosity to see what ms master was doing He opened the door a little bit and gazed stealthlly through the crack into the room.
 Clutching Hand was now spraying the rug close to the dressing table ot Elaine and was standing near the mir Tor. He stopped down to examine the rug. Then. as he raised his head, he happened to look into the mirror In it he could see the full reflection of behind him, gazing into the room
 The scoundrel!" muttered Clutch. ing Hand, with repressed fury at the discovery.
 He rose quickly and shut off the spraying instrument, stuffing It Into the bag. He took a step or two toward E the door Michael drew back, fear fully, pretending now to be on guard, E
 Clutching Hand opened the door and. still wearing the muzzle, beck E oned to Michael Michael could scarcely control his fears. But he obeyed, entering Elaine's room after the Clutching Hand. who locked the door
 Were you watching me-" demand. ed the master criminal, with rage.
 Michael. trembling all over. shoof his head. For a moment Clutchine Hand looked him over disdainfully at the clumsy lie.
 Then he brutally struck Michael iH the face, knocking him down. An uD