The Springdale news., 1915-05-07
THlRTEENTH EPISODE
THE DEVIL WoRs4fpERs.

 room with Aunt Josephine one after noon, when her lawyer, Perry Ben nett. dropped in unexpectedly.
 He had hardly greeted theu when the butler Jennings in h#s usual i'm. passive manner announced t6at Aunt Josephine was wanted 6@tha= tefe- phone
 No sooner were Elaine and Bennett alone than Elaine turning te hsm= ex- claimed
 Last night dreamed that father came 10 me and told ne that f I would give Hn Kennedy and a4t=ray trust in you would find the Clutch ing Hand don't know what 10 thzak Of 1t t.'
 Bennett. whah been listening h. teatly. moved over nearer to Eta#ae and bent over her.
 Elaine. hs said in q l7T tone. hts remarkable eyes locking straight zzt0 her own. .yon must know that love you Then give me The r=zh- ta Hs1- teet yoa. l. Ras your father dearest wish belle#eItha= He sHz#3 r.az=g Let meZshaEe your Gaazzss swear that sooner OF fatertaara MI be an end to the e1uteh5ag Haa5 Give ne your answer Elaine .ta urged. and make ne ths haHPIsst man in al the world
 Elaine listened aaa not H1sympa- thetlcaiiy Bennett continued to plead for her answer
 Wait a little uhlle-uaaI temor- row, she replied finally
 Let 1t be as you wish. then, agreed Bennett quietly
 He took her hand and kissed t pas sionately
 An instant later Aunt Josephine re turned Elaine. unstrung by what had happened. excused herself and went into the library
 Involuntartlg5 her mind travelled back over the rapid succession of events Of the past few weeks and the part that she had thought. It least. Kennedy had come to play n her life
 Then she thought of their recent misunderstanding Night there aot be some simple explanation of t, aft CT all, which she had missed What should she doa
 She solved the problem by taking up the telephone and asking for Ken nedy's number
 
 was chatting with CFaEs ta ais laboratory and. at the same time, was watching him h hIs experimental work Just as a call came co the teie- phone, he was pouring some altra- hydrochloric acid into test tube D complete reaction.
 The telephone tinkled aat he iaid down the bottle of acid ou his desk. while he moved a few steps to answer the call.
 Whoever the speaker was, Craig seemed deeply interes. |. and, not knowing who was talking on rhe wire, ] Was eager to learn whether i5 Vas anyone connected with the case ol the Clutching Hand
 Yes, this is NIT kenned2 heard Craig say.
 moved over toward hi1l 4ad 91is. pered eagerly Is there anything new"
 \ little impatient at being interrupt ed. Kennedy waved ne oif- It 9e' cured to me that he might need , pad and pencil to make note 7I some information. and l reached over the desk for them.
 AS I did SO my arm inadvertently struck the bottle of acid. knocking 1t over on the top of the desk It's eoh' tents streamed out saturating the teie- phone wires before could prevent Il. Tn trying to right the bottle 1iy itahd came in contact with the acid when burned ike liquid fire. and cried out in pain.
 Craig hastily laid down the re- ceiyer. seized me and rushed me to the back of the laboratory. where he drenched my hand with neutraliA- ing liquid
 He bound up the wounds caused bg the acid. which proved to be shshL after all. and then returned to the teie' phone
 n nj evident annoyance he dis. GOV I that fhe ae had burned throueh the wires and cut of all con neetioa
 
 At the other end of the line. Elaine was listening impatiently for re' spense to her first eager words Of in- quiry She was astonished to hnd.