The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1915-01-19

try. And nothing but this uncanny
hand to trace them by"
i The editor paused a moment, then
exclaimed; why, this fellow seems
to take a djaboIical-t might almost
Say elogioal--pleasure in crimes
/ Of violence, revenge, aVarice and self
protection. Sometimes it seems as If
he delights in the pure deYiltry of the
thing. Il is weird"
lie leaned over and spoke in a low,
tense tone. "t5transest Of all, the tip
has just come to US that Fletcher Hax-
worth, Sherhurne and all The rest Of
these wealthy men were insured in
the Consolidated Mutual Life Now,
| Jameson, want you to find Taylor
, Dodge, the president, and interview
| hisl. Get What You can, at any cost"
/ | had naturally thought first of Ken
/ needy, but there was ne time now to
call hin up and, besides, | must see
/ Dodge immediately,
! Dodge, | discovered over the tele.
/ phone, was not az home nor at any Of
the clubs to which he belonged Late
though it was concluded that he was
at his Office. No amount Of persuasion
could get me past the door, and
though | found out later and shall tea
soon what WAS going on there, | de-
tcrmincd, about niue o'clock, that the
best way to get at Dodge was to go to
his house on Fifth avenue, if | had
{ to camp on his front doorstep until
morning. The harder found the story
10 get the more | wanted it.
With some misgivngs about being
.admitted, I rang the bell Of the splen-
did. though not very modern, Dodge
residence. An English butler with u
nose that must have been his fortune,
opened the door and eravely informed
me that Mr. Dodge was not at home,
but was expected at any moment
Once in. was not going lightly to
give up that advantage. ! bethought
myself Of his daughter Elaine, one of
the most popular debutantes Of the
season, and sent in my card to her, on
chance of interesting her and seeing
her father, writing on the bottom Of
the card: would like to interview
Mr.. Dodge regarding Clutching Hand"
Summoning up what assurance
had which is sometimes considerable
| followed the butler down the hall as
he bore nay card. AS he opened the
! door OF the draWingroom, | caught a
vision Of slip of girl in evening
clothes
( Elaine Dodge was both the ingenue
and the athlete-the thoroughly mod
ern type of sirl-equally at home with
tennis and tango, table talk and tea.
Near her | recognized from his pic
lures Harry Bennett, the rising young
corporation lawyer. a mighty good
looking fellow, wich an affable, pleas
ing way about him, perhaps thirty five
years old or SO, but already prominent
and quite friendly with Dodge,
"Who is it, Jennings9" she asked
"a reporter, Miss Dodge" answered
The butler, glancing superciliously back
at me. And you know how your father
dislikes to see anyone here at the
house." he added deferentially to her
Miss Dodge" | pleaded, bowling as
If I had known them all my life, I've
been trying to find your father all the
evening. It's very important"
She looked up at me surprised and in
doubt whether to laugh or stamp her
pretty little foot in indignation at my
stupendous nerve.
She laughed you are very brave
Young man. she rippled with roguish
look at BENEFITS discontinue over the
( interruption of the tete-a-tete.
There was a note of seriousness in
It, too, that made me ask quickly,
! "Wby?"
/ The smile fitted from her face, and
| in its place came a frank earnest eX-
I preston, which later learned to like
and respect very much. My father has
declared he will eat the very next re-
j porter who tries to interview him
| Eere," she answered.
i / was about to prolons the waiting
time by some jolly about such a stun
ming girl not having by any possipil-
! ity such a cannibal of a parent, when
| the rattle of the changing gears of a
/
| limousine.
The big front door opened and
| Elaine flung herself in the arms OF an
elderly, stern-faced, gray-haired man.
Why, dad" she cried, where have
you been? l missed you so much at
dinner. I'll be SO glad when this ter
rible business gets cleared up, Tell
me. What is on your mind? What is
1t that worries you now?"
l noticed then that Dodge seemed
wrought up and bit unnerved, for he
sank rather heavily into a chair,
brushed his face with his handkerchief
and breathed heavily. Elaine lowered
over him solicitously, repeating her
question.
! With q mighty effort he seemed to
get himself together. He rose and
turned to Bennett.
Harry he exclaimed. I've got the
| Clutching Hand"