The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-04-01

that window, which he had opened. A
moment he hesitated, seeing Elaine
asleep. Then he tiptoed over TO the
bed. let US say, and for a moment
looked at her. sleeping.
A second later he had thrust his
hand into his pocket and had taken out
a small glass bulb with a long thin
neck. That was ethyl chloride-a
drug which produces a quick anesthe-
STA. But II lasts only a minute or two.
That was enough. As he broke the
glass neck OF the buib-letting the
pieces fall on the floor near the bed
he showed the thing under Elaine's
face. turning his own head away and
holding q handkerchief over his own
nose. The mere heat OF his hand Is
enough to cause the ethyl chloride TO
spray out and overcome her instantly.
He steps away from her a moment and
replaces the now empty vial In his
pocket.
Then he took a box from his pocket,
opened II. There must have been q
syringe and q bottle OF scopolamin.
Where they came from ] do not know.
but perhaps from some hospital. |
shall have to find that out later. lie
went TO Elaine, quickly jabbing the
needle, with no resistance from her
nov. Slowly he replaced the bottle
and the needle in his pocket He
could not have been In any hurry now.
for II takes time for the drug to
work"
Kennedy paused. Had we known at
the time, Michael-he OF a sinister
face-must have been In the hallway
that night, careful that no one saw
him. A tap at the door and the
"Clutchlng Hand must have beckoned
him. A moments parley and they sep.
arated-"Clutching Hand" going back
to Elaine. who vas now under the in.
tluence OF the second drug.
Our criminal" resumed Kennedy
t~houghtfully. may have shaken
Elaine. She did not answer. Then he
may have partly revived her. She
must have been startled. 'Clutching
Hand. perhaps. was half crouchlng.
with a big ugly blue steel revolver
icNticu iuI III HsT race
lone word and ! shoot he pro3-
ably cried. Get up!'
Trembling, she must have done so.
Your slippers and a kimono.' he
would naturally have ordered. She
put them on mechanically. Then he
must have ordered her to 60 out OF
the door and down the stairs. Clutch.
ing Hand must have followed. and as
he did so he would have cautiously put
out the lights"
We were following. s~pellbound. Ken.
nedy's graphic reconstruction OF what
must have happened. Evidently he
had struck close to the truth. Elaine's
eyes were closed. Gently Kennedy led
her along. Now. Miss Dodge" he en-
couraged. ~"try-try hard to recollec,
just what It was that happened last
night-everything."
As Kennedy paused after his quick
recital. she seemed to tremble all over.
Slowly she began to speak. We stood
awestruck. Kennedy had been right!
The girl was now living over again
those minutes that had been forgot.
ten blotted out by the drug.
And 1t was all real to her, too-ter.
ribly real. She was speaking, plainly
In terror.
II see a man-oh, such a figure
with a mask lie holds a gun In my
face--he threatens me. ] put on my
kimono and slippers, az he tells me.
| am In a daze. | know what ] am
doing-and | don't know | go out
with him. downstairs. into the library
Elaine ~shuddered again at the recol.
lection Ugh! The room is DIRK,
the room whore he killed my father
Moonlight outside stream in. This
masked man and | come in. lie
switches on the lights.
Go to the safe, he says. and ]
do 1.-THE new safe, you know. DO
you know the combination he asks
me. Yes. | reply, too frightened to
say no.
"'Open It then he says. waving that
awful revolver closer. ! do SO. Hast
lily he rummages through Il. throwing
papers here and there. Hut he seems
not to find what he is after and turns
away, swearing fearfully.
Hang IT, he cries at me-. Where
else did your father keep papers?
point In desperation at the desk. He
takes one last look at the safe. shoves
all the papers he has strewn on the
floor back again and slams the safe
shut.
"'Now, come on. he says. indicating
with the u that he wants me to fol.
low him away from the safe. At the
desk he repeats the search. But he
finds nothing. Almost think he Is
about TO kill me. Where else did your
father keep papers?' he Kisses hercely.
still threatening me with the gun.
Il am too frightened to speak. But
at last ! am able to say. IL don't
know!' Again he threatens me. AS
God is my judge | cry. I don't know.
II is fearful. VIII he shoot me?
"Thank heaven! Al last he believes
me, hut such a look OF foiled fury |
have nnya1 aann nm anu hunnan Sa..