Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-31

knees and waist and literally crumple
down. on his face.
We ran 20 him. Craig turned him over
gently on his back and examined him,
most pulseless
Quickly Craig tore off his collar and
barred his breast. for the man seemed to
be struggling for breath. As he did so,
he drew from Michaels throat, a small,
sharp-pointed dart.
whats that?" calculated, horror
stricken.
"A poisoned blow-gun dart. such as is
used by the South American Indians on
the upper Orinoco." he said slowly,
He examined 1t carefully.
What is the poison?' I asked.
Curari." he replied simply" It acts
on the respiratory muscles. paralyzing
them. and causing ssphyxiation."
The dart seemed to have been made of
quill with a very sharp point, hollow
and containing the deadly poison in the
sharpened end.
Look outr' I cautioned, as he
handled It.
"oh, that all right" answered casually.
IF don't scratch myself. am safe
enough. could swallow the stuff
and II wouldn't hurt me-unless had an
abrasion OF the lips or some internal cut"
Kennedy continued 20 examine the 6art
until suddenly heard low exclamation
OF surprise from him. Inside the hollow
quill was a thin sheet OF tissue paper,
tightly rolled. He drew It out and read:
To know me is DEATH.
Kennedy-Take warning.
Underneath was the inevitable Clutch
ing Hand sign. y
We jumped to our feet. Kennedy
rushed to the window and slammed It
shut, while l seized the key from Mich
ael's pocket. opened the door and called
for help.
A moment before, on the roof Of build
ing, across the street, one might have
seen a bent, skulking figure. His face
was copper colored and on his head was
a thick thatch OF matted hair. He looked
like a South American Indian, in a very
dllapidated suit Of cast-off American
clothes.
He had slipped out through a doorway
leading TO a flight of steps from the roof
to the hallway OF the tenement. His fatal
dart sent on its unerring mission with a
precision born Of long years in the South
American jungle, he concealed the deadly
blow-gun in his breast pocket with a
cruel smile. and. like one Of his native
venomous serpents, wormed his way down
the stairs again.
My outcry brought a vertiable battalion
OF aid. The hotel proprietor. the negro
waiter and several others dashed upstairs,
followed shortly by q portly policeman,
putting at the exertion.
whats the matter here7' he painted.
''Ye're all under arrest!''
Kennedy quietly pulled out his card
case and taking the policeman aside
showed Il to him.
I'VE had an appointment to meet this
man in that Clutching Hand case. you
know lie is Miss Dodge's footman,"
Craig explained.
Then he took the policeman into his
confidence, showing him the dart and ex-
planning about the poison. The officer
stared blankly
II must get away, too" hurried on
Craig. Officer, will leave you to take
charge here. You can depend on me for
the inquest"
The officer nodded.
Come on, Walter whispered Craig
eager to get away, then adding the one
word. "Elaine!"
followed hastily. not slow TO UNDER
stand his fear for her.
Nor were Craig's fears groundlessS In
spite OF all that could be done for her.
Elaine was still in bed. much weaker now
than before. While we had been gone,
DR.. Hayward. Aunt Josephine and Marie
were distracted,
More than that, the Clutching Hand had
not neglected the opportunity. either.
Suddenly. just before our return, a
stone had come hurting through the win
dow. without warning OF any kind, and
had landed on Elaine's bed.
Below. as we learned some time after
wards, car had drawn. up hastily and
the evil-faced crook whom the Clutching
Hand had used TO rid himself OF the in
former, "Limpy Red" had leaped Vt and
hastily hurled the stone through the win
dow, as quickly leaping back into the car
and whisking away.
Elaine had screamed. All had reached
for the stone, But she had been the first
to seize IL and discover that around II
was wrapped a piece Of paDer on which