The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-03-04

end?"
WELL" Elaine laughed, little nerv-
ously, now that it was all over. II
want you all to go to bed and stop
worrying about me- Don't you see
I'm perfectly able to take care of my
self? Besides, there isn't a chance
now of the burglar coming back. Why,
l shot him."
YES" put in Aunt Josephine, but
Elaine laughingly interrupted her
and playfully made as though she
were driving them out of her room.
RUSTY" she called. Down, there!"
The intelligent collie seemed to un-
derstand. He lay down by the door
way, his nose close to the bottom Of
the door, and his ears alert.
Finally Elaine, too. retired again.
Meanwhile the wounded man was
being hurried to one of the hangouts of
the mysterious Clutching Hand.
The car containing the wounded
pitts Slim" drew up, and the other
two men leaped out of il: With hur-
RED glance about they unlocked the
front doc: with a pass key and en-.
tered, carrying the man.
Indoors was another emissary of the
Clutching Hand, rather studious-
looking chap.
why, what's the natter" he ex.
claimed as the crooks entered his room
supporting their half-fainting, wounded
pal
Slim got couple of pills." they
painted as they laid him on a couch.
How" demanded the other.
Trying to get into the Dodge house.
| Elaine did it,
! Slim was, quite evidently, badly
wounded and was bleeding profusely
A glance at him was enough for the
misunderstanding chap. He went to a
secret panel and, pressing it down,
took out what was apparently a secret
house telephone.
In another part of this mysterious
house was the secret room of the
Clutching Hand himself, where he hid
his identity from even his most trust
ed followers.
His telephone rang and he took
down the receiver
pitts Sims been wounded. badly,
Chief" was all he waited to hear.
With scarcely word he hung up
the receiver, then opened table
drawer and took out full face mask
Next he went to nearby bookcase.
pressed another secret spring, and a
al III h.
mask adjusted.
Across. in the larger outside study,
another panel opened, and the Clutch
ing Hand, all crouched up, trans,
formed, appeared. Without word he
advanced to the couch on which the
wounded crook lay, and examined him
How did it happen?" he asked at
length.
Miss Dodge shot him." answered
the others. with an automatic"
THAT Craig Kennedy must have
given it to her." he exclaimed with
suppressed fury.
For moment the Clutching Hand
stopped to consider. Then he seized
the regular telephone
Doctor MARTINI he asked, as he go
the number he called.
Late as it was, the doctor, who was
4 well known surgeon in that part OF
the country, answered from an OK
tension of his telephone near his bed
The call was urgent, and apparently
from family which he did not fee
that he could neglect
Doctor Martin was middle-age(
man, one of those medical men OF
whose judgment one instinctively re
lies.
1t was only a matter of minutes be
fore the doctor was speeding over the
now deserted suburban roads, appar
entity on an errand of mercy.
At the address that had beer
given him he drew up to the side OF
the road, got out and ran up the steps
to the door. A ring at the bell
brought a sleepy man to the door, in
his trousers and nightshirt.
"How's the patient?" asked Doctor
Martin, eagerly.
Patient" repeated the man. rub
hing his eyes. There's no one sich
here
Slowly it dawned on the doctor that
it was false alarm, and that he
must be the victim of some practica
joke.
Well, that's great note" he
growled. as the man shut the door.
He descended the steps, muttering
harsh language at some unknown
trickster AS he climbed back into
his machine and made ready to star
two men seemed to rise before hin
as If from nowhere.
AS matter of fact they had beer
sent there by the Clutching Hand. ant
were hiding in a nearby cellarway I'm
til their chance came
One man stood on the running
board, on either side of him, and two
guns yawned menacingly at him.
Drive ahead that way!" mutteret
one man, seating himself in the run
about with his gun close to the doc
tors ribs.