The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-06-17
BY ARTHUR b. REEVE
TIE Well X NJ on Nossiisf and the
Cssssor sf me "Csoir Kennedy" Stories

/ WI NHt N'NfHNNbAlo NlNIluuN MY tAIlh-
nation or apology.
"Why-ho rang on" she exclaimed
angrily to herself. M she hung up the
receiver and left tho room.
In tho center Of n devious and wind.
ing way. quito unknown To Nil except
thoso who knew the innermost secrets
of the Chinese quarter. and even un.
known 10 the police. there was n dlngy
tenement house. apparently Inhabited
by hard working Cinnamon. but In re-
ality tho headquarters OF tho notori.
M devil worshipers. n sect OF satan.
ists. banned even In tho Celestial EN-.
pire.
The followers Of the cult comprised
some Of the most dangerous Chinese
criminals, thugs and assasslns. be.
sides n number OF dangerous charac.
tors who belonged 10 various Chinese
secret societies. At the head of this
formidable organization was Long Sin.
the high priest OF the devil god. and
Joined forces with the notorious
Clutching Hand.
The room In which the uncanny rites
OF tho devil worshipers we're conduct.
cd was n large apartment decorated in
Chinese style. with highly colored por.
traits of some Of the devil dcities and
costly silkcn hangings. Reside n large
dais depended n huge Chinese gong.
On the dais itself stood. or rather
sat. nm ugly figure covered with some
sort of metallic plating. II almost
seemed Co be the mummy NJ u China
man covered with gold leaf.
Into this room came Long Sin at-
tired In an elaborate silkcn robe, He
advanced and kotowed before the
dais with It's strange figure. and laid
down an offering before II.
This performance was witnessed by
twenty or thirty Cinnamon who knelt
In the rear " the room.
~ the Same time nm aged Chinaman
carrying n prayer wheel entered the
place and. after prostrating himself
%dcvoutly. placed the machine on n
sort OF low stool or tabourette and
began turning Il slowly. m~uttering,
A few moments later Long sin. who
had been bowling before the metallic
figure in deepest reverence. suddenly
sprang to his feet. His glazed eye and
excited manner indicated that he had
received q message from the lips OF
tho strange god,
The worshipcrs who had FRUSTRATED
themselves. In awe NJ the sight OF their
high priest I'm the unholy frenzy. al
rose 10 their feet and crowded for
ward.
Long SIN struck several blows or
the ~rcsouuding gong and then raised
hts voice in solemn ones,
"Ksiug Chau. the Terrible. demand:
a consort. She Is TO be foreigu-faii
pt face and with golden hair"
At the same time, In n room Of IN,
adjoining house. the Clutching HanC
himself was busily engaged in max
ing the most elaborate preparations
for some nefarious scheme which hi
fertile mind had evolved,
The room had been fitted UP as I,
mediums seauce parlor.
Two Of the Clutching Hands mos
trusted c~onfcderates and a hard.faceS
woman 81 middle age. dressed In plaiI
black. were putting the finishing
touches To this apartment. when theii
chief entered
Cluiching Hand gazed about thu
room. now and then giNing an orde
or two 10 make more effective tn,
setting for the purpose which he ha.
In mind,
Finally he nodded IN approval an'
stepped over 20 the fireplace wher
logs were burning brightly In a grate
Pressing a spring In the mantelpiece
the master criminal effected an instan
transformation The logs in the tire
place, stu burning, disappeared immC
diately through the bottom Of the bricl
films and a metal sheet covered then
, An aperture opened at the back. as /
by magic,
Though this opening ClutehinI
Hand made his way quickly and 81:
appeared.
: Emerging on the other side Of IN
RcSeAiAA HTtpaaCes NlutCAluk rhb
pushed aside a curtain which barre
, the way ami looked into the Chimes
I temple, taking up a position benin
the metallic figure on the dais,
|. The Cinnamon had BY this time AZ
/ ished their devotions. II such the
a might be called. and the last one VA
h leaving. while Ions sin stood alon
on the dAis.
The noise OF the departing satAnist
had scarcely died away when Clutcl
o iEg Hand stepped cot.
Q Follow me" he ordered hoarsel!
.. seiHine Long sin by the arm and lea,
ing him away,
y They passed through the passag,
T. way Of the fireplace and. having q
tered thes eance room. Claiehlng Han
began briefly explaining the purvos
$. 81 the preparations that had bee
d made Long sin wagsed his head
n voluble approval
Elaine Nas standing IN the lhrSi