Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 120, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 May 1915 — The Exploits of Elaine [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Exploits of Elaine

A Detoctiv Novi and a Motion Picture Drama

By ARTHUR B. REEVE

Tire Wei-Known Novelist and the Creator of the “Craig Kennedy Stones Fretted in Collaboration With the Pathe Players and the Eclectic Film Company ivt*. w rt* Coa ‘>* ai AII

SYNOPSIS. The New York police are mystified by a aeries- pf murders and other crimes. The principal clue to the criminal is the warning letter which is sent the victims, signed with a “clutching hand." The latest victim of the mysterious assassin is Taylor Dodge, the insurance president. Hts daughter, Elaine, employs Craig Kennedy. the famous scientific detective, to try to unravel the mystery. What Kennedy accomplishes Is told by his friend Jameson, a newspaper man. Enraged at the determined effort which Elaine and Craig Kennedy are making to put an end to his crimes, the Clutching Hand, as thia strange criminal is known, resorts to all sorts of the most diabolical schemes to put them out of the way. Each chapter of the story tells of a new plot against their lives and of the way the great detective uses all his skill to save thia pretty girl and himself from death.

FOURTEENTH EPISODE THE RECKONING, Pacing up and down his den in the heart of Chinatown, Long Sin was thinking over his bargain with Kennedy to betray the infamous Clutching Hand. At length he seated himself on a teakwood table still deliberating over the promise he had been forced to make to Kennedy. Suddenly an idea seemed to strike him. Lifting a little hammer, he struck a Chinese gong on the table at his side. At the same time he leaned over and turned the knob at the side of a large roll-top desk. A few seconds later a sort of hatchway, covered by a rug on the floor. In one corner of the room, was slowly lifted and Long Sin’s secretary, a pale, cadaverous Chinaman, appeared from below. He stepped noiselessly into the room and shuffled across to Long Sin and handed him a letter. Long Sin scowled, as though something had Interfered with bls own plans, but tore open the envelope without a word, spreading out on his lap the sheet of paper it contained. The letter was a typewritten message, all in capitals, which read: “BE AT HEADQUARTERS AT 12. DESTROY THIS IMMEDIATELY.” At the bottom of the note appeared the sinister signature of Hand. « Bowing low again, the secretary shuffled across and down again through the hatchway, closing the door as he descended. Long Sin read the note once more, while his inscrutable face assumed an expression of malicious cunning. With an air of deliberation he reached for a match and struck it He had placed the paper in the flame when suddenly he seemed to change his mind. He hastily blew out the match, which had destroyed only a corner of the paper, then folded the note carefully and placed it in his pocket A few moments later, with a malignant chuckle. Long Sin rose slowly and left the room. Meanwhile the master criminal was busily engaged in putting the finishing touches to a final scheme of fiendish I ingenuity for the absolute destruction of Craig Kennedy. He had been at work in a small loom fitting up a sort of laboratory, fa the mysterious house which now served as his headquarters. I Clutching Hand, at a bench in one corner, had just completed an infernal machine of diabolical cunning, and , was wrapping it carefully in paper to make an Innocent package.

He vm interrupted by a knock at the door. Laying down the bomb he went to answer the summons with a stealthy movement There stood Long Bin, who had disguised himself as a Chinese laundryman. "On time —good!” growled Clutching Hand surlily as he closed the door with equal care. No time was wasted in useless formalities. “Thia is a bomb,” he went on, pointing to the package. ‘‘Carry it carefully. On no account let it slip, or you are a dead man. It must be in Kennedy’s laboratory before night Understand? Can you arrange it?” Teng Sin glanced at the dangerous package, then with an expressive look, replied, "Have no fear. I can do it. It will be in the laboratory within an hour. Trust me.” In Kennedy’s laboratory I was watching Craig make some experiments with a new X-ray apparatus. We were oblivious to the passage of time, and only a call oyer our speaking tube diverted our attention. I opened the door and a few seconds later Long Sin himself entered. Kennedy looked -up inquiringly as the Chinaman approached, holding out > package which he carried. "A bomb,” he said, in the most mat-ter-of-fact way. “I promised to have tt planed in your laboratory before night” Kennedy took the bomb and carefully placed it under the wonderful fays, then with the fluoroscope over his eyes studied the shadow cast by the rays on its sensitive screen. "It’s a bomb, sure enough,” Craig exclaimed, looking up from it at last fp me. “It’s timed by an ingenious

an 1 nviaeless little piece of clockwork, in there, too. And it’s powerful enough to blow us all, the laboratory Included, to kingdom come.” As he spoke, and before I could remonstrate with him, he took the infernal machine and placed it on a table where he set to work on the most delicate and dangerous piece of dissection of which I have ever heard. Carefully unwrapping the bomb and unscrewing one part while he held another firm, he finally took out of it a bottle of liquid and some powder. Then he placed a few grains of the powder on a dish and dropped on it a drop or two of th“ Ifm’M. There was a bright flash as the powder ignited Instantly.

"Just what I cxroctrd,” commented Kennedy with a nod, as he examined the clever workmanship of the bomb. One thing that Interested him was that part of the contents had been wrapped in paper to keep them in place. This paper he was now carefully examining with a microscope. As nearly as I could make it out, the paper contained part of a typewrlv ten cremical formula, which read: TINCTURE OF lODINE THREE PARTS OF He looked up from his study of the microscope to Long Sin. “Tell me just how it happened that you got this bomb,” he asked. Without hesitation the Chinaman re»cltdd the circumstances, beginning with the note by which he had been summoned. “A note?” repeated Kennedy, eagerly. “Was it typewritten?” Long Sin reached into his pocket and produced the note itself, which he had not burned. As Craig studied the typewritten message from the Clutching Hand I could see that he was growing more and more excited. “At last he has given us something typewritten,” he exclaimed. “To most people, I suppose, it seems that typewriting is the best way to conceal identity. But there are a thousand and one ways of identifying typewriting. “Look, Walter,”, he remarked at length, taking a fine tipped pencil and pointing at the distinguishing marks as he talked. “You will notice that all the ’T’s’ in this note are battered and faint as well as just a trifle out of alignment. Now I will place the paper from the bomb under the microscope and you will see that the ‘T’s in the scrap of formula have exactly the same appearance.” I strained my eyes to look. Sure enough, Kennedy was right. There was that unmistakable Identity between the T’s in the formula and the note. Kennedy had been gazing at the floor, his face puckered in thought as I looked. Suddenly he clapped his hands together, as if he had made a great discovery. “I’ve struck it!” he exclaimed, jumping up. “I was wondering where I had seen typewriting that reminds me of this. Walter, get on your coat and hat. We afe on the right trail at last.” With Long Sin we hurried out of the laboratory, leaving him at the nearest taxicab stand, where we jumped into a waiting car. “It is the clue of the battered *T’s,’ ” Craig muttered. Aunt Josephine was in the library knitting when the butler, Jennings, announced us. “Where is—Miss Dodge?” inquired Kennedy, with suppressed excitement as we entered. ‘T think she’s out shopping, and I don’t know just when she will be back,” answered Aunt Josephine, with some surprise. “Why? Is it anything Important —any news?” “Very important,” returned Kennedy excitedly. “I think I have the best clue yet. Only—it will be necessary to look through some of the household correspondence immediately to see whether there are certain letters. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had some —perhaps not very personal—but I must see .them.” Kennedy lost no time. He went to a desk where Elaine generally and quickly took out several typewritten letters. One after another he examined them closely, rejecting one after another, until finally he came to one that seemed to interest him. He separated it from the rest and fell to studying it, comparing it with the paper from the bomb and the note which Long Sin had received I from the Clutching Hand. Then he folded the letter so that the signa- ■ ture and the address could not be read by us. _ ' ■ - + A portion of the letter I recall read ■ something like this: "This Is his contention: Whereas, TRUTH Is the only goal and MATTER Is non-existent —* “Look at this, Walter,* remarked | Craig, with difficulty restraining him- | self. "What do you wake of it?” A glance at the typewriting was sufficient to show me that Kennedy had, indeed, made an important discovery. We stared at each other almost too dazed to speak.

At that moment we were startled by the sudden appearance of Elaine. She entered the room carrying in her arms a huge bunch of roses which she had evidently just received. The moment she saw Craig, however, she stopped short with a look of great surprise. Her keen eye had not missed the fact that several of her letters lay scattered over the top of the desk. “What are you doing with my letters, Mr. Kennedy?” she asked, in an astonished tone, evidently resenting the unceremoniousness with which he had apparently been overhauling her correspondence. As guardedly as possible, Kennedy met her inquiry, which I could not myself blame her for making. “I beg your pardon, Miss Dodge,” he said, “but a matter has just come up which necessitated merely a cursory examination of some purely formal letters which might have an important bearing on the discovery of the Clutching Hand. Your aunt had no idea where you were, nor when you might return, and the absolute necessity for haste in suqh an important matter Is my only excuse for examining a few minor letters without first obtaining your permission.” She said nothing. At another time such an explanation would have been Instantly accepted. Now, however, it was different. Kennedy read the look on her face and an Instant later turned to Aunt Josephine and myself. “I would very much appreciate a chance to say a few words to Miss

Dodge alone,” he intimated. “I have had no such opportunity for some time. If you would be so kind as to leave ,us in the library—for a few minutes—” He did not finish the sentence. Aunt Josephine had already begun to withdraw and I followed. For a moment or two Craig and Elaine looked at each other, neither sayiilg a word, each wondering just what was in the other’s mind. * Craig cleared his throat, the obvious manner of covering up his emotion. “Elaine,” he said at length, dropping the recent return to “Miss Dodge,” for the moment, “Elaine, is there any truth in this morning’s newspaper report of —of you?” She had dropped her eyes. But he persisted, taking a newspaper clipping from his pocket and handing it to her. Her hand trembled as she glanced over the item: SOCIETY NOTES. Dame Rumor is connecting the name of Miss Elaine Dodge, the heiress, with that of Perry Bennett, the famous young lawyer. The announcement of an engagement between them at any time would not surprise.

Elaine read no farther. She handed back the clipping to Kennedy. As her eyes met his she noticed his expression of deep concern, and hesitated with the reply she had evidently been just about to make. Still, as she lowered her head, it seemed to give silent confirmation to the truth of the newspaper report. Kennedy said nothing, but his eyes continued to study her face. He suppressed his feelings with a great effort then, without a word, bowed and left the room. “Walter,” he exclaimed as he rejoined us in the drawing room, where I was chatting with Aunt Josephine, “we must be oft again. The trail follows still farther.” An hour, or so later, Elaine, whose mind was now in a whirl from what had happened, decided to make a call on her lawyer and the confidant of her father, Perry Bennett As Elaine entered his private office,' Bennett rose to greet her effusively and' they exchanged a few words. ‘T mustn’t forget to thank you for those lovely roses you sent me,” she exclaimed at length. “They were beautiful, and I appreciated ever ao much.” ,i A moment later Bennett led the conversation around until he found an opportunity to make a tactful allusion to the report of their engagement in the morning papers. . He had leaned over, and now attempted to take her hand. She withdrew it, howeveV. There was something about his touch which, try as ghe might, she could not like. Was it more prejudice or was it her keen woman’s intuition? Bennett looked nt her a mopaent.

suppressing a momentary flash of anger that had reddened his face, and controlled himself as if by a superhuman effort. “I believe yqu really love that man Kennedy,” he exclaimed In a tone that was almost a hiss. "But I tell you, Elaine, he is all bluff. Why, he has been after that Clutching Hand now for three months —and what has he accomplished? Nothing!” He paused. Through Elaine’s mind there flashed the contrast with Kennedy’s even temper and deferential manner. Bennett, by another effort, seemed to grip his temper again. He paced up and down the room. Then he changed the subject abruptly, and the conversation was resumed with some constraint. While Elaine and Bennett were talking Kennedy and I had entered the ofi flee. Craig stopped the boy who was about to announce us and asked for Bennett’s secretary instead, much to my astonishment. The boy merely Indicated the door | of one of the other private offices, and we entered. j We found the secretary hard at work at the typewriter, copying a legal document. Without a word Kennedy at once locked the door. The secretary rose in surprise, but Craig paid no attention to him. Instead he calmly walked over to the machine and began to examine it. “Might I ask”—began the secretary. "You keep quiet,” ordered Kennedy, with a nod to me to watch the fellow.

“You are under arrest —and the less you say the better for you.” I shall never forget the Jook that crossed the secretary’s face. Was it the surprise of an ipnocent man? Taking the man’s place at the machine Kennedy removed the legal paper that was in it and put in a new sheet. Then he tapped out, as we watched: BE AT HEADQUARTERS AT 12. DESTROY THIS IMMEDIATELY. TINCTURE OF lODINE THREE PARTS OF This is his contention whereas TRUTH is the only goal and MATTER is nonexistent —

“Look, Walter,” he exclaimed as he drew out the paper from the machine. I bent over, and together we compared the T’s with those in the Clutching Hand letter, the paper from the bomb aqd the letter Craig had taken froqj Elaine’s desk. As Craig pointed out the resemblances with a pencil my amazement gradually changed Into comprehension and comprehension into conviction. The meaning of it all began to dawn on me. The writing was Identical. There were no differences! While we were locked in the secretary’s office Bennett and Elaine were continuing their chat on various social topics. Suddenly, however, with a glanee at the clock, Bennett told Elaine that he had an important letter to dictate and that it must go off at once. She said that she would excuse him a few minutes, and he pressed a button to call his secretary. Of course, the secretary did not appear. Bennett., left his office, with some annoyance, and went into the adjoining room, the door to which Kennedy had not locked. He hesitated a moment, then opened the door quietly. To his astonishment he saw* Kennedy, the secretary and myself apparently making a close examination of the typewriter. Gliding, ratfrier than walking back into his own office, he closed the door and locked it. Almost instantly fear and fury at the presence of his hated rival, Kennedy, turned Bennett, as it were, from the Jekyll of a polished lawyer and lover of Elaine into an insanely jealous and revengeful Mr. Hyde. The strain was more than his warped mind could bear. With a look of intense horror and loathing Elaine watched him slowly change from the composed, calm, intellectual Bennett she knew and respected into a repulsive, mad figure of a man. His stature even seemed to be altered. He seemed to shrivel up and become deformed. His face was terribly distorted, And bis long, sinewy hand slowly .twisted and bent until he became the personal embodiment of the Clutching Hand. _

As Elaine, transfixed with terror, watched Bennett’s astounding metamorphosis, he ran to the door leading to the outer office and hastily locked that also. Then, with his eyes gleaming with rage and his hands working In murderous frenxy, he crouched nearer and nearer, toward Elaine. She shrank back, screaming again and again lu terror. He was the Clutching Hand.

In spite of closed doors we could now plainly hear Elaine’s shrieks. Craig, the secretary and myself made a rush for the door to Bennett’s private office. Finding it locked, we began to batter IL By this time, however, Bennett had hurled himself upon Elaine and was slowly choking her. Kennedy found that it was Impossible to batter down the door In time by any ordinary means. Quickly he seized the typewriter and hurled It through the panels. Then he thrust his hand through the opening and turned the catch. As we flung ourselves Into the room Bennett rtfshed into a closet in a corner, slamming the door behind him. It was composed of sheet iron, and effectually prevented anyone from breaking through. Kennedy and I tried vainly, however, to pry It open. While we were thus endeavoring to force an entrance Bennett, in a sort of closet, had put on the coat, hat and mask which he Invariably wore In the character of the Clutching Hand. Then he cautiously opened a secret door In the back of the closet and slowly made an exit. Meanwhile the secretary had been doing his best to revive Elaine, who was on the floor, hysterical and half unconscious from the terrible shock she had experienced. Intent on discovering Bennett’s whereabouts, Kennedy and I examined the wall of the office, thinking there might be some button or secret spring which would open the closet door. While we were doing so the door of a large safe In the secretary’s office gradually opened, and the Clutching Hand emerged from It, stepping carefully toward the door leading to the outer office, Intent on escaping in that direction. At that moment I caught sight of him, and, leaping Into the secretary’s office, I drew my revolver and ordered him to throw up his hands. He obeyed. Holding up both hands, he slowly drew near the door to his private office. X Suddenly he dropped one hand and pressed a hidden spring In the wall, Instantly a heavy Iron door shot out and closed over the wooden door. Entrance to the private office was absolutely out off. With an angry snarl the Clutching Hand leaped at me. As he did so I fired twice. He staggered back.

The shots were heard by Kennedy and Elaine as well as the secretary, and at the same instant they discovered the iron door which barred the entrance to the secretary’s office. Rushing into the outer office they found the clerks excitedly attempting to open the door of the secretary s office, which was locked. Kennedy drew a revolver and shot through the lock, bursting open the door. They rushed into the room. Clutching Hand was apparently seated In a chair at a desk, his face burled in his arms, while I was apparently disappearing through the door. Kennedy and the clerks pounced upon the figure In the chair and tore off his mark. To their astonishment they discovered it was myself! My shots had missed, and Clutching Hand had leaped on me with maddened fury. Dressed In my coat and hat, which he had deftly removed after overpowering me, Clutching Hand had by this time climbed through the window of the outer office and was making his way down the fire escape to the streeL He reached the foot of the iron steps, leaped off and ran quickly away. Shouting a few directions to the secretary, the clerks and Elaine, Kennedy climbed through the window and darted down the fire escape in swift pursuit. The Clutching Hand, however, managed to elude capture again. While these exciting events were occurring in Bennett’s office some queer doings were In progress In the heart of Chinatown. Deep underground, In one of the catacombs known only to the Innermost members of the Chinese secret societies, was Tong Wah, popularly known as “the hider,” engaged in some mysterious work. , Before him were eight odd-shaped Chinese vials, and from these he was carefully measuring certain proportions, as if concocting some powerful potion. He stepped back and looked around suspiciously as he suddenly heard footsteps above. The next moment Long Sin, who had entered through a trap door, climbed down a long ladder and walked into the room. Approaching Tong Wah, he asked. “When will the death drink be ready?” “It is now prepared,” was the reply. A few minutes later the Clutching Hand drove up to Long Sin’s house in the taxicab and, after paying the chauffeur, went to the door and knocked sharply. In response to his knocking, Long Sin appeared on the threshold and motioned to Bennett to come in, evidently astonished to see him. As he entered, Bennett made a secret sign and said: “1 am the Clutching Hand. Kennedy is close on my trail, and I have come to be hidden.” In a tone which betrayed alarm

fear the Chinaman Intimated that he had no place in Bennett could be concealed with any degree of safety. For a moment Bennett glared savagely at Long Sin. “I possess hidden plunder worth seven million dollars," he pleaded quickly, “and If by your aid I can make a getaway, a seventh is yours." The Chinaman’s cupidity was clear* ly excited by Bennett’s offer, while thebare mention of the amount at stake was sufficient to overcome all his scruples. After exchanging a few words he finally agreed to aid the Clutching Hand. Opening a trap door In the floor of the room In which they were Branding, he led Bennett down a stepladder Into the subterranean chamber In Jvhich Tong Wah had so recently been preparing his mysterious potion. As Bennett sank Into a chair and passed his hands over his brow in utter weariness, Long Sin poured Into a cup some of the liquor of death which Tong Wah had mixed. He handed It to Bennett, who drank it eagerly. "How do you propose to help me to escape?” asked Bennett huskily. Without a word Long Sin wentjf to the wall, and, grasping one of the stones, pressed It back, opening a large receptacle, In which there were two glass coffins apparently containing two dead Chinamen. Pulling out the coffins, he pushed them before Bennett, who rose to his feet and gazed upon them with wonder. Long Sin broke the silence: "These men,” he said, “are not dead; but they have been in this condition for many months. It is what is called In your language suspended animation." “Is that what you intend to do with me?” asked Bennett, shrinking back In terror.

The Chinaman nodded in affirmation as he pushed back the coffins. Overcome by the horror of the Idea Bennett, with a groan, sank back into the chair, shaking his head as if to indicate that the plan was far too terrible to carry out. With a sinister smile and a shrug of his shoulders Long Sin pointed to the cup from which Bennett had drank. “But, dear master,” he remarked suavely, “you have already drank a full dose of the potion which causes Insensibility, and it is overcoming you. Even now,” he added, "you are too weak to rise.” With a malicious chuckle Long Sin moved closer to his victim and spoke again. “Divulge where your seven million dollars are hidden,” he suggested craftily, “and I will give you an antidote." By this time Bennett, who was becoming more rigid each moment, was unable to speak. Slowly, and after a desperate struggle, he managed to raise one hand and pointed to his breast pocket. The Chinaman instantly thrust in his hand and drew out a map. For some moments Long Sin examined the map intently, and, with a grin of satisfaction-, he placed it in his own pocket. Then he mixed what he declared was a sure antidote, and, pouring some of the liquor Into a cup, he held It to Bennett’s lips. As Bennett opened his mouth to drink it, Long Sin with a laugh slowly pulled the cup away and poured Its contents on the floor. By this time I was slowly recovering my senses In the secretary’s office, where Bennett had left me In the disguise of the Clutching Hand. Elaine, the secretary and the clerks were gathered around me, doing all they could to revive me. Meanwhile Kennedy had enlisted the aid of two detectives and was scouring the city for a trace of Bennett or the taxicab in which he had fled. Somehow, Kennedy suspected, instinctively, that Long Sin might give a clue to Bennett’s whereabouts, and a few moments later we were all on our way in a car to Long Sin’s house. we did not know it, Long Sin, at the moment when Kennedy knocked at his door, was feeling in his Inside pockqjt to see that the map he had taken from Bennett was perfectly ' safe. Finding that he had IL he smiled with his peculiar oriental guile. Then he opened the door and stood for a moment, silenL "Where is Bennett?” demanded Kennedy. Long Sin eyed us all, then, with a placid smile, said, “Follow me. I will show you.” There was Bennett, seated rigidly In . the chair beside the table, from which the vials and cups, about which we knew nothing, had been removed. "How did it happen?" asked Kennedy. "He came here," replied Long Sin, with a wave of his hand, “and before I could stop him he did away with himself.” "Well, we’ve got him,” mused Kennedy, shaking his head sadly, adding after a pause, “but he is dead." Elaine, who had followed us down, covered her eyes with her hands and was sobbing convulsively. I thought she would fainL but Kennedy led her gently away Into an upper room. As he placed her in an easy chair, he bent over her, soothingly. “Did you—did you—really—love him?” he asked in a low tone. Still shuddering, and with an eager look at Kennedy, Elaine shook her beautiful head. Then, slowly rising to her feet, she looked at Craig appealingly. "Forgive me,” murmured Elaine, holding out her hand. Then she added in a voice tense with emotion, “Thank you for saving me.” Kennedy took her hand. For a moment he held IL Then he drew her toward him. unresisting. _ L the enb.

Kennedy Is About to Shoot When He Discovers That It Is Jameson and Not the Clutching Hand Who Lies There Before Him.