PAGE SEVEN CAPE MAT STAR AJfD WAVE ' SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 1915.

_ -Tim TIT. .TIT.. — tia tlt iti ■■ MUUMini 1 1 lit 1 i i •; " i The Exploits of Elaine , A Detective Novel and a Motion Picture Drama | — II 1 By ARTHUR B. REEVE II , 1 The Wdi-Knewn N.,JtMt «nJ lie || Cmakirf tU- Q*tKm-4g" SMa || ! j r.,.. Ml A l Ce&aborsiioa With the Pathe Itijuiad the EitaA AU Foreign BI«au Bs—rvqK. 1 : e==== iimittimtt c

8YNOP8I8. The New York police are mystified by a i •cries of murders and other crimes. The principal clue lo the criminal la the warning letter which la sent the victims, signed with a "clutching hand." The latest victim of the mysterious assassin Is Taylor Dodge, the Insurance president. His dutch ter. 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 this strange criminal la known, resorts to all sorts of the jnost 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 groat de- , tective uses all his skill to save this pretty girl and himself from death. —— — l ELEVENTH EPISODE THE HOUR OF THREE. With the ominous forefinger of his Clutching Hand extended, the Master Criminal emphasized his instructions to his minions. .V" "Perry Bennett, her lawyer, is in lavor again with Elaine Dodge." he was saying. "She and Kennedy are on the outs even yet- But they may become reconciled. Then she'll I have that fellow on our trail again. Before that happens we must 'get' her It was In the latest headquarters to which Craig had chased the criminal. in one of the toughest parts of New York's great river front section. "Now," went on the Clutching Hand, "I want you. 81im, to follow them. See what they do — where they go. It's her birthday. Something's bound to occur that will give you a lead. All you've got to do is to use your head. Get merit was, as Clutching Hand had said. Blaine's birthday. 8be had received many callers and congratulations. Innumerable costly and beautiful tokens of remembrance from her countless friends and admirers. In the conservatory of the Dodge house Elaine, Aunt Josephine and Susie Martin were sitting discussing not only the happy occasion, hut more, the many strange events of the past few weeks. "Well, said a familiar voice behind them, "what would a certain blonde young lady accept as a birthday present from her family lawyer?" All three turned in surprise. "Oh, Mr. Bennett." cried Elaine. "How "you startled us!" ^ Elaine hesitated. 8he was thinking not so much of his words as of Kennedy. To them all. however, it seemed that she was unable to make up her mind what, in the wealth of her luxury, what she would like. Susie Martin had been wondering whether, now that Bennett was here, she was not de trop, as she looked, at j her wrist watch mechanically. As j she did so, an idea occurred to her. i "Why not one of these?" she cried J impulsively. Indicating the watch. "Fa- j ther has some beauties at the shop." J "Oh. good," exclaimed Elaine, "how sweet!" "Then let's all go to the shop," said Bennett. "Miss Martin will personally conduct the tour, and we shall have our pick of the finest stock." It was too gay a party to notice a | sinister figure following them in a cab. i Chatting with animation, the three i moved over to the watch counter, j while the crook, with a determination ! not to risk missing anything, entered ' the shop door, too. "Mr. Thomas." asked Susie as her father's clerk bowed to them, "please show Miss Dodge the wrist watches father was telling about." Unobserved, the crook walked over near enough to bear what was going ' on. At last, with much banter and yet ears, Elaine selected one that was indeed a beauty and was about to snap it on her dainty wrist when the clerk Interrupted. "I beg your pardon," he suggested, "but I'd advise you to leave it to be regulated, if you please." Reluctantly Elaine handed It over to the clerk. A moment later they went out and entered the car again. As they did so. Slim, who had been looking over various things in the next case as if undecided, came up to the watch counter. "I'm making a present." he remarked confidentally to the clerk. "How about those bracelet watches?" The clerk pulled out some of the cheaper ones. "No," he said thoughtfully, pointing out a tray In U»e showcase, "something like those." He ended by picking out one Identically like that which Elaine had selected. and started to pay for it. "Better have it regulated," repeated the clerk. "No," be objected hastily, shaking i his head and paying the money quick- j ly. "Its a present— and I want it tonight." He took the watch and left the store hurriedly. In the laboratory, Kennedy was working over an oblong oak box, perhaps inches in length and '

i half as high. In the box I could see, besides other apparatus, two good sized spools of fine wire. "What's all that?" I asked inquisitively. , "Another of the new instruments that scientific detectives use," he responded, scarcely looking up, "a little magnetic wizard, the telegraphone." 1 "Which is?" I prompted. . "Something we detectives might use to take down and 'can' telephone con vernations and other such conversations. When it is attached properly ' to a telephone, it records everything that is said over the wire. The record 1 is not made mechanically on a cylinder, but electro-magnetlcally on this wire." Craig continued to tinker tantalizlngly with the machine which had been invented by a Dane, Valdemar Poulsen. He had scarcely finished testing the telegraphone when the laboratory door opened and a clean-cut "young man entered. Kennedy, I knew, had found that the j routine work of the Clutching Hand case was beyond his limited time and bad retained this young man. Raymond Chase, to attend to that. Just now what worried Craig was the situation with Elaine, and I fan cled that he had given Chase some commission in connection with that. ' "I've got it. Mr. Kennedy." greeted j Chase with quiet modesty. "Good," responded Craig heartily. "I knew you would." "Got what?" 1 asked a moment later 1 Kennedy nodded for Chase to an ' ewer. "I've located the new residence of Flirty Florrie," he replied. I saw what Kennedy was after at 1 once. Flirty Florrie and Dan the Dude had caused the quarrel between him ' self and Elaine. Dan the Dude was ' dead. But Flirty Florrie might be ^ forced to explain it. "That's fine." he added, exultlngly. "Now III clear that thing up." He took a hasty step to the telephone, put his hand on the receiver and was about to take it off the ' book. Then he paused, and I saw his face working. Finally his pride, for Kennedy's was ' a highly sensitive nature, got the better of him. "No," he said, half to himself, "not ' —yet." Elaine had returned home. Alone, her thoughts naturally went back to what had happened recently to Interrupt a friendship which had been the sweetest In her life. "There must be some mistake." she murmured pensively to herself, thinking of the photograph Flirty had given j her. "Oh. why did I send htm away? I Why didn't I believe him?" | Mechanically, she put out her hand to the telephone. ! She was about to take off the rej ceiver, when something seemed to I stay her hand. She wanted b!m to I come to her. | Craig's eye fell on the telegraphone. ' and an idea seemed to occur to him. I "Walter, you and Chase bring that j thing along." he said a moment later. At last we came to the apartment | house at which Chase had located the "Now. Chase." he directed, "you . needn't go In with us. Walter and I i can manage this now. But don't get out of touch with me. I shall need you any moment — certainly, tomorI Kennedy slipped on a badge in- ! scribed: "Telephone inspector." j ' "Walter." he smiled, "you're elect1 ed my helper." We entered the apartment house : ball and found a negro boy in charge . of the switchboard. "You look over the switchboard. Kelly." he winked at me. "while I test out the connections back here. There must be something wrong with the wires or there wouldn't be so many complaints." He had gone back to the switchboard while the negro, still unsuspicious. watched without understanding what It was all about, i "I don't know," Craig muttered finali ly for the benefit of the boy. "but I think I'll have to leave that tester. I after All- -Say. if_I. put it here, you'll i have to be careful not to Jet anyone meddle with it. If you do, there'll be » the deuce to pay. See?" Kennedy had already started to fas- ; ten the telegraphone to the wires he ; had selected from the tangle. | At last he finished and stood up. ! "Don't disturb it and don't let any- j • one else touch it," he ordered. "Better not tell anyone — that's the best ! I way. I'll be back for it tomorrow, probably. : "Yas, sab," nodded the boy, with a i - J bow, as he went out. Back in the new hang-out, the | » Clutching Hand was laying down the j law to bis lieutenants and heelers, when Slim at last entered, i "Huh!" growled the master crlm- • Inal, conveying the fact that he was r 1 ' considerably relieved to see him at

"Where have yon been? I've 1 off on a little Job myself, sad got back." t Slim apologized profusely. "Yes. sir," he replied hastily, "well, t I Went over to the Dodge bouse, and t I saw them finally. I followed them into a Jewelry shop. That lawyer 1 bought a wrist watch. So I bought one l like it I thought perhaps we i could — " *■ "Give Jt to me." growled Clutching < Hand, seizing it the moment Slim displayed It. "And don't butt in— see?" 1 From the capacious desk the mas- ■ ter criminal pulled a set of small drills, vises, and other Jeweler's tools I and placed them on the table. i "All right" he relented. "Now. do < you see what I have Just thought of — no? This Is Just the chance. Book at me." Carefnlly he piled his hands to the Job. regardless of time. "There," he exclaimed at last holdlng the watch where they could all ' see it. "See!" He pulled out the stem tjyaet the 1 and alowly twisted" It between his thumb and finger. He turned the hands until they were almost at the ' point of three o'clock. Then he held the watch out where all could see. As the minute hand touched three. ' from the back of the case, as if from the chasing Itself, a little needle, per- 1 haps a quarter of au inch. Jumped out. 1 It seemed to come from what looked , : like merely a small insect in the decoration. I 1 "You see what will happen at 'the j hour of three?" he asked. No one said a word, as he held up 1 a vial which he had drawn from hts j ' pocket- On it they could read the la- j • bel, "Rlcinus." ! 1 "One of the most powerful poisons in the world," he exclaimed. "Enough 1 to kllT a regiment!" They fairly gasped and looked at It > with horror, exchanging glances. Opening the vial carefully, he dipped in a thin piece of glass and placed a tiny drop in a receptacle back of the needle and on the needle Itself. "I've set my Invention to go off at three o'clock." he concluded. "Toforenoon, it will have to be delivered early — and I don't believe we shall be troubled any longer by Miss Elaine Dodge." he added, venomously. Calmly be wrapped up the apparently Innocent engine of destruction, and handed it to -Slim. "See that she gets it in time," he said merely. "I will, sir." answered 811m, taking it gingerly. Flirty Florrie had returned that afternoon, late, from some expedition on which she had been sent. Rankling In her heart yet was the death of her lover, Dan the Dude. j Thus, when she arrived home, she | went to the telephone to report and 1 called a number, 4494 Greenwich. I "Hello, chief," she repeated. "This I Is Flirty. Have you done anything !

nippco ine wncn yet in tne little natter we talked about?" j "Say — be careful of names — over the wire," came a growl. ; "You know — what I mean." "Yes. The trick will be pulled off i at three o'clock." - "Good!" she exclaimed. "Good-by and thank you." With hlB well-known caution Clutching Hand did not even betray names over the telephone If he could help It Flirty hung up the receiver with satisfaction. The manes of the de- j parted Dan might soon rest In peace! J The next day, early In the forenoon, ' a" young man with a .small package carefully done up came to the Dodge 1 ' house. "From Martin's, the Jeweler's, for j Miss Dodge," he said to Jennings at the door. i Elaine and Aunt Josephine were sitting In the library when Jennings i announced him. ; "Oh, it's my watch," cried Elaine. , "Show him In." ' Elaine put the watch on her wrist | and admired it. I "Is it all right?" asked Slim. "Yes, yes," answered Elaine. "You j may go." j Early the tame morning Kennedy went around again to the apartment j house and, cautious not to be aoen Ripped the Watch Off Her Wrist.

Flirty, recovered the telegraphone I Together we carried it to the labors- t There he net up a little instrument i that looked like a wedge sitting np on 1 end, In the face of which was a dial. . Through It he began to run the wire from the spools, and, taking an ear- 1 piece, put another on my head over < ears. J He turned a switch and we listened 1 eagerly. I First came several calls from peo- i pie with bills, and she put them off most adroitly. I Then we heard a call that caused I Kennedy to look at me quickly, stop 1 the machine and start at that point i over again. "That's what I wanted," he said, as i we listened in: I "Give me 4494 Greenwich." ■ "Hello." 1 "Hello, chief. This is Flirty. Have I you done anything yet in the little 1 matter we talked about?" < "Say — be careful of names — over i the wire." "Yon know — what I mean." I "Yes, the trick will be polled off at i three o'clock." I "Good! Good-by. and thank you!" "Good-by." Craig paused and considered a minute, then moved to the telephone. i "There's only one thing to do. and that's to follow out my original i scheme," he said energetically. "In- ' formation, please." "Where is Greenwich 4494?" he ! | asked a moment later. ' I The minutes passed. "Thank yon, I [ sir," he cried, writing down on a pad I an address on the West side, near ! | the river front Then turning to me. ; I he exclaimed. "Walter, we've got him | at last!" Craig rose and put on his hat and coat thrusting a pair of opera glasses Into his pocket. In case we should want to observe the place at a distance. I followed him excitedly. The trail was hot Kennedy and I ccrce at last to the place on the West side where the crooked streets curved off. Instead of keeping on until he came to the place we sought he turned off and quickly slipped behind the shelter ; of a fence. There was a broken board In the fence end he bent down, gazing through with the opera glasses. Across the lot was the new hang- ! out. a somewhat dilapidated, old-fash- | ioned brick house of several generaI tlons back. Through the glass we could see an evil-countenanced crook slinking along. He mounted the steps and rang the bell, turning as he waited. From a small aperture in the door- : way looked out another face, equally | evil. Under cover, the crook made | the sign of the Clutching Hand twice 1 and was admitted. j 'That's the place, all right," whispered Kennedy with satisfaction. He ' hurried to a telephone booth, where he called several numbers. Then we returned to the laboratory. I From the table he picked up a

; Craig Kennedy Seized Elalne'e Arm, Broke the Beautiful Bracelet and ;n i/n ner wriai.

small coll over which I had seen him j working and attached It to the bell | and some batteries! He replaced It j on the table, while I watched curi- i ously. "A selenium cell." he explained. ! "Only when light falls on It does It j become a good conductor of electric!- j ty. Then the bell will ring." Just before making the connection ! he placed his hat over the cell. Then j he lifted the hat. The light fell on j it and the bell rang. He replaced the ; , bat and the bell stopped. Just then there came a knock at j the door. I opened it. | "Hello. Chase." greeted Kennedy. | "Well. I've found the new headquar- j i ters all right — over on the West side." j 1 Kennedy picked, up the selenium j ! cell and a long coil of fine wire, I 1 ) which he placed in a bag. Then he took another bag already packed, and, shifting them between us, we hurried 1 downtown. ' Near the vacant lot. back of the new headquarters, was an old brokendown house- Through the rear of it we entered. I started back in astonishment as we entered and found eight or ten policemen already there. Kennedy 1 had ordered them to be ready for a raid, and they had dropped in one at a time without attracting attention. "Well, men," he greeted them, "I - see you found the place all right > Now. is a little while Jameson will

return with two wires. Attach them the bell which 1 will leave here. I When it rings, raid the house. Jame- I son will lead you to it Come, Walter," he added, picking op the bags. .•••••••I Ten minutes later, outside the new headquarters, a crouched -up figure, carrying a small package, his face under his soft hat and up- i turned collar, could 'have been seen : slinking along until he came to the i steps. He went np and peered through the aperture of the doorway. Then he . the bell. Twice he raised his ; and clenched it is the now fa- i miliar clutch. A crook inside saw it through the aperture and opened the door. The figure entered and almost before the door was shut tied the masking hand over his face, which hid his Identity from even the most trusted lieutenants. The crook bowed to the chief, who. with a growl as though of recognition, moved down the hall. As he came to the room from which had been sent on his mission, the same group was seated in the thick tobacco smoke. "Yon fellows clear out," he growled. "I want to be alone." "The old man la peeved," muttered one, outside, as they left. The weird figure gazed about the to be sure that he was alone. When Craig and I left the police he given me most minute instructions which I was now following out to the letter. "I want you to hide there," he said, indicating a barrel back of the house next to the hangout. "When you eee a wire come down from the headquarters, take it and carry it across the lot to the old house. Attach it to the bell; then wait. When It rings, raid the Clutching Hand Joint." I waited what seemed to be an interminable time back of the barrel. Finally, however, I saw a coil of fine wire drop rapidly to the ground from , a window somewhere above. I made a dash for it, as though I were trying to rush the trenches, seized my prize and, Without looking back to see where it came from, beat a hasty retreat. Around the lot I skirted, until at last I reached the place where the police were waiting. Quickly we fastened the wire to the bell. We waited. Not a sound from the bell. Up in the room in the Joint the hunched-up figure stood by the table. He had taken bis hat off and placed it carefully on the table and was now waiting. Suddenly a noise at the door startled him. He listened. Then he backed away from the door arid drew a revolAs the door slowly opened there entered another figure, hat over his eyes, , collar up, a handkerchief over his face, the exact counterpart of the first! For a moment each glared at the other. "Hands up!" shouted the flret fig- 1 ure, hoarsely, moving the gun and j closing the door with his foot. The newcomer slowly raised his j crooked hand over his bead, as the blue < steel revolver gaped menacingly. With a quick movement of the other hand the first sinister figure removed the handkerchief from bis face and straightened up. It was Kennedy! "Come over to the center of the room." ordered Kennedy. Clutching Hand obeyed, eyeing his captor closely. "Now lay your weapons on the table." He tossed down a revolver. The two still faced each other. - I "Take off that handkerchief!" It was a tense moment. Slowly j Clutching Hand started to obey. Then ) be stopped. Kennedy was Just about | to thunder. "Go on." when the criminal I calmly remarked. "You've got ME all I right, Kennedy, but in twenty minutes | Elaine Dodge will be dead!" He said It with a nonchalance that j might have deceived anyone less as | tute than Kennedy. Suddenly there | flashed over Craig the words: "THE | TRICK WILL BE PULLED OFF AT l THREE O'CLOCK!" ; There was no fake about that. Ken- ! I nedy frowned menacingly. If he ' killed Clutching Hand. Elaine would , die. If he fought he must either kill j j or be killed. If be banded Clutching ; Hand over Elaine was lost. He looked I at his watch. It was twenty-five mln- i I utes of three. ! "What do you mean — tell me?" de- ' manded Kennedy with forced calm. | "Yesterday Mr. Beanett bought a 1 j wrist watch for Elaine." the Clutching j | Hand said quietly. "They left It to j , I be regulated. One of my men bought ' one just like it. ' Mine was delivered : ■ j to her today." | "A likely story!" doubted Kennedy. I For answer the Clutching Hand ' . merely pointed to the telephone. | ' Kennedy reached for It. t | "One thing," interrupted the ClutchJ lng Hand. "You are a man of honor." J j ~"Yeu yen. Go uu." "If I tell you what to do. you mUBt~ j promise to give me a fighting chance." | "Yes, yes." , "Call up Aunt Josephine, then. Do . Just sb I say." t Covering Clutching Hand. Kennedy called a number. "This is Mr. Ken- , nedy, Mrs. Dodge. Did Elaine receive a present of a wrist watch from Mr. Bennett?" t "Yes," she replied, "for her birtht day. It came this forenoon." Kennedy hung up the receiver and I faced the Clutching Hand, puzzled aa the latter said: "Call up Martin, the j Jeweler." 'Again Kennedy obeyed.

"Has fhe watch purchased tor Miaa Dodge been delivered?" ha aAed the clerk. "No," came back the reply, "the watch Mr. Bennett bought la still bar* being regulated." Kennedy hung up the receiver. He was stunned. "The watch wlQ cause her death at three o'clock," said the Clutching "8wear to leave here without discovering my identity and I will tell you how. You can save her! In that watch," he hissed, "I have set a poisoned needle in a spring that will be — released and will plunge it into her arm at exactly three o'clock. On the needle la ridnos!" Craig advanced, furious. Aa he did so Clutching Hand pointed calmly to the clock- It was twenty minutes of three! With a mental struggle Kennedy controlled his loathing of the creature before him. "All right — but you'll hear from me — sooner than you suspect," he shouted, starting for the door. Then he came back and lifted his hat, hiding as much as possible the selenium cell, letting the light fall on It "Only Elaine's life has saved yon." With a last threat he dashed ont He hailed a cab, returning from soma steamship wharves not tar away. "Quick!" he ordered, giving the Dodge address on Fifth avenue. Minute after minute the police and I waited. Was anything wrong? Where was Craig? Just then a tremor grew into a tinkle, then came the strong burr of the bell. Kennedy needed as. With a sb'out of encouragement to the men I dashed out and over to the old honse. Meanwhile Clutching Hand himself had approached the table to recover - bis weapon and had noticed the queer little selenium cell. "The deuce!" be cried. "He's i planned to get me anyhow I" Clutching Hand rushed to the door — ' then stopped short. Ontslde he could hear the police and myself. Clutching Hand slammed shut his 1 door and pulled down over It a heavy wooden bar. At the desk he paused. and took out 1 a piece of cardboard. Then, with a heavy black-marking pencil, he calmly printed on It. while we battered at the barricaded door, a few short feet away. He laid the sign on the desk, then on another piece of cardboard, drew 1 crudely a hand with the Index finger pointing. This he placed on a chair, Indicating the desk. Just as the swaying and bulging door gave way. Clutching Hand gave 1 the desk a pull. It opened up— his get1 away. He closed it with a sardonic smile In our direction. Just as the door ■ crashed in. We looked about. There was not a 1 soul in the room, nothing but the aele- ! nlum ceil, the chairs, the desk. "Look!" I cried, catching sight of 1 the index finger, and going over to the | desk. m ■ I We rolled back the top. Theih on ' j the flat top was a sign : ' Dear Blockheads: 1 | Kennedy and I couldnt wait. - Then came that mysterious sign of the Clutching Hand. We hunted over the rooms, but 1 could find nothing that showed a cine. 1 Where was Clutching Hand? Where was Kennedy? In the next house Clutching Hand • had literally come out of an upright piano into the room corresponding to 5 that he had left. Hastily he threw off his handkerchief, slouch hat, old coat • and trousers. A neat striped pair ot i trousers replaced the old, frayed and ' baggy pair. A new shirt, then a sport}' • vest and a frock coat followed. ! As be put the finishing touches on r j he looked for all the world like a be1 i whiskered foreigner. 1 At the door of the new headquarters. 1 | a few seconds later, I stood with the 1 j police. • | "Not a sign of him anywhere," I growled one of the officers. t i • • • • • • • 1 j Elaine was sitting In the library - I reading when Aunt Josephine turned 2 to her. P "What time is it. dear?" she asked. | Elaine glanced at her pretty new • | trinket. s 1 "Nearly three. Auntie — -Just a couple 1 of minutes,"' she said. ' I Just then there eame the sound of 5 I feet running madly down the hallway, i 1 They jumped up. startled. - | Kennedy, bis coat flying and hat 1 jammed over his eyes, bad almost - bowled over poor Jennings In his mad : race down the hall. | "Well," demanded Elaine haughtily, 5 j "what's — " 5 Before she knew what was going on t Craig hurried up to her and literally 1 . ripped the watch off her wrist, break- | ing the beautiful bracelet - | He held it up, gingerly. Elaine was 1 speechless. Was this Kennedy? Was he possessed by such an Inordinate jealousy of Bennett? • As he held the watch up, the second haid ticked around and the minute handjpassed the meridian of the hour. out — then sprang back into the filigree I work again. > "Well," she gasped again, "what's < the meaning of this?" ' Craig gazed at Elaine in silence. Should he defend his rudeness, if ; she did not understand? She stamped - her foot and repeated the question a third time. "What do you mean, air, by such 'conduct?" I Slowly he bowed. 1 "I Just don't like the kind of blrth- ' day presents you receive," he said, tnminy on his heel. "Good afternoon!" (TO BE CONTINUED.)