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Show f HPk ET--,J j. (I By ARTHUR B. REEVE i 1 IlC ILXPIOIlS Thc Well-Known Novclhi and the C T1 1 Creator of the "Craig Kennedy" Stories J J or Elaine -- IB Preieutecl in Collaboration with the Pathe Player (j jj A Detectnre Novel and a Motion Picture Drama (J nd the Eclectic Film Company J ' . Copyright, KU, by tho Star Company. All Foreign Rlghta Re-erred. FIRST EPISODE f The Clutching Hand. "Thero must ho something now in ordor to catch criminals nowadays. Tho old methods are nil right as far ; s thoy go. But whilo wo havo boon using them, criminals havo kept paco with modern science." t Craig Kennedy laid down his news- I spapor nnd niled his pipo with my to- i toacco. In colleges wo had roomed tc- f igothcr, had shared everything, oven i .poverty, nnd now that Craig was n 'professor of chemistry in chargo of tho laboratory at tho university and I had n sort of roving commission on tho staff of tho Stnr, wo had continued our arrangement. I "It has always scemod strango to 5 mo," he went on slowly, "that no ono liaa ever endowed a professorship In ' criminal sclcnco in any of tho largo colleges." I tossed nBido my own paper nnd retrieved tho tobacco. "Why should thero bo n chair In orlmlnul science?" I replied nrgu-montativoly, nrgu-montativoly, settling back in my chair. "I've dono my turn at pollco headquarters headquar-ters reporting, and I can toll you, 3rnlg, It's no placo for a collogo pro. fosBor. Crlmo is Just crime. And aa for dealing with It tho great detective detec-tive Ib born and bred to It. College professors for tho sociology of tho ;thlng yes; for tho detection of It, ,glvo mo a Byrnes." "On tho contrary," persisted Kennedy, Ken-nedy, his clean-cut features betraying in earnestness which I know Indicated that ho was leading up to something of importanco, "thero is a distinct -place for sclcnco in tho detection, of orlmo. Today wo havo professors of ovorythlng why not professors of crlmo sclenco?" Still, ns I shook my head dubiously, ho hastened to clinch his point. "Colleges "Col-leges havo got down to solving tho liard facts of life, nowadays pretty nearly all, except one. They still treat orlmo In tho old wny, study its statistics statis-tics and poro over its causes nnd tho theories of how It can bo prevented and punished. Dut as for running down the criminal himself, scientifically, relentlessly re-lentlessly bah! wo haven't, made .enough progress to mention slnco tho cammor and tongs method of your sainted Byrnes." I "Doubtless you will write a brochuro on this most interesting subject," I suggested, "nnd let it go at that." "No, I am Borlous," ho replied, determined de-termined for some reason or other to tnako a convert of me. "I mean exactly ex-actly what I say. I am going to npply sclenco to tho detection of crime, tho eamo sort of methods by which wo trace out tho presence of a mysterious mysteri-ous chemical or track down a deadly gorm. And beforo I havo gono far, I am going to enlist Walter Jameson as nn aid. I think I shall need you n my business." & "How do I como In?" I asked. "Well, for ono thing, you will get a B 'scoop,' a 'bent' whatever you call i It in that nowspapor Jargon of yours." 1 "Fortunntoly, Walter," ho pursued, I "tho crime-hunters havo gono ahead In i eclenco faster than tho criminals. It's to bo my Job to catch criminals. Yours, I It seems to mo, is to show peoplo how they can never hope to beat tho mod- I era Bclontlflc detective." H "Go as far as ynu like," I exclaimed, jj convinced at last. . ' And so It was that wo formed this I etraugo now partnership in crirno bcI- i once that has existed ever since. t 1 "Jameson, hero's a story I wish I you'd follow up," remnrked tho man- I tging editor of tho Star to mo ono I Bvening after I had turned in an as 1 tlgnment of tho lato afternoon. D Ho handed mo a clipping from tho u- ovenlng edition of tho Star, und I quickly ran my eyo ovor tho headllno: "THE GLUTGHIK6 HANO" WINS m '. . NEW YORK MYSTERIOUS MAS- ( jtfER CRIMINAL PERFECTS ANOTHER COUP. ' City Police Completely Baffled .i "Hero's this murder of Fletcher, tho retired banker and trustee of tho unl- vorslty," ho oxplnined. 'JNot a cluo-p- ocopt a warning letter Blgncd with this mysteriouB clutching fist. Last week it was tho robbery of tho Ilax I worth jewels and tho killing of old Haxworth. Again that curlou sign of I thohand. Thon thero was tho dastard- Is ly attempt o dherburno, the steel I magnate Nat a traco of tho assail- ) int except thU arao clutch. ag-nst. bu I ' it has gone, Jameson tho most alarming alarm-ing aud Inoxpllcablo Borlcs of murders that has ovor happened In this country. coun-try. And nothing but this uncanny hand to traw them by." Tho editor paused a moment, then exclaimed: "Why, this fellow seems to take a dlaboltcal-I might almost say pathological pleasure in crimes of violence, rovengo, avarlco and solf-protection. solf-protection. Sometimes it seems as If ho delights in tho puro deviltry of tho thing. It is weird." Ho leaned over and spoko In a low, tenso tono. "Strangest of all, tho tip has Just como to us that Fletcher, Haxworth, Hax-worth, Sherburno nnd all tho rest of theso wealthy men wero insured in tho Consolidated Mutual Life. Now, Jameson, I want you to find Taylor Dodge, tho president, and interview blm. Got what you can, nt an? cost." I had naturally thought first of Kennedy, Ken-nedy, but there was no tlmo now to call htm up and, besides, I must sco Dodgo immediately. Dodge, I discovered over tho telephone, tele-phone, was not nt homo nor at any of tho clubs to which lio belonged. Lato though it was I concluded that ho was at his offlco. No amount of porBuaslon could get mq past tho door, and, though I found out Inter nnd shall tell soon what was going on there, I determined, de-termined, about nino o'clock, that tho best way to get at Dodgo was to go to his Iioubo on Fifth avenue, if I had to camp on his front doorstep until morning. Tho harder I found tho Btory to get tho moro I wanted It. With some misgivings about being admitted, I rang tho bell of tho splendid, splen-did, though not very modern, Dodgo resldenco. An English butler, with a noso that must havo been his fortuno, opened tho door and gravely Informed mo that Mr. Dodgo was not at homo, but was expected nt any moment. Onco In, I was not going lightly to glvo up that advantage. I bethought myself of his daughter Elalno, ono of tho most popular debutantes of tho season, and sent in my card to her, on a chnuco of interesting her and scolng her father, writing on tho bottom of tho card: "Would like to interview Mr. Dodgo regarding Clutching Hand." Summoning up what assurance I had, which Is sometimes considerable, I followed tho butler down tho hall as ho boro my card. As ho opened tho door of tho drawing-room, I caught n vision of a Blip of a girl in evening clothes. Elnlno Dodgo was both tho ingenue nnd tho athlete tho thoroughly modern mod-ern typo of girl equally at homo with tennis nnd tango, tablo talk and tea. Near her I recognized from his pictures pic-tures Harry Bennett, tho rising young corporation lawyer, a mighty good-looking good-looking follow, with nn nffablo, pleasing pleas-ing wny about him, perhaps thirty-five years old or so, but already prominent and qulto friendly with Dodgo. "Who is it, Jennings?" alio nsked. "A roporter, Miss Dodgo," answered tho butler, glancing superciliously back at mo. "And you know how your fnther dislikes to sco anyono horo at tho house," ho added deferentially to her. "Miss Dodge," I pleaded, bowing as if I had known them nil my llfo, "I've been trying to find your father all tho ovenlng. It's very important." Sho looked up at mo surprised and in doubt whether to laugh or stamp her pretty little foot In indignation at my stupendous nervo. Sho laughed. "You aro a very bravo young man," sho rippled with a roguish look at Bennett's discomfiture ovor tho interruption of tho tcte-a-toto. Thero was a note of sorlouanesB In it, too, that mado mo ask quickly, "Why?" Tho smllo flitted from her face, and in its placo camo a frank earnest expression, ex-pression, which I later lenrnod to llko nnd respect very much. "My father has declared ho will cat tho very next reporter re-porter who tries to- Intorvlow him horo," sho answered. I was aboat to prolong tho watting time by somo Jolly about such a stunning stun-ning girl not having by any possibility possibil-ity such a cannibal of -a parent, when tho rattlo of tho changing gears of a car outsldo tcld of tho approach of a limousine. Tho big front door opened and Elalno flung herself in the arms of an elderly, stern-faced, gray-haired man. "Why, dad," sho cried, "whoro havo you bcon? I missod you so much at dinner. I'll bo so glad when this ter-riblo ter-riblo business gets cleared up. Toll-mo. Toll-mo. What IH on your mind? What is it that worries you now?" I 'noticed then that Dodgo Boomed wrought up and a bit unnorvod, for ho sank rather heavily into a chair, brushed his faco with his handkerchief and breathed heavily. Elalno hovered over him solicitously, ropoatlng her question, With a mighty effort ho scorned to got himself togethor. Ho roso and turned to Bennett. "Harry,'' ho exclaimed, "I'vo got tho Clutching Haudl" The two men Btared at each other. "Yes," continued Dodgo, "I'vo found out how lo traco It, and tomorrow I am going to set tho alarms of the city at rest by exposing " Just thon Dodgo caught sight of mo. For tho moment I thought perhaps ho was going to fulfill his threat. "Who tho dovil why didn't you toll mo a roportor was hero, Jennings?" ho r,puttcred indignantly, pointing toward tho door. Argument, entreaty, wero of no avail. Thero waB nothing to do but go. At least, I reflected, I had tho greater great-er part of tho Btory all except tho ono big thing, howeyor -the nemo of tho criminal. But Dodgo would know ,hlm tomorrow 1 I hurried back to tho Star to wrlto my story in tlmo to cntch tho last morning edition. Mennwhllo, if I mny anticipate my Btory, I must tell of what wo lator learned had happouod to Dodgq so completely to upset him. Ever slnco tho Consolidated Mutual had been hit by tho murders ho had had many lines out in tho hope of enmesh- Ini? tlio nnrturntn. Tlint. iiltht. nn T lng tho perpetrator. That night, as I found outtho next day, ho had at last heard of n clue. Ond of tho company's detectives had brought in a red-headed, lame, partly paralyzed crook, who enjoyed tho oxprcssivo monnikor of "Llmpy Rod." Llmpy Red was a gunman of somo renown, evil-faced nnd, having nothing much to loso, desperate. des-perate. Whoover tho master criminal of tho clutching hand might hnvo been ho had seen fl' to employ Llmpy, but had not taken tho precaution of getting rid of him soon enough whon ho was through. Thereforo Llmpy had a grievance and now descended under pressuro to tho low level of snitching to Dodgo In his oflico. "No, governor," tho trombling wretch had said as ho handed ovor a grimy envelope, "I nln't novor scon IiIb faco but hero Is directions how t6 find1 his hangout" As Llmpy ambled out, ho turned to Dodge, quivering at tho'cnormlty of his 4& mMBTv1 IBt V'V s yjH j2sPi s!hI 3i PHK..JI "Don't Let On How You Found Out!" unpardonablo sin In gangland: "For God's sako, governor," ho Implored, "don't lot on how you found out!" And yet Llmpy Red had scarcely left with his promiso not to tell, -when Dodgo, happonlng to turn over somo papers, camo upon an envelope loft on his own desk, bearing that mysterious mysteri-ous clutching hand! He toro it open, and read In amazement: amaze-ment: "Destroy Llmpy Rod'B instructions within tho noxt hour." N Dodgo gazed aboiit in wondor. This was getting on his nerves. Ho determined de-termined to go homo and rest. Outsldo tho house, as ho left his car, pasted over tho mondgram on thq door, ho had found another note, with tho samo weird murk and tho slnglo word: "Remember!" In splto of tho pleadings of young Bonnett, Dodgo refused to take warning. warn-ing. In tho safo in his beautifully fitted library ho doposlted Llmpy's document doc-ument in an envelopo containing all tho correspondence thai had led up to the final step In 'tho discovery.- ' It was' lato in tho evening when I returned to our apartment and, not finding Kennedy thero, know that I would discover him at tho laboratory. "Craig," I cried as I burst in on him. "I've got a caso for you greater than any ovor beforo." Kennedy looked up calmly from tho ruck of scientific instruments that surrounded sur-rounded him test tubes, beakers, carefully labeled bottles. "Indeed?" ho remarked, coolly go-ipg go-ipg back to his work. "Yes." I cried. "It is a scientific criminal who scorns to leave no clues." Kennedy looked up gravoly. '"Evory criminal leaves a traco," ho said qulot-ly. qulot-ly. "It it hasn't been found, then it must bo bocause no ono has over looked for it in tho right wny." Still gazing at mo koenly, ho added: "Yes, I already know thoro waa auch a man at largo, I have boon called in on that Flotchor caso ho waB a trustee trus-tee of tho university you know." "All right," I exclaimed, a iittlo nettled that ho should havo nntlclpated mo oven so much in tho case. "But you haven't heard tho latest" "What is it?" ho asked with provoking provok-ing calmness. "Taylor Dodgo," I blurted out. "has tho cluo. Tomorrow ho will track down tho man!" Kennedy fairly Jumped ns I repeated repeat-ed tho news. "How long has ho known?" ho do-manded do-manded eagerly. "Perhaps threo or four hours," I hazarded. haz-arded. Kennedy gazed nt mo fixedly. "Thon Taylor Dodgo Is dead!" ho oxclalmod, throwing oft his acld-stalned laboratory Jackot, and hurrying Into his strcot clothes. ft "Impossible!" I ojnculatcd. Kennedy paid no attention to tho objection. ob-jection. . "Como, Walter,'' ho urged "Wo must hurry boforo tho trail gets cold." Thoro was Bomcthlng positively uncanny un-canny about Kennedy's assurance I doubted yet I fcaroc. It waB well past tho middle of tho night whon wo pulled up in a night-hawk night-hawk taxicnb boforo tho Dodgo houso, mounted tho stcpB and rang tho boll. Jennings answered sleepily, but not bo much so that ho did not recognize mo. Ho was about to bang tho door shut when Konnody interposed his foot. . "Whoro is Mr. Dodgo?" asked Kennedy. Ken-nedy. "Is ho nil right?" "Of courso ho is in bed," ropllod tho butler. Just thon wo heard a faint cry, llko nothing exactly human. Or was It our heightened imaginations, under tho spell of tho darkness? "Listen!" cautioned Kennedy. Wo did, Btandlng thoro now in tho hall. Konnody was tho only ono of us who waB cool. Jennings' fnco blanched, then ho turned trombllngly nnd wont down to tho library door, whonco tho sounds had uccjned to como. Ho called, but thore was no answer. Ho turned tho knob and opened tho door. Tho Dodgo library was a largo room. In tho center stood a big, flat-topped flat-topped desk of heavy mahogany. It was brilliantly lighted. At ono end of tho desk waa a telephone. tele-phone. Taylor Dodgo was lying on tho floor nt that ond of tho deBk perfectly perfect-ly rigid his faco dlstortqd a ghastly figure. A pot dog ran ovor, sniffed frantically nt his master's legB nnd suddenly began to howl dismally. Dodgo waB dead! "Holp!" shouted Jennings. Others of tho servants camo rushing rush-ing in. Thero was, for tho moment, tho greatest excitement and contusion. contu-sion. Suddenly a wild flguro In flying garments gar-ments flitted down the stnlrs nnd into tho library, dropping besido tho dead man, without seeming tcnotlco us at all. "Fathorl" shrieked a woman's voice, heart-broken. ''Father! Oh my God he ho Is dead!" It was Elaine Dodgo. With a mighty offort, tho heroic girl seemed to pull hersolf together. "Jennings," sho cried, "call Mr. Ben-nott Ben-nott immediately I " From tho one-sldod, excited conversation conver-sation of tho butler over tho telephone I gathered that Bennett had been In the, process of disrobing in his own apartment uptown, and would bo right down. Together, Kennedy, Elalno and myself my-self lifted Dodgo to a sofa and Elaine's nunt, Josophlno, with whom sho llvod, appeared on tho sceno, trying to quiet tho sobbing girl. Kennedy nnd I withdrew a llttlo way, and ho looked about curiously. "What was it?" I whispered. "Was it natural, an accident, or or murder?" mur-der?" Tho word seemed to Btlck In my throat. If It was a murder, what was tho motive 7 Could it havo been to get tho evldenco which Dodgo had that would lncriminato tho master criminal? Kennedy moved ovor quietly nnd examined ex-amined tho body of Dodgo. When he roso his fnco had a peculiar look. "Torrlblo!" ho whispered to mo. "Apparently ho had been working at his accustomed placo at tho desk when tho telephono rang. Ho roso nnd crossed over to It. See! That brought .his feet on this register 'let into tho floor. As ho took tho telephono receiver re-ceiver down a flash of light must havo Bhot from it to his ear. It shows tho characteristic electric burn." "Tho motive?" I quorled. "Evidently his pockets had been gono through, though none of tho valuables valu-ables wore missing. Things on his desk show that a hasty search has been mado." Just then tho door opened and Bennett Ben-nett burst In. As he stood over the body, gazing down at it, repressing the emotions of a strong man, ho turned to Elaine, and in a low volca exclaimed: "Tho Clutched Hand did this. I shall conso-crate conso-crate my llfo to bring this man to Justice!" Jus-tice!" Ho spoko tensely, and Elalno, looking look-ing up into his faco, as if imploring his help In her .hour of need, unablo to speak, merely grasped his hand. Kennedy, who, in tho meantime, had stood apart from the rest of us, was examining tho telephone carefully. "A clover crook," I heard him mutter mut-ter between his teoth. "He must havo worn gloves. Not a finger print at least here." Perhaps I can do ho hotter than-to reconstruct the crime as Kennedy later pieced theso startling events together. to-gether. Long after I had loft and oven after Bennett left, Dodgo continued working in his library, for ho was. known as a prodigious worker. ' Had be taken tho trouble, bownver. to pauso and peer out Into tho moonlight moon-light that flooded tho back ot his houso, ho might have seen the figures ot two stealthy crooks crouching in tho half shadows of ono ot tho cellar windows, ono crook, nt least, masked. The masked crook held in his hands carefully tho ends of two wlrna attached at-tached to an electric feed, and, sending his pal to keep watch outsldo, lio on-tered on-tered the cellar ot the Dodgo houso through n window, whoso pnno they had carefully removed. As ho came through tho window ho dragged tho wires with him, nnd, after a moment's roconnolterlng, attached thorn to tho furnnco pipe ot tho old-fashioned hot-air hot-air heater, whoro tho plpo ran up through tho floor to tho library abovo. The other wlro was quickly attached to tho telephone whero Us wires en tered, Upstairs Dodgo, ovldontly uneasy In his mind about tho precious Llmpy Red letter, took it from tho safo along with most ot tho other correspondence nnd, pressing a hidden spring in the wall, opoued a secret panel nnd placed most ot tho important documents in this hiding placo. Downstairs tho masked mnstor crlm-lnnl crlm-lnnl had ulrcudy attached a voltmotor to tho wires ho had installed, waiting. Just then could bo heard tho tinkle of Dodgo's tolcphono, nnd tho old man roso to nnswor it As ho did so ho placed his foot on tho iron rcglBtor, his hand taking tho telephone and tho recolvor, At that Instant camo a powerful pow-erful electric flash. Dodgo sank on tho floor, clutching tho instrument, electrocuted, elec-trocuted, A moment later tho crlmlnnl slid silently Into Dodgo's room. Carefully putting on rubber gloves and avoiding Llmpy had long nlncc reached, th H point of saturation and lurching forth H from his new round cronies he sought H other fields ot excitement, Likowlse H did tho newcomer, who boro a strange H rcsomblanco to tho lookout who had H been stationed outsldo at tho Dodgo- jH house a scant half hour boforo. H What hnpponcd later was only a H matter of seconds nnd waiting until H tho hated snitch for gangdom hates . H tho Informer worso than anything else- H dead or alive had turned a sulllclont- jHj ly dark and deserted cornor. fl A mufllcd thud, a stilled groan fol- H lowed ns n heavy section of lend pipe jB wrapped In a nowspapor dprondod on H tho crass skull of Llmpy. H It was tho vengennco ot tho Clutch H lng Hand awlft, sure, remorseless, H And yet it had not boon a night of' -,IH comploto success for tho master crlm- ' compioio success ror tno master crim- ipj lnnl. as anyono might hnvo seen who H could have followed his sinuous route H to a placo of greater safety. Unablo H to wnlt longer, ho pulled the papers H ho had taken from tho safo from hla H pocket His chagrin nt finding most H ot them to bo blank found only one expression of foiled fury that men- acing clutching hand tho real ono! B H Kennedy had turned from his futllo M examination for marks on tho tele- H phono. Thoro stood tho safo, a moder- H ato sized strong box, but of a modern. H typo. Ho tried tho door. It was locked. M Thoro was not a mnrk on it. Tho com- M binatton had not been tnmpered with. M Nor had thero bcon any attempt to H "boup" tho safo. M With a quick motion ho folt in his H pocket ob if looking for gloves. Find- M lng nono, ho glanced about and seized H two pieces of paper from tho dcBk. M W'' 'WKiifWFMfWl "BwqKfTlBD HH 9HHHin S-Kfli '. 'nflEKilViflVflHiwP HH BWwfKMiMJJK j5 .jm ' v l'BKKjKlSuiwJHBV MMdi 'IbKSMhMHbVHK!! :: -? t 9ftUiH i -him JHvW i HHHHH 5 ' vNVIHHHKB37S599HViWW iViWi . &X. ItWJ VHh iv lvv. 41 JJ! -TnMfrvHl 1 pj "?sv HKiYiYiHHb 'jr. NnRJjjBi9HH! y tF$S?&t- . i HnH. ' - "'';. ;:t i it MVfl v )-A.Ak; HBh ' ; 4v7''wlCBHHI HiH ;V:?WW-o . is&ivwriwJ. i-4 " J. itt3ll 1 ??fB v )'4- fiPwHHl i fPiySvL -iHh j.IHBb flHIHlHfllHflHHliViVHSOafliViVin i LVH fflBjHjE. ? KyfftlkbMAHrWiv vjVJ HH The Criminal Slid 8llently Into Dodaa'a Room. H touching tho register, ho wrenched tho telephono from tho grasp ot tho dead man, replacing it In Its normal position. posi-tion. Only for a second did ho pauso to look at his victim as ho destroyed tho ovldenco of his work. Minutes wero precious. First Dodge's pockets, then his desk engaged his attention. at-tention. Thero was left the safo. As ho approached tho strong box, tho master criminal took two vials from his pocket Removing a bust ot Webster that stood on tho safo, ho poured tho contents of tho vials In two mixed masses ot powder, forming n heap on tho safo, into which ho Inserted Insert-ed two magnesium wires. Ho lighted thorn, sprang back, hiding hid-ing his eyes from the light, nnd n blinding gush of flamo, lasting perhaps per-haps ton seconds, poured out from tho top of the safo. It waa not an explosion, but Just a dazzling, intenso flamo that sizzled and crackled. It seemed Impossible, but tho glowing mass was literally sinking, sink-ing, sinking down into tho cold steel. At last It bilriied through as If tho safo, had been ot tinder! Without waiting a moment longer than neCessary, tho masked criminal ndvanccd again and actually put his hnnda down through tho top ot tho safo, pulling out n bunch of papers. Quickly ho thrust them all, with Just a glance, into his pocket Still working quickly, ho took tho bust ot tho great orator, which ho had removed, and placed it under tho light Noxt, from his pocket ho drow two curious stencils, as it wero, which ho had apparently cnrofully propnrod. With his hands, still carefully gloved, ho rubbed tho stencils on his hair, as if to cover them with a film of natural ollb. Thon ho dollborately pressed them over tho statue in several places. It was a peculiar action, and ho seemed to fairly gloat over it whon it was dono and tho bust returned to its place, covering tho hole. As noiselessly as ho had como, ho mado his oxlt aftor ono last malignant look at Dodgo. It was now but tho work of a moment to remove tho wires ho bad placed and climb out ot tho window, taking them and destroying tho ovldenco down in tho cellar. A low whistle from tho masked croojr, now again in tho shadow, brought his pal stealthily to his side. "It's all right," ho whispered hoarsely hoarse-ly to tho man. "Now you attend to Llmpy Red." Tho villainous looking pal nodded and, without another word, tho two made their getaway, safely, in opposito dtrcctlona. When Llmpy Rod, still trombling, left tho offlco ot Dodgo earlier in tho ovoning, ho had repaired as fast aB his shambling feet would tako him to his favorlto divo up on Park Row. ' Had tho Bowory "sinkers" not got into hlB oyos ho might have noticed nmo'n tho ' lato' revelers a man who spoke to no ono, but took his placo &oar by at? the bar. With them, In order not to confuse ' H any possible finger prints on tho .busty H ho lifted It off. . ' H I gavo a gasp of surprise, I H Thoro, In tho top of tho safe, H yawned a gaping hole, through which H one could havo thrust his arml ' H "What Is it?" wo asked, crowding H about him. H "Thermit," ho replied laconically. ( H "Thermit?" I repeated. - H "Yos a compound ot Iron oxldo and H powdered aluminum, invontod by a H chemist nt Esson, Germany, It gives H a temperaturo ot over ilvo thousand H dogroes. It will oat its way through H tho strongest steel." H Jennings, his mouth wldo open with H wondor, ndvanccd to tako tho bust ' , H from Kennedy. H "No don't touch it," ho waved him H off, laying tho bust on tho desk! "I H want no ono to touch it don't you H sea how careful I was to use tho H papor, thnt thoro might bo no quos- H tlon about any cluo this fellow may H havo left on the marblo?" H As ho spoko, Craig was dusting over-, H tho surfaco of tho bust with somo H black powder. H "Look!" exclaimed Craig suddenly. H "Finger prints!" I cried excitedly. H "Yes," nodded Kennody, studying H them closoly, "A clue pcrhapB." lH "What thoso llttlo marks a cluo?" H asked a volco behind ud. H I turned and saw Elalno looking H over our shoulders, fascinated. It was H evidently the first tlmo sho had real H lzed that Kennedy was in tho room. H "How can you tell anything by, H that?" Bho asked. H "Why, easily," ho answered, pick- H lng up a glass paper weight which jH lay on tho desk. "You seo, I place H my finger on this weight so. You H could seo it oven without tho powder H on tills glass. Do you boo thoso lines? 9H There aro various types of markings 9MP four general typos and each per- g2 BonB markings nre different, even it fflffi of tho samo general typo loop, whorl, jw$ arch or composite." jg)$ He continued working as ho talked. jjjVS "Your thumb marks, for example, &3i Miss Dodgo, aro different from mine. ( K? Mr. Jameson's aro different from both ' $$& ot us. And this follow's finger prints WW nro still different. It is mathematical- ffiM ly lmpossiblo to find two alike in Iffik overy respect." Ksp' Kennody was holding tho paper ngy weight near tho bust as he talked. p?fr I shall never forgot tho look of Ww blank amazement on his faco as he'', v. &k bent over closor. jfiS "My God!" ho oxclajmed excitedly, PP "this follow Ib a mnstor criminal! He tjyyj has mado stencils or 8ometbls of v i, jjtf tho sort on which, by somo mechan- 7 Vujj leal process, ho has actually forged ftjM tho hitherto lnfalliblo finger prints!" nH I, too, bent over and etudied the Q marks on tho bust and those Ken jH ncdy had mado on tho paper weight to H show Elalno. .. H . THE FINGER PRINTS ,ON THH . BUST WEUE KENNEDY'SiOWN.'r ' V (TO BB COVTINUl!D.f. '', M i |