| Show awo the exploits of elaine 0 A detective novel and a motion picture drama by ARTHUR B REEVE the welt known novelist and th the a 14 creator of the cragg cr aig kennedy stories presented in collaboration with the paths pathe players ind the eclectic film company Covy copyright richt 1611 1941 by ur star company all foreign night SYNOPSIS the new york police are mys tined by a series artes of murders of prominent men the principal ri n cipal clue to the murderer Is the warning f rig letter ietter which Is sent bent the victims signed with a clutching hand the latest victim of the mysterious asma assassin erin Is taylor dodge the insurance president ills ilia daughter about lil alno employs craig kennedy the famous scientific detective to try to unravel the mystery what kennedy accomplishes comp lishes Is told by tile hla friend jameson Jai neaon IL newspaper man kennedy frustrates a daring ati attempt to rob a MM jewelry 11 y store and rescues E from a boiler where she bad been imprisoned by tha thugs FOURTH EPISODE 0 the frozen safe kennedy swung open the door of our taxicab as wo we pulled up sato bate at last before the dodge mansion after the rescue ot of elaine froni from the brutal machinations of the clutching bennett was on the step 0 of f th cab in a moment and together une one on each side of elaine they asa abert her out of the car and up the steps to tho the house El alnes aines aunt josephine was waiting for us in the tha drawing room very much worried the dear old lady was quite scandalized as elaine excitedly told of the thrilling events that had just taken place and to think they actually carried ried youl you she exclaimed horrified adding and I 1 not hut but mr air kennedy came along and saved me just in time interrupted elaine with a smile 1 I was well chaperoned 1 aunt josephine turned to craig gratefully how can I 1 ever thank you enough mr kennedy she aho said fervently kennedy was quite embarrassed with a smile elaine pert perceived elved his bis discomfiture not a at tall all displeased by it come into the library aryl shu she cried gayly taking hla his arm ive something to tb show you where the old safe which had been burnt through had stood was now a brand new safe ot of the tha very latest construction and design one of those globular safes that look and are so formidable form bablo etro Is the new safe she pointed out brightly it Is not only proof against explosives but between the plates is a lining that Is proof against and even that oxyacetylene blowpipe by which you rescued me from the old boiler it has a time clock too that will prevent its being opened at night even it if any one should learn the combi combination they tood stood before the tha safe a moment and kennedy examined it closely with much interest wonderfully Wonder full he admired 1 I knew approve of it cried elaine much pleased now I 1 bj bae e something else to show you she paused at tho the desk and from a drawer took out a por treo of largo large photographs they iry ry hand sumo cumo photographs of liers much more wonderful than eban the safe ate remarked craig earnestly then bosi hesitating tating and a embarrassed he be added muy may I 1 may I 1 have one it if you yoa care for it she said eald drop ting tier her eyes then glancing up at him thickly care for it he repented it will be ono one of the greatest treasures she slipped the picture quickly into an envelope come she interrupted aunt josephine will be wondering where we are she ashes a demon chaperon uennett bennett aunt josephine and myself were talking earnestly as elaine and nil craig returned that morning I 1 had noticed kennedy fussing some time at the door of et our apart apartment meint before wo ve went over to tho the laboratory As nearly as I 1 could make out lie he had placed something under tho the rug at tho the door out into the hallway well said bald bennett bendott Ben nott glancing at his watch and rising as ho he turned to elaine im afraid I 1 must go now lie he crossed over to where she stood and shook hands there was no doubt that bennett was very much smitten by his fair client goodby good by mr air dennett bennett she bhe murmured and I 1 thank ou oa so much for what you have done fur me today but there was something lifeless about the words she turned quickly to craig who had bad remained standing must you go too mr kennedy she eho asked noticing his bis position im afraid mr air jameson and I 1 must get back on tho the job before this clutching hand gets busy again lie he replied reluctantly oh ob I 1 hope you wo we got get them soon she iho exclaimed and thero there was nothing lifeless about the way she bho gave craig her hand band as bennett ui iii and I 1 left it a moment later when wh wd approached our door now C sig fauset by pressing a little concealed button he caused a panel la in be mall all outside to loosen di disclosing a small boxlike plato plate in the wall under neat I 1 it t was about a to foot ot long and perhaps ir inches wide through it ran a peco of paper which unrolled irom from one enil il sid pj aund up on anath cr actu abed by clockwork across the blank white paper ran an ink line traced by a pen used as I 1 had seen in mechanical pencils used in offices hotels banks and such places kennedy the thing with interest what la Is it I 1 asked A now new kino graph he replied still gazing carefully at the rolled up part of the paper 1 I have installed it because it registers every footstep on the floor of our apartment apar lmont we cant be too careful with this clutching hand band I 1 want to know whether we have had any visitors or not la in our absence this straight line indicates tha we have not walt wait a moment craig hastily unlocked the door and entered inside I 1 could see dec him pacing up and down our modest quarters do you see anything walter he cal called lAl I 1 looked at the kino graph the pen had started to trace its line no longer even and straight but zigzag at different heights across tho the paper ile iio came to the loor what do you think of it I 1 e inquired some idea I 1 answered enthusiastically asti cally wo we entered and I 1 fell to work on art a 9 special sunday story that I 1 had bad been forced to neglect I 1 was not so busy however that I 1 did not notice out of tile the corner of my eye that kennedy had taken from its cover elaine dodges picture and was ga gating zing at it ravenously I 1 had finished as much of the article as I 1 could do then and was smoking and reading it over kennedy was still gazing at the picture miss aliss dodge had given him then moving from place to place about the room evidently wondering where it would look best I 1 doubt whether he be had done another blessed thing allica we return returned ed ile ho tried it on the mantel that do at last he held it up beside a picture of gallon galion I 1 think of finger print and eugenics fame who hung on the wall directly opposite tile the fireplace hastily he be compared the two blaines Elal El aines nos picture was waa precisely the same size next be tore out tho the picture of the scientist and threw it cameles carelessly sly into the fireplace then he placed El alnes aines picture in its place and hung it up again standing off to admire it I 1 watched him gleefully was this craig purposely I 1 moved my elbow suddenly and pushed r book with a bang on tile the floor kennedy actually jumped I 1 picked up the book with a mait ered apology no this was waa not the same old craig perhaps halt half an hour later I 1 was still reading kennedy was now pacing up and down tho the room apparently unable to concentrate ills his mind on any but one subject ile he stopped a moment before the photograph looked at it fixedly then ho he started ills his methodical walk again hesitated and went over to the telephone calling a number which I 1 recognized zed she must have been pretty well done up by bei be experience be said apologetically catching my eye 1 I was wondering if hello oh miss dodge I 1 er I 1 er just called up to see if you were all right craig was very much embarrassed but also very much in earnest A musical laugh rippled over the telephone yeti yen im all right thank you mr air kennedy and I 1 put the package you sent me into the sate safe but package frowned craig why I 1 sent you no package miss dodge in the safe why yes and the safe bate Is all covered with moisture and so cold moisture Aloi sture cold ho he repeated hastily yes I 1 have been wondering it it Is ell all right in fact I 1 was going to call you up only I 1 was ivas afraid think I 1 was fool foolish laIL 1 I shall be right over he answered hastily clapping the receiver back on its hook walter he added seizing his hat and coat como come on aurryl A few minutes later we drove up in a taxi before the dodge bouse and ra rang ng tile the bell jennings admitted us sleepily 0 0 it could not have been long after we loft miss aliss dodge late in the afternoon that susie martin who had been quite worried over our long absence after the attempt to rob her father drop dropped pd in on elaine wide eyed she had bad li I 1 bened to blaines El alnes aines story of what had happened and you think this clutching hand has never recovered tile incriminating papers papera thir thia caused him to murder tather rather asked susie klaene shook her head no let me show ghow you the now safe bate ive bought air Ken kennedy thinks it wonderful 1 I 1 should think be proud of it admired susie 1 I must tell father to fid one too at that very moment it they had bad known it the cl clutching ut citing hand w with it hla his sinister masked face was peering at tho the two girls from the other side of tho port leres susie rose roae to go and El klaine blattie attie followed her to the door no ho sooner had she gone bone than the clutching hand came out from behind the curtains lie gazed bouen moment then moving over to tc t al the ie safe about which the two girls had bad been talking stealthily examined it lie he must have heard someone coming for with a gesture of hate at the safe itself as though he personified it ho he all ped back of the curtains again elaine had returned and as she sha sat down at the desk to go over some papers which uennett bennett had left relative to settling up the estate the masked ma sled intruder stealthily and silently withdrew A package for you niles dodge announced michael later in the evening as elaine in her dainty evening gown was still engaged in going over tho the papers lie he carried it in his hands bands rather gingerly mr air kennedy sont sent it maam lie he says it contains clues and will you please put it in the now new sate safe for him elaine took the package eagerly and examined it then she pulled open the little round door of the globular safe it in ie e getting cold out michael she remarked this package Is as cold as ice it li Is maam answered michael she closed tile the safe ail and d with a glance at her watch set tile the time lock and went upstairs to her room no sooner had elaine d disappeared as a speared thau than michael Allelia el appeared aga again n catlike through the curtains fr from om the drawing room and after a glance elatic about the dimly lighted library discovering that tile the coast was clear motioned to a figure hiding behind the portieres port leres eres A moment and clutching iland hand himself came out ile ho moved over to the safe and looked it over then he ha put out his hand and touched it Ll listen stent cautioned michael someone was coming and they hastily slunk behind the protecting port leres it was marle blaines El alnes aines mald maid sho she turned up the lights and went over ocr to the desk tor for a book for which elaine had evidently sent her she paused and appeared to be listening then she went to the door jennings she beckoned what la is it Al marle arle ho be replied she said nothing but as he came up the hall led him to the center of tho the room listen I 1 heard sighs and groan gront sl jennings looked at her a moment pu puzzled then laughed you girls he exclaimed 1 I suppose always think tile the library haunted now out but jennings listen she ehe persisted jennings did listen sure enough there were sounds weird uncanny lie he gazed about the room it wits was eerie then lie he took a few steps toward the safe marle marie put out her hanl ban I 1 to it and started buck back why that safe Is all covered with cold she cried with bated breath sure enough the face of the safe was as beaded with dampness jennings pu put t hla his hand on it and quickly drew it aw away ay leaving a mark ou on the dampness W what do you think of that he be gasped ped im going to tell miss dodge cried marle genuinely frightened A moment later she burst into elainee El alnea aines room what la Is the matter marle marie 7 asked elaine laying down her book you look as it you had seen a ghost all ah but mademoiselle it acs just like that the safe if mademoiselle ani r 3 0 ea A package for you was miss dodge will come down stairs I 1 will show it you puzzled but interested elaine followed her in the library jennings pointed mutely at the now safe elaine approached it As they stood about now new beads of perspiration i it wore were formed on it elaine tou ed it and also quickly withdrew her hand 1 I cant imagine the matter she said out but well jennings you may go and marle also when the servants had gone she still regarded tile the sate safe with the tha same won dering look then illen turning out the light ight sho she followed she had scarcely when from the ered doorway near by the clutching hand appeared and after bittor gazing out at thorn them took a quid ook look at tho the safe good lie mutt muttered eTed noiselessly michael of the iho sinister faco face noted moved in nd took a position in n i tho the center of th tha room ns as it if oil oa guard while clutching land hand sat before the safe watching it intently someone at the door lennings la is answering the bell michael whispered hoarsely confound it muttered clutching Clutch JaB hand as both moved again behind the heavy velour curtains 0 0 0 I 1 im so BO glad to seo see you mr kennedy greeted erected elaine unaffectedly ns as jennings admitted us she had heard the bell and was coming downstairs as we entered we three moved toward the library and someone switched on the lights craig strode over to the safe the cold sweat on it had now turned to icicles craigs face clouded with thought as ho he examined it more close ly there was actually a gronning groaning sound front from within it cant be opened he said bald to himself be if the time lock Is set act for tomorrow tri morning orning outside it if we had not been so absorbed in the present mystery we might have seen All michael chael and the clutching Clutch lne iland hand listening to us clutching hand looked hastily at his watch tile the deuce ho be muttered his breath stifling ills his suppressed fury wo we stood looking at tho the safe kennedy was deeply interested 1 balne standing close beside him suddenly he seemed to make up his mind quick elainee Elal Ela nel inel lie cried taking her arm stand bacal wo we all retreated tho the safe door powerful as it was had actually begun to warp and bend the plates were bulging A moment later with a loud report and concussion the tha door blew off 0 fr A blast of cold air and lakes flakes like snow enow lew faw out papers were scattered on oil every side we stood gazing aghast A acona th then t n ran forward kennedy quickly quickly ex examined am ned the safe ile he bent down and f from ro ra the he wreck took up a package now c covered with white As quickly ho he dropped it that Is the package that was sent cried elaine elarno taking it in a table cover ho he laid it on the table and opened it inside was a peculiar shape flask open at the top hut but like a vacuum bottle e A dewar flanel ejaculated craig what Is it asked elaine appealing to him |
