8 ij The Exploits of Elaine ;; A Detective Novel and a Motion Picture Drama - By ARTHUR B. REEVE r \ I **% Th, lVell-Known Noetlist and iht * ► Creator of the "Craig Kennedy" Stories J J Presented is CoUaboration With the Pathe Players and the Eclectic Film Company ell' * Copyright. 1914, by the Star Company. All Foreign Right* Iteserrad Continued ' On it was a small dark discolorn- Hon, around which was a slight red ness and tenderness. "That." he said slowly, "is the mark of a hypodermic needle." As he finished examining Klaine's arm he drew the letter from nis pock *L Still facing her he said in a low tone, "Miss Dodge—you did write this jletter—bat under the influence of the mew twilight sleep.' " "Why. Craig." 1 exclaimed excited fly, "what do you mean?" "Exactly what I say. With Miss {Dodge's permission 1 shall show you. fng me that you don't want me to con inue investigating your father's death, land not to try to see you again (about —" He stopped. I could hear the reply. "Why—no—Mr. Kennedy, 1 have [written you no letter." The look of mingled relief and sur prise that crossed Craig's face spoke [volumes. "Miss Dodge," he almost shouted, '"this is a new trick of the 'Clutching EHand.' I—l'll be right over.' ' Craig hung up the reeciver and kurned from the telephone. Evidently !he was thinking deeply. Suddenly his fcface seemed to light up. He made up Ella mind to something, and a moment ater he opened the cabinet—that in exhaustible storehouse from which he deemed to draw weird and curious in struments that met the ever new prob lems which his strange profession tin-ought to him. I watched curiously. He took out a [bottle and what looked like a little hypodermic syringe, thrust them into this pocket and, for once, oblivious to Jmy very existence, deliberately walked lout of the laboratory, i I did not propose to be thus cava- Klerly dismissed. I suppose it would lave looked ridiculous tc a third par ky, but I followed him as hastily as it hie had tried to shut the door on his (own shadow. We arrived at the corner above the (Dodge house just in time to see anoth er visitor —Bennett—enter. "And, Perry," we heard Elaine say, as we were ushered in, "someone has (even forged my name—the handwrit ing and everything—telling Mr. Ken nedy to drop the case —and I never Iknew." j She stopped as we entered. ' "That's the limit!" exclaimed Ben "Just then the 'Clutching Hand ap peared. He came stealthily through that window, which he had openeu A moment he hesitated, seeing Elaine asleep. Then he tiptoed over to the bed, let us say, and for a moment looked at her, sleeping. A second later he had thrust his hand into his pocket and had taken out a small glass bulb with a long thin neck. That was ethyl chloride —a drug which produces a quick anesthe sia. But it lasts only a minute or two. That was enough. As he broke the glass neck of the bulb —letting the pieces fall on the floor near the bed — he shoved the thing under Elaine's face, turning his own head away and holding a handkerchief over his own nose. The mere heat of his hand is enough to cause the ethyl chloride to spray out and overcome her instantly. He steps away from her a moment and replaces the now empty vial in his pocket. "Then he took a box from his pocket, opened it. There must have been a syringe and a bottle of scopolamin. Where they came from I do not know, but perhaps from some hospital. I shall have to find that out later. He wett to Elaine, quickly jabbing the needle, with no resistance from her now. Slowly he replaced the bottle and the needle in his pocket. He could not have been in any hurry now, for it takes time for the drug to ■work." Kennedy paused. Had we known at the time, Michael —he of a sinister face—must have been in the hallway that night, careful that no one saw him. A tap at the door and the "Clutching Hand" must have beckoned him. A moment's parley and they sep arated —"Clutching Hand" going back to Elaine, who was now under the in fluence of the second drug "Our criminal," resumed Kennedy thoughtfully, "may have shaken Elaine. She did not answer. Then he may have partly revived her. She must have been startled. 'Clutching Hand,' perhaps, was half crouching, •with a big ugly blue steel revolver leveled full in her face. "'One word and I shoot!' he prob ably cried. 'Get up!' "Trembling, she must have done so. 'Your slippers and a kimono,' he would naturally have ordered She put them on mechanically. Then he must have ordered her to go out of the door and down the stairs. 'Clutch ing Hand' must have followed, and as he did so he would have cautiously put out the lights." We were following, spellbound, Ken nedy's graphic reconstruction of what must have happened. Evidently he had struck close to the truth. Elaine's eyes were closed. Gently Kennedy led her along "Now, Miss Dodge." he en- See "Exploits of Elaine," In Motion Pictures, Victoria Theatre, Saturday, Feb. 27 — READ THE STORY IN THE STAR-INDEPENDENT EVERY WEEK r "\ v' 1 * »* ' ; HARRTKmrfftt A T?.Tvr>ypENT)ENT. THURSDAY EVENING. FEBRUARY 25, 1915. couraged, "try—try hard to recollect just v. hat it was that happened last night—everything." As Kennedy paused alter his quick recital, she seemed to tremble all over. Slowly she began to speak. We sto«d awestruck. Kennedy had been right! The girl was now living over again those minutes that had been forgot ten—blotted out by the drug. And It was all real to her. too—ter ribly real. She was speaking, plainly in terror. "I see a man—oh. such a figure— with a mask He holds a gun in my face—he threatens me. 1 put on my kimono and slippers, as he tells me. 1 am in a daze. 1 know what I am doing—and 1 don't know. 1 go out with him, downstairs, into the library." Elaine shuddered again at the recol lection. "I'gh! The room is dark, the room where he killed my father. Moonlight outside streams in. This masked man and I come in. He switches on the lights. " 'Go to the safe,' he says, and 1 do it—the new safe, you know. 'Do you know the combination?' he asks me. 'Yes,' I reply, too frightened to say no. " 'Open it then,' he says, waving that awful revolver closer. Ido so. Hast ily he rummages through it, throwing papers here and there. But he seems not to find what he is after and turns away, swearing fearfully. "'Hang itl' he cries at me. 'Where else did your father keep papers?', I point in desperation at the desk. He takes one last look at the safe, shoves all the papers he has strewn on the floor back again and slams the safe shut. " 'Now, come on, he says, indicating with the gun that he wants me to fol low him away from the safe. At the desk he repeats the search. But he finds nothing. Almost I think he is about to kill me. 'Where ejse did your father keep papers?' he hisses fiercely, still threatening me with the gun. "1 am too frightened to speak. But at last I am able to say, "I—l don't know!' Again he threatens me. 'As God is my judge,' I cry, 'I don't know.' It is fearful Will he shoot me? "Thank heaven! At last he believes me. But such a look of foiled fury I have never seen on any human face before. "'Sit down!' he growls, adding, 'at the desk.' I do. " 'Take some of your note paper— the best.' I do that, too. " 'And a pen,' he goes on. My fin gers can hardly hold it. "'Now —write!' he says, and as he dictates, I write"— "This?" interjected Kennedy, eager ly holding up the letter that he had received from her. Elaine looked it over with her drug laden eyes. "Yes," she nodded, then lapsed again to the scene itself. "He reads it over, and as he does so says, 'Now, address an envelope. HimseU he folds the letter, seals the envelope, stamps it, and drops it into his pocket, hastily straightening the desk. " 'Now, go ahead of me —again. "I've Got Him, Kennedyl" Leave the room—no, by the hall door. We are going back upstaira. 1 obey him, and at the door he switches off the lights. How i stand it I dc not know. go upstairs me chanically into my own room—l and this masked man. " 'Take off the kimono and slip pers!' he orders. Ido that. Get into bed!' he growls. I crawl in fearfully. For a moment he looks about —then goes out—with a look back as he goes. Oh! Oh! That hand—which he raises at me—THAT HAND! The poor girl was sitting bolt up right, staring straight at the hall door, as we watched an(\ listened. fascinated. Kennedy was bending over, sooth ing her. Bhe gave evidence ot com ing out from the effect ot the drag. 1 noticed that Bennett had sud denly moved a step in the direction of the door at which she stared "By heavens!" he muttered, star lng, too. "Look!" We did look. A letter was slowly being inserted under the door. 1 took a quick step forward. That moment 1 felt a rough tug at my arm, and a voice whispered: "Wait, you chump!" It was Kennedy. He had whipped cut his automatic and had carefully leveled it at the door. Before he could Are. however, Bennett had rushed ahead. 1 f6llowed. We looked down the hall. Sure enough, the figure ot a man could be seen disappearing around an angle. 1 followed Ben nett out ot the door and down the hall. Words cannot keep pace with what followed. Together we rushed to the back stairs. "Down there, while 1 go down the front!" cried Bennett. 1 went down, and he turned and went down the other flight. As he did so Craig followed him. Suddenly, In the drawing room. 1 bumped into a figure on the other side of the portieres. 1 seized him We struggled. Rip! The portieres came dotvn, covering me «ntlrely. Over and over we went, smashing a lamp. It was vicious. Another man attacked me, too. "I've got him —Kennedy!" 1 heard a voice paut over me A scream followed from Aunt Jo sephine. Suddenly the portieres were pulled off me. "The deuce!" puffed Kennedy. "It's Jameson." , Bennett had rushed plump Into me, coming the other way. hidden by the portieres! If we had known at the time, our Michael of the sinißter face had gained the library and was standing in the center of the room. He had heard me coming and had fled to the drawing room. As we finished our struggle in the library he rose hastily from behind the divan in the other room, where he had dropped, and had quietly and hastily disappeared through anothei door. Laughing and breathing hard, they helped me to my feet, it was no joke to me. I was sore in every bone. "Well, where did he go?" insisted Bennett. • "I don't know —perhaps back there." I cried. Bennett and I argued a moment, then started and stopped short Aunt Josephine had run downstairs and was now shoving the letter into Craig's hands. We gathered about him curiously. He opened it. On it was that awe some Clutching Hand again. Kennedy read it. For a moment he stood and studied it, then slowly crushed it in his hand. j Just then Elaine, pale and shaken | from the ordeal she had voluntarily I gone through, burst in upon us from j upstairs. Without a word she ad ! vanced to Craig and took the letter j from him. Inside, as on the envelope, was i that same signature of the Clutching Hand. Elaine gazed at it, wild-eyed, then at Craig. Crtig smilingly reached for the note, took it, folded it, and un concernedly thrust it into his pocket. "My God!" she cried, clasping her hands convulsively and repeating the word' of the letter, "YOUR LAST , WARNING!" To Be Continued Next Week CHURCH "SENTRY" ARRESTED Gives Bail and Resumes Pulpit Vigil With Shot Gun Kokomo, Intl., Feb. 25.—After keep-] i ing members of the Church of Christ, ten miles east of Kokoino from their i house of worship for ten days because a j iano was installed in the church, James McKillip submitted to arrest Tuesday on a charge of trespass. Mc- Killip placed a cot in the pulpit and began guard with a loivled shot gun, when he learned that some young inein | bers had moved the instrument in. He obtained bail soon after being ar rested and returned to his vigil to keep j possession, he said, umtil a eourt order ed him to vacate. Cut This Out Now I If you don't want it to-day, you may | next week. Send this advertisement and : 5 cents to Foley & Co., Chicago, 111., I writing your name and address clearly. You receive in return three trial pack- I ages—Foley's Honey and Tar Com pound for coughs, colds, croup and grip pe; Foley Kidney Pills, for weak or | disordered kidneys or bladder; Foley | Cathartic Tablets, a pleasant, whole . some and cleansing purgative, just the thing for winter's sluggish bowels and torpid liver. These well known standard remedies for sale by -George A. Uorgas, 16 North Third street, P. R. R. Sta tion.—Adv. Crayon Luxury Spares Her Jail Hazleton, Pa., Feb. 25.—Touched by | Annie Grego spending foer last sl2 to i have a crayon enlargement made of her ! two-year-old son, whom the United | Charities tcok from her. Burgess Davis, , I yesterday morning. High Mass of Re | quiem was celebrated at 7.30 an.il again lat 10 o'clock. The Rev. P. J. MeGbee, j jastor of the Lancaster Catholic church, i officiated at the early services, while [ the tatter service was conducted by the j Rev. A. J. MeOann, of Danville. IMPORTS FROM GERMANY Figures for January, 1015, Show Mo Falling Off From Those of Same Month Last Tear Sy Associated Prr.it. New York, Fe!>. 25.—Imports from Germany to the port of New York for January remain practically unchanged from the figures for January 1914, ac cording to custom house statistics made public yesterday This was accom plished through the large shipments of aniline dyes from Germany, which have increased materially in "t.he past few months Total imports from Ger many in January were $10,070,016, against $10,626,463 last year. foal tar colors were received at New \ork from Germany during the month amounting to $1,019,808, as compared with $385,207 in January of 1914. Ilojs, kid gloves and manufactures of flax were considerably increased in vol ume over January, 1914. The heavy falling off in the imports from Franch which amounted to more than sixty per cent, was mainly in art works, laces and cotton and woolen goods, especially dress gooods. The ten-day statement of exports of foodstuffs fo<- the first ten days of Feb ruary showed wheat ' exports for .t'he period to be ipore than three times the quantity exported in the first ten days ot January. Italy was the largest taker, with 2,2G1.2i(i bushels. WILL TASK IX < 01RT Heirs of Scranton Coal Operators Con test Mtnual Training School Bequest Philadelphia, Feb. 25.—A contest over the bequest of upward of $1,500,- 000 made by the late Orlando 8. •Joluisog, u coal operator of Scranton, for the establishment of a manual training school for girls and boys in that place Was reviewed by the Su pnme Court yesterday on tiie appeals of Corn J. Thompson, a niece, and six other heirs and next of kin, from the decision of the orphans' court of Lack awanna county, sustaining the will. Mr. Johnson, under his will, dated January 1, 1912, left the residuary of his estate foi t'he founding and main tenance of the school, after making ample provision for his widow and sub stantial bequests to relatives. Mrs. Johnson elected to take under the will, at first, but when the other relatives attacked the validity of the charitable bequests, the widow also attempted to contest tne will, but she was not per mitted to do so by the courts after she had made her election. The sole question in dispute is wheth er Arthur H. Christy, a witness to the will, and who was also named by Mr. Johnson as a member of an advisory committee of five for the establishment for the school, is a disinterested wit ness under the act of 1855. The resi due of the estate had been left in trust with the executor, the Scranton Trust Company, and the committee, of which Mr. Christy is chairman, was to re ceive no compensation other than nec essary expeness. The hearing will be concluded to day. CIVIL SERVICE POSITIONS Uncle Sam Will Hold Examinations in This City to Fill Vacancies The U. S. Civil Service Commission announces the following open competi tive examinations to be held in this city. Persons who meet the require ments and desire any of the examina tions should at once apply to the sec retary, Third civil service district, Philadelphia, or the local secretary, for the necessary papers: Junior chemist, $ 1,200 $ 1,440, March 10-11; trained nurse, female, Panama canal service, $63 per month, March 17; fireman, Bureau of Stand ards, S9OO to $1,500, March 17; aid ill poultry and egg handling, male, $720, March 17; agriculturist, male. $2,500-$3,000, March• 23; chemical engineer, explosives, male, SI,BOO - March 30; sub-inspector, elec trical, male, $4.16 per diem, April 7; 'laboratory aid in technical agriculture, S6OO-S9OO, April 7; cadet officer, male, S6OO-$720. April 14; scientific assist ant in library science, SB4O-SI,OOO, April 14-15;' ship draftsman, male, $3.28 to $S per diem, April 14-15; teacher, male and female, April 14-15. JAPAN'S DAY AT FAIR Naval Hero Helps Dedicate Nippon's Exhibit at San Francisco San Francisco, Feb. 2'3.—N esterday was Japan's day at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The Japanese pavilions and gardens were dedicated. Assisting in the dedication was Ad miral Baron Sotokichi Uriu, a hero of the Russo-Japanese war, and Baroness ! Uriu.. Examination by the police of what was believed to be a stick of dynamite found in the .lap.inese exhibit in the 1 Palace of Manufacturers has disclosed | that it was a Japanese toy. Major P. G. Mark Dies at Lebanon Lebamon, Feb. 25. —Major P. G. ' Mark, a former District Attorney of j Lebanon county anil for thirty years 1 prominently identified with local news pajier work, died Tuesday, following an attack of kidney trouble. Major Mark ! was 71 years old and served through out the war, participating in twenty | six battles. He enlisted as first sergeant | in Company D, and was appointed' by I President Johnson a "brevet major for ; gallant and meritorious service before i Petersburg in 1865. Whirled Around a Shaft South Bethlehem, Pa„ Feb. 25. — Patrick Maroney, 18 years old, a popu lar athlete, who started to work last Monday at the Bethlehem Foundry and (Machine Company's plant, was fatally injured yesterday. While adjusting a belt his clothing caught in the ma chinery and he was whirled around a shaft. His sikull was fractured. | HOT TEA BREAKS A COLD -TRY THIS Get a small package of Hamburg Breast Tea, or as the German folks call it, "Hamburger Brust Thee," at any pharmacy. Take a tablespoonful of the tea, put a cup of boiling water upon it, pour through a sieve and drink a teacup full at any timq. It is the most effective way to break a cold and cure grip, as it opens the pores, relieving congestion. Also loosens the bowels, thus breaking a cold at once. It is inexpensive and entirely vege table, therefore harmless. —Adv! HOW A MAGICIAN AMUSES • Some Interesting Tales Which Thurston Tells of His Experience While* On Tour Around the World l B"* arMwiNt* iMtti WW# (JVITATION 11 brings to light that Judge Rice must be entitled to half ' pay under the same act. Mayor John V. Kosek, who has an nounced that a public mass meeting will be held with the hope of getting , Judge Rice to change his mind and ! again become a candidate has not fixed a time for the meeting, but declares lie will go ahead with the plans and will ( probably hold the meeting next week. EVICTED PRIESTS SAFE 1 Banished From Mexico City, They Finally Reach Vera Cruz El Paso, Tex., Feb. 25.—Catholic, priests, detained at Mexico City by the Carranza officials, arrived yesterday at Vera Cruz, according to official Car ranza advices Teccived here. The newß bulletin convoyed the following version of the affair: "The priests were expelled from Mexico City for failure to contribute $500,000 for the relief of the poor. They are being criticized for not mak ing this contribution, though they gave Huerta 40,000,1(00 pesos." <