8
The Exploits of Elaine
A Detective Novel and a Motion Picture Drama
By ARTHUR B. REEVE
TheWeU-Known N ovelut and the Creator of the "Gaig Kennedy" Stories
Presented in Collaboration With the Pa the Player* and
the Eclectic Film Company
CopTfifbC. 1914. by tbe star Coca pin? All Poragn Riffctt Rrtrrrm
COJNTUTUtD
SYNOPSIS.
The New Tork police are mystified by a
•erles of murders and other crimes. The
wrlnclpnl clue io the criminal Is the warn
ing letter which Is sent the victims, signed
with a "clutching hand " The latest vic
tim of the mysterious assassin is Taylor
Dodge, the insurance president. His
daughter. Elaine, employs Craig Kennedy.
<he famous scientific detective, to try to
unravel the mystery. What Kennedy ac
complishes Is told bv his friend Jnmoson,
a newspaper man. Enraged at the deter
mined effort which Elaine and Craig Ken
nedy are making to put an end to his
crimes, the Clutching Hand, as this
etrange criminal is known, resorts to all
eorts of the most diabolical schemes to
put them out of the way. Each chapter
d the story tells of a new plot against
ftheir lives and of the way the great de
fective uses all his skill to save this pret
ty ylrl and himself from death.
TWELFTH EPISODE
THE BLOOD CRYSTALS.
"On your right is the residence of
fcliss Elaine Dodge, who is pursuing
the famous master criminal known as
the Clutching Hand."
The barker had been grandiloquent
ly pointing out the residences of noted
Us'ew Yorkers as the big sight-seeing
<car lumbered along through the
■treets
No one had paid any attention to
the unobtrusive Chinaman who sat in
conspicuously In the middle of the car.
He was Mr. Wong Loug Sin. but no
one saw anything particularly mys
terious about an Oriental visitor, more
or less, viewing New York city.
Wong was of the mandarin type,
jwlth long, drooping mustache, well
dressed in American clothes, and con
forming to the new customs of an Oc
jcidentallzed China.
I Anyone, however, who had been
•watfhing Long Sin would have seen
that he showed much interest when
ever any of the wealthy residents of
the city were mentioned. The name
of Elaine Dodge seemed particularly
to strike him. He listened with subtle
Interest to what the barker said and
looked keenly at the Dodge house.
The sight-seeing car had passed the
fcouse, when he rose slowly and mo
tioned that he wanted to be let off.
ffhe car stopped, he alighted and slow
ly rambled away, evidently marveling
greatly at the strange customs of these
uncouth Westerners.
Elaine was going out when she met
Perry Bennett almost on the steps of
the house.
'l've brought you the watch," re
narked Bennett. "Thought I'd like to
Clve It to you myself."
He displayed the watch which he
himself had bought a couple of days
before for her birthday. He had called
for it himself at the Jeweler's, where it
had now been regulated.
"Oh, thank you," exclaimed Elaine.
"Won't you come in?"
They had scarcely greeted each other
when Long Sin strolled along. Neither
of them, however, had time to notice
the quiet Chinaman who passed the
house, looking at Elaine sharply out of
the corner of his eye. They entered
and Wong disappeared down the
street.
"Isn't It a beauty?" cried Elaine,
holding it out from her as they entered
the library, and examining it with
great appreciation. "And, oh, do you
know, the strangest thing happened
yesterday! Sometimes Mr. Kennedy
acts too queerly for anything."
She related how Craig had burst In
on her and Aunt Josephine and had
almost torn the other watch off her
wrist.
"Another watch?" repeated Bennett,
•mazed. "It must have been a mis
take. Kennedy is crazy."
"I don't understand It, myself," mur
mured Elaine.
Lon f. Sin was revolving sotne dark
and devious plan beneath his impas
sive Oriental countenance. He was no
ordinary personage. In fact, he was
astute enough to have no record. He
left that to his tools.
This remarkable criminal had estab
lished himself in a hired apartment
down town.
Long Sin, now in rich Oriental cos
tume, was reclining on a divan smok
ing a strange-looking pipe and playing
with two pet white rats. Each white rat
had a gold band around his leg, to
which was connected a gold chain
about a foot in length, and the chains
ended in rings which were slipped
over Wong's little fingers. Ordinarily
he carried the pets up the capacious
sleeve of each arm.
A little Chinese girl, also in native
costume, entered and bowed deferen
tially. .
"A Miss Mary Carson," she lisped in
soft English.
"Let the lady enter," waved Long
Sin, with a smile of subtle satisfaction.
The girl bowed again and silently
left the room, returning with a hand
some, very well-dressed white woman.
It would be difficult to analyze just
■what the fascination was that Long
Sin exercised over Mary Carson. But
as the servant left the room, Mary
bowed almost as deferentially as the
little Chinese girl. Wong merely nod
ced in reply.
After a moment he slowly rose and
took from a drawer a newspaner clip
ping. Without a word he handed it to
See "Exploits of Elaine,"
In Motion Pictures, Victoria Theatre, Saturday, May 8
• READ THE STORY IN THE STAR-INDEPENDENT EVERY WEEK I
✓
HARirrSBURG STAR-INDEPENDENT, WEDNESDAY EVENING. MAY 5. 1915
Mary. She looked at it wltb interest,
as one woman always does at the pic
ture of another pretty woman. It wi\s
a newspaper cut of Elaine, under
which was:
"ELAINE DODGE, THE HEIR
ESS. WHOSE BATTLE WITH
THE CLUTCHING HAND IS CRE
ATING WORLDWIDE INTER
EST."
"Now," he began at last, breaking
the silence, "I'll show you just what 1
want you to do."
He went over to the wall and took
down a curious long Chinese knife
from a scabbard which hung there
conspicuously.
"See that?" he added, holding it up.
Before she could say a word he had
plunged the knife, apparently, into his
own breast.
"Oh!" cried Mary, startled.
She expected to see him fall. But
nothing happened. Wong laughed. It
was an oriental trick knife, in which
the blade telescoped into the handle.
"Look at it," he added, handing it
to her.
Long Sin took a bladder of water
from a table near by and concealed it
under his coat. "Now, you stab me,"
he directed.
Mary hesitated. But he repeated the
command and she plunged the knife
gingerly at him. It telescoped. He
made her try it over, and she stabbed
him more resolutely. The water from
the bladder poured out.
"Good!" cried Long Sin, much
pleased. "Now," he added, seating
himself beside her, "I want you to
lure Elaine here."
• • • • • • •
I had been amusing myself by rig
ging up a contrivance by which I
could make it possible to see through,
or, rather, over, a door.
Kennedy, who had been busy at the
other end of the laboratory, happened
to look over in my direction. "What's
the big idea, Walter?" he asked.
It was. I admit, a rather cumber
some and clumsy affair.
"Well, you see, Craig," I explained,
"you put the top mirror through the
transom of a door and—"
Kennedy interrupted with a hearty
burst of laughter. "But suppose the
door has no transom?" he asked,
pointing to his own door.
I scratched my head thoughtfully. I
had assumed that the door would
have a transom. A moment later
Craig went to the cabinet and drew
out a tube about as big around as a
putty blower and as long.
"Now, here's what I call my de
tectascope," he remarked. "None of
your mirrors for me!"
"I know," I said somewhat nettled,
"but what can you see through that
Elaine Took Out the Package of Bills
putty blower? A keyhole is Just as
good."
"Do you realize how little you can
really see through a keyhole?" he re
plied confidently. "Try it over there."
I did, and, to tell the truth, I could
see merely a little part of the hall.
Then Kennedy inserted the detecta
scope.
"Look through that," he directed.
I put my eye to the eye piece and
gazed through the bulging lens of
the other end. I could see almost
the whole hall.
Elaine was playing with Rusty when
Jennings brought in a card on which
was engraved the name. "Miss Mary
Carson," and underneath in pencil was
written "Belgian Relief Committee."
"How interesting," commented
Elaine, rising and accompanying Jen
nings into the drawing room. "I won
der what she wants?"
"Very pleased to greet you, Miss Car
son," she greeted her visitdh
"You see. Miss Dodg®," began Mary,
"We're getting up this movement to
help the Belgians and «« have splen
did hacking. Just let me show you
some of tha names on our commit
tee."
She handed Blaine a list.
"I've Just been sent to see tf I can
not persuade you -to join the commit
tee and attend a meeting at Mrs. Rlv
erton's," she went on.
"Why—er," considered Elaine,
thoughtfully, "er —yes. It must be
all right with such people In it." ,
"Can you go down with me now?"
"Just as well as later," agreed
Elaine. »
They went out together, and as
they were leaving the house a man
who had been loitering outside looked
at Elaine, then fixedly at her compan
ion.
No sooner had they gone than he
sped ofT to a car waiting around the
corner. In the dark depths was a sin
ister figure, the master criminal him
self. The watcher had been an em
issary of the Clutching Hand.
"Chief." he whispered eagerly, "you
know Adventurous Mary? Well, she's
got Elaine Dodge in tow!"
"The deuce!" cried Clutching Hand.
"Then we must teach Mary Carson,
or whoever she Is working for. a les
son. No one shall interfere with our
affairs. Follow them!"
Elaine and Mary had gone down
town. talking animatedly—walking
down the avenue toward Mrs. Riving
ton's apartment.
Meanwhile, Wong Sin, still in his
Chinese costume, was explaining to
another male servant just what he
wished done, pointing out the dagger
on the wall and placing the bladder
under his jacket. A box of opium
was on the table, and he was giv
ing most explicit directions. It was
Into such a web that Elaine was be
ing unwittinly led by Mary.
Entering the hallway of the apart
ment, Mary rang the bell.
The servant opened the door and
Elaine and Mary entered. He closed
the door and almost before they knew
it was gone Into the back room.
Elaine gazed about it In trepdiatlon.
But before she could say anything,
Mary, with a great show of surprise,
exclaimed. "Why, I must have made
a mistake. This isn't Mrs. Riving
ton's apartment. How stupid of me."
They looked at each other a mo
ment. Then each laughed nervously,
as together they started to go out of
the door. It was locked!
Quickly they ran to another door.
It was locked also.
Just then the Chinaman entered and
stood a moment gazing at them. They
turned and Elaine recoiled from him.
Wong bowed.
"Oh, sir," cried Mary, "we've made a
mistake. Can't you tell us how to
get out?"
"No speke Englis," he said, glid
ing out again from the room and
closing the door.
Elaine and Mary looked about In
despair.
"What shall we do?" asked Elaine.
Mary said nothing, but with a hasty
glance discovered on the wall the
knife which Wong had already told
her about. She took it from its scab
bard. As she did so the Chinaman re
turned with a tray on which were queer
drinks and glasses.
At the sight of Mary with the knife
he scowled blackly, laid down the
tray, and took a few steps in her di
rection. She brandished the knife
threateningly: then, as if her nerve
failed her, fainted, letting the knife
fall carefully on the floor so that it
struck on the handle, and not on the
blade.
Wong quickly caught her as she
fainted and carrying her out of the
room, banged shut the door. Elaine .
followed in a moment, loyally to pro- i
tect her supposed friend, but found
that the door had a snap lock on the
other side.
She looked about wildly, and in a 1
moment Wong reappeared. As he ad
vanced slowly and Insinuatingly, she
drew back, pleading. But her words
fell on seemingly deaf ears.
She had picked up the knife which
Mary had dropped, and when at last
Wong maneuvered to .get her cornered
and was about to seize her, she nerved
herself up and stabbed at him reso- (
lutely.
Wong staggered back —and fell.
As he did so, he pressed the
bladder which he had already placed
under his coat. A dark red fluid, j
like blood, oozed out all over him and ;
ran in a pool on the floor.
Elaine, too horror-stricken at what
had happened even to scream, dropped
the knife and bent over him. He did
not move. She rose quickly and ran
through the now open door. As she
did so, Wong seemed suddenly to come
to life. He raised himself and looked
after her, then with a subtle smile
sank back into his former assumed
posture on the floor.
When Elaine reached the other room
she found Mary there with the Chi
nese sen-ant who was giving her a
glass of water. At the sight of her,
the servant paused, then withdrew in
to another room farther back. Mary,
now apparently recovering from her
faintness, smiled wanly at Elaine.
"It's all right," she murmured. "He
Is a Chinese prince who thought wo
were callers."
At the reassuring nod of Mary to
ward the front room, Elaine was over
come.
"I—l killed him!" she managed to
gasp.
"What?" cried Mary, starting up and
trembling violently. "You killed
him—"
"Yes," sobbed Elaine. "He came at
me —had the knife —I struck at
him.—"
The two girls ran Into the other
GET YOURS TOMORROW
E The announcement in these columns that this paper would present to
LVeryDOay its readers "THE NATIONS AT WAR," by Willis f. Abbot, has brought to
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room. There Mary looked at the mo
tionless body on the floor and recoiled,
horrified.
Elaine noticed some spots on her
hands, and, seeing that they were
stained by the blood of Long Sin,
wiped the spots off on her handker
chief, dropping it to the floor.
"I'gh!" exclaimed a guttural voice
behind them.
It was the servant who had come
In.
"You—kill him —with knife?" insin
uated the Chinese.
Elaine was dumb. The servant did
not wait for an answer, but hastily
opened the hall door.
To Elaine it seemed that something
must be done quickly. A moment and
all the house would be in uproar.
Instead, he placed his finger on his
lips. "Quick —no word," he said, lead
ing the way to the hall door, "and —oh,
you must not leave that —it will be
a clue," he added, picking up the
bloody handkerchief and pressing it
into Elaine's hand.
They quickly ran out into the hall.
"Go —quick!" he urged again, "and
hide the handkerchief in the bag. Let
no one see it!"
He shut the door. As they hurried
away Elaine breathed a sigh of relief.
They had reached the street. Afraid
to run, they hurried as fast as they
could until they turned the first cor
ner.
To Be Continued
FINDS GEMS IN SHOE
Shoemaker Returns Jewels When Own
er Returns to Shop
Lancaster, May s.—When examin
ing a pair of shoes a woman brought
to his shop for repairs, Ralph Cicone
found in one of them a chamois bag
in which was S6O in cash, two diamond
rings and a diamond tbrooeh worth
S4OO.
An hour later the owner of the
shoes returned for them and was start
led when the contents of the shoes
were handed to her. She said she must
have dropped the baig, which, curiously
enough, fell into the shoe. She refused
to give her name.
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For full particulars apply to A. &
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York | P. LOHNE HVMMEL, 10* Mar
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ACQUITTED OF MOVIE RIOT
Editor and Minister, Negroes, Go Free
In a Boston Court
Boston. May s.—William M. Trot- i
ter, editor of a weekly newspaper, and
the Rev. Aaron Fuller yesterday in •
Municipal court, were adjudged not j
guilty of inciting a riot on April 17 in 1
connection with a display of moving i
pictures dealing with the Southern re
construction period. Both are negroes.
The judge expressed the opinion that j
the ticket seller at the theatre was j
partly responsible for the disturbance, !
because of alleged discrimination in j
the sale of tickets. Trotter was fined I
S2O for an assault on a policeman.
Insane Man Attacks Wife
Sharaokin, M iv s.—Peter Laouska i
grew violently insane at his home in I
Hickory Ridge yesterday and attacked !
his wife. Neighbors overpowered him. j
He was removed to the Danville insane I
asylum. His wife is in a serious con
dition.
/ v
J. Harry Stroup
Insurance Agent
1617 North Second St
*
George A. Gorgas
Quick Relief for Coughs, »'iolds ana
Hoarseness. Clear the Vaice—Fine for
Speakers and Singers. 25c.
GORGAS' DRUG STORES
16 N. Third St. Penna. Station
Cut Down Your
Coa! Bill
Coal prices are at their
lowest now and will not
change until July 1. Pea
coal is only $4.95 a ton now,
the lowest it has been for a
number of years. Wise
housekeepers are cutting
down their coal bills by fill
ing their bins with range and
furnace coal while the saving
prices are in effect.
H. M.KELLEY&CO.
1 N. Third Street
Tenth and State Streets
PUTS BAN ON HAND R MAKES j
Decision, If Upheld, May Mean Heavy
Loss to Railroads
Rirfimond, Va., May s.—The Fed-1
oral Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday j
unanimously atlinned a decision of the!
Federal District court construing t'he j
safety appliance act so as to make it j
unlawful for a railroad to require l
brakemen to use common hand brakes j
to control the speed of trains.
Washington,' May 5. — Exports of the
Interstate Commerce Commission say
the decision of the Circuit Court at!
Richmond yesterday is one of the most J
important in many years. If supported |
bv the United States Supreme Court it ]
will result in cutting down accidents j
now laid to the hand brake, which last (
year killed 556 men and injured IH, - j
053. It may force the railroads, es
pecially on high grades, to cut down
the length of their trains.
BIiAKKLEY WANTS DIVORCE
Pittsburgh Graft Case Prosecutor Al- j
leges He Has Been Deserted
Pittsburgh, May s.—The law office |
I romance of ex-District Attorney Wil-1
•liain A. Blakeley, who gained a country- !
wide refutation for his prosecution of
the councilman's graft cases several
years ago, has 'been shattered.
Blakeley yesterday filed suit for di
vorce, accusing his wife, formerly Mrs.
George Whitney Stephenson, dr., beau
tiful society leader, with desertion.
In the winter of 1913 Blakeley, as I
counsel for Mrs. Stephenson, got a di
vorce for her and then assumed the
management of her financial affairs. In !
July, 1913, word came from New York |
t'hat Blakeley and the former Mrs.
Stephenson had t>ecn married in the
Little f'hurch Around ,the Corner, only
a few witnesses being present at the
cereimony. There have been rumors re
cently of trou'ble and Mrs. Blakeley
has been traveling abroad.
Mte. Blakeley before her marriage to
'Stephenson, member of the now defunct
brokerage firm of Whitney & Stephen
} son, was Mi>s Marguerite Botsford,
whose father, now dead, was one of the
best known steel men in this section of I
' t'ho country. He was secretary-treasurer
I for years of the Pittsburgh '.Malleable
j Iron Company. Blakeley is 4 8 and his
j wife 30 years younger.
' JOHN D. NOW OWNS TWO LAKES
Buys 105 Acres and Water Rights,
Paying SIOO,OOO
Tarrytown, X. Y., 'May s.—John D.
"Rockefeller added 105 acres to his es
tate 'by acquiring t'he John Webber
property at Tarrytown Heights. Mr.
"Rockefeller owns the watershed to the
north of Tarrytown lakes, and by pur
chasing the Webber land he owns the
south sid,e, so that in effect the two
lakes are a part of his estate.
His plans for the property have no't
been disclosed. It contains valuable
timber and quarries. The price paid is
said to have been more than SIOO,-
000.
Mr. Rockefeller walked over and
carefully surveyed the lakes before
closing the deal.
GIVEN $20,000 FOR SCALP
| Sixteen-year-old Girl Wins Jury's Sym
pathy in Her Suit
New York, May 5. —Mary Havnes,
| 16 years old, of Brooklyn, yesterday
! was awarded $20,000 before Supreme
j Court Justice Kolby for the loss of
j her entire scalp and four feet of beau-
I liful brown hair, in her $50,000 dam
! age suit against Cook & Cob, dyemak- >
crs. Some of the jurors wept when .
| t he girl removed her wig, and showed
the bare, scarred scalp from which her
! hair had been torn by a shaft.
The jury also gave the girl's father
j SI,OOO for loss of her services. The
] accident occurred August 14, 1913, in
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