8
| The Exploits of Elaine j
A Detective Novel and a Motion Picture Drama
By ARTHUR B. REEVE
R TheWcU-Krown Novelist and the Gestoraf the"CraigKennedy**Stories
i
Presented in Collaboration With the Pathe Player* asd
I the Eclectic Film Company :jt
CottricbL m*. briteSu Coofan All FMoxa fctiso Rckim ■>'s
SYNOPSIS.
The New York police are mystified by
■ series of murder? and other crimes.
The principal clue to the criminal is the
warning letter which Is sent the victims,
signed with a "clutching hand." The lat
est victim of tho mysterious assassin is
Taylor Dodge, the insurance president.
His daughter. Elaine, employs Craig Ken
nedy. the famous scientific detective, to
try to unravel the mystery. V.'hat Ken
nedy accomplishes is told by his triend
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 is known, resorts
to all sorts of the most diabolical schemes
to put them out of the way. Each chap
iter of the story tells of a new plot
against their lives and of the way th«
great detect ve all his skill to sav«
this pretty girl and himself from death,
FOURTEENTH EPISODE
THE RECKONING.
Pacing up and down his den in the
heart of Chinatown. Long Sin was
thinking over his bargain with Ken
nedy to betray the infamous Clutch
ing Hand
At length he seated himself on a
teakwood table still deliberating over
the promise he had been forced to
make to Kennedy.
Suddenly an idea seemed to strike
him. Lifting a little hammer, he
atruck a Chinese gong on the table
at his side. At the same time he
leaned over and turned the knob at the
cide of a large roll-top desk.
A few seconds later a sort of hatch
way. covered by a rug on the floor. In
one corner of the room, was slowly
lifted and Long Sin's secretary, a pale,
cadaverous Chinaman, appeared from
below. He stepped noiselessly Into
the room and shuffled across to Long
Sin and handed him a letter.
l-ong Sin scowled, as though some
thing had interfered with his own
plans, but tore open the envelope with
out a word, spreading out on his lap
the sheet of paper it contained.
The letter was a typewritten mes
sage. all in capitals, which read:
"BE AT HEADQUARTERS AT 12.
DESTROY THIS IMMEDIATELY."
At the bottom of the note appeared
the sinister signature of the Clutching
Hand.
Bowing low again, the secretary
shuffled across and down again
through the hatchway, closing the
door as he descended.
Long Sin read the note once more,
while his Inscrutable face assumed at
expression of malicious cunning.
With an air of deliberation he
reached for a match and struck it.
He had placed the paper In the Same
when suddenly he seemed to change
his mind. He hastily blew out the
match, which had destroyed only a
corner of the paper, then folded the
note carefully and placed it in his
pocket.
A few moments later, with a malig
nant chuckle. Long Sin rose slowly
and left the room.
Meanwhile the master criminal was
busily engaged in putting the finishing
touches to a final scheme of fiendish
ingenuity for the absolute destruc
tion of Waig Kennedy.
He had been at work in a small
room fitting up a sort of laboratory
in the mysterious house which now
served as his headquarters.
Clutching Hand, at a bench in one
. corner, had just competed an infernal j
machine of diabolical cunning, and
was wrapping it carefully in paper to
make an innocent package.
He was interrupted by a knock at
the door. Laying down the bomb he
went to answer the summons with a
stealthy movement There stood Long
Sin. who had disguised himself as a
Chinese laundryman.
"On time —good!"' growled Clutch
ing Hand surlily as he closed the door
with equal care.
No time was wasted in useless for-1
mail ties.
"This is a bomb," he went on, point-j
Ing to the package. "Carry it care
fully. On no account let It slip, or
you are a dead man. It must be In
Kennedy's laboratory before night.
Understand? Can you arrange it?"
Long Sin glanced at the dangerous
package, then with an expressive look,
replied, "Have no fear. I can do it.
It will be in the laboratory within an
hour. Trust me.''
• ••••••
In Kennedy's laboratory I was watch- 1
Ing Craig make some experiments
with a new X-ray apparatus.
We were oblivious to the passage of
time, and only a call over our speak
ing tube diverted our attention.
I opened the door and a few seconds
later Long Sin himself entered.
Kennedy looked up Inquiringly as
the Chinaman approached, holding out
a package which he carried.
"A bomb." he said, in the most mat
ter-of-fact way. "I promised to have
It placed in your laboratory before
night."
Kennedy took the bomb and care- 1
fully placed It under the wonderful
rays, then with the fluoroscope over his
eyes studied the shadow cast by the
rays on its sensitive screen.
"It's a bomb, sure enough." Craig
exclaimed, looking up from it at last
to me. "It's timed by an ingenious
See "Exploits of Elaine," Fourteenth Episode,
In Motion Pictures, Victoria Theatre, Saturday, May 22
READ THE STORY IN THE STAR-INDEPENDENT EVERV WEEK
j
and noiseless little piece of clockwork,
in there, too. And it's powerful
enough to blow us all. the laboratory
included, to kingdom come."
As he spoke, and before I could re
monstrate with him. he took the in
fernal machine and placed it on a
table where he set to work on the
most delicate and dangerous piece of
dissection of which I have ever heard.
Carefully unwrapping the bomb and
unscrewing one part while he held an
other firm, he finally took out of it a
bottle of liquid and some powder.
Then he placed a few grains of the
powder on a dish and dropped on it a
drop or two of the liquid. There was
a bright flash as the powder ignited
Instantly.
"Just what I expected." commented
Kennedy with a nod, as he examined
the clever workmanship of the bomb.
One thing that interested him was
that part of the contents had been
wrapped in paper to keep them in
place. This paper he was now care
fully examining with a microscope.
As nearly as I could make It out. the
paper contained part of a typewrit
ten cremical formula, which read:
TINCTURE OF IODINE
THREE PARTS OF
He looked up from his study of the
microscope to Long Sin.
"Tell me just how it happened that
■you got this bomb," he asked.
Without hesitation the Chinaman re
cited the circumstances, beginning
with the note by which he had been
summoned.
"A note?" repeated Kennedy, ea
gerly. "Was it typewritten?"
Long Sin reached into his pocket
and produced the note itself, which he
had not burned.
As Craig studied 'the typewritten
message from the Clutching Hand 1
could see that he was growing more
and more excited.
"At last he has given us something
typewritten." he exclaimed "To most
people. I suppose, it seems that type
writing is the best way to conceal
identity. But there are a thousand
and one ways of identifying typewrit
ing.
"Look. Walter." he remarked at
length, taking a fine tipped pencil and
pointing at the distinguishing marks
as he talked. "You will notice that
all the T's' in this note are bat
tered and faint as well as just a trifle
out of alignment. Now I will place the
paper from the bomb under the micro
scope and you will see that the 'T's'
in the scrap of formula have exactly
the same appearance."
I strained my eyes to look. Sure
enough. Kennedy was right. There
was that unmistakable identity be
tween the T's in the formula and the
note.
Kennedy had been gazing at the
floor, his face puckered in thought as
I looked. Suddenly he clapped his
hands together, as if he had made a
great discovery.
"I've struck It!" he exclaimed. Jump
ing up. "I was wondering where I
had seen typewriting that reminds me
of this. Walter, get on your coat
and hat. We are on the right trail at
last."
With Long Sin we hurried out of
the laboratory, leaving him at the
nearest taxicab stand, where we
jumped into a waiting car.
"It is the clue of the battered T's.' "
Craig muttered.
Aunt Josephine was in the library
knitting when the butler. Jennings, an- 1
nounced us.
"Where is—Miss Dodge?" inquired
Kennedy, with suppressed excitement
as we entered.
"I think 6he's out shopping, and I
don't know just when she will be
back." answered Aunt Josephine, with
some surprise. "Why? Is it anything
important—any news?"
"Very important." returned Kennedy
excitedly. "I think I have the best
clue yet. Only—it will be necessary
to look through some of the household
correspondence immediately to see
whether there are certain letters. I
wouldn't be surprised if she had some
—perhaps not very personal—but I
must see them."
Kennedy lost no time. He went to
a desk where Elaine generally sat,
and quickly took out several type
written letters. One after another he
examined them closely, rejecting one
after another, until finally he came
to one thst seemed to interest him.
He separated it from the rest and
fell to studying it, comparing it with
the paper from the bomb and the
note which Long Sin had received
from the Clutching Hand. Then he
folded the letter so that the signa
ture and the address could not be
read by us.
A portion of the letter I recall read
something like this:
"This Is his contention: Whereas.
TRUTH Is the only goal and MATTER
is non-existent—"
Look at this, Walter," remarked
Craig, with difficulty restraining him
self. "What do you make of It?"
A glance at the typewriting was suf
ficient to show me that Kennedy had,
indeed, made an important discovery.
We stared at each other almost too
dazed to speak.
HARRIRBTJRG STAR-INDEPENDENT, WEDNESDAY EVENING. MAY 19, 1915
At that moment w« were startled
by the sudden appearance of Blaine.
She entered the room carrying in
her arms a huge bunch of roees which
the had eYidently just received.
The moment sha saw Craig, how
ever, she stopped short with a look of
great surprise.
Her keen eye had not missed the
fact that several of her letters lay
scattered over the top of the desk.
"What are you doing with my let
ters, Mr. Kennedy?" she asked, in an
astonished tone, evidently resenting
the unceremoniousness with which he
had apparently been overhauling her
correspondence.
As guardedly as possible, Kennedy
met her Inquiry, which I could not
myself blame her for making.
"I beg your pardon. Miss Dodge,"
he said, "but a matter has just come
up which necessitated merely a cur
sory examination of some purely for
ms! letters which might have an im
portant bearing on the discovery of
the Clutching Hand. Your aunt had
no idea where you were, nor when you
might return, and the absolute neces
sity for haste In such an important
matter is my only excuse for examin
ing a few minor letters without first
obtaining your permission."
She said nothing. At another time
such an explanation would have been
instantly accepted. Now. however, it
was different.
Kenuedy read the look on her face
and an instant later turned to Aunt
Josephine and myself.
"I would very much appreciate a
chance to say a few words to Miss
Dodge alone," he intimated. "I have
had no such opportunity for some
time. If you would be so kind as to
leave us in the library—for a few min
utes —"
He did not -finish the sentence.
Aunt Josephine had already begun to
withdraw and I followed.
For a moment or two Craig and
Elaine looked at each otlvfr, neither
saying a word, each wondering just
what was in the other's mind.
Craig cleared his throat, the obvious
manner of covering up his emotion.
"Elaine." he said at length, dropping
the recent return to "Miss Dodge." for
the moment, "Elaine, is there any
truth in this morning's newspaper re
port of—of you?"
She had dropped her eyes. But he
persisted, taking a newspaper clipping
from his pocket and handing it to her
Her hand trembled as she glanced
over the item;
SOCIETY NOTES.
Dame Rumor is connecting the
name of Miss Elaine Dodge, the
heiress, with that of Perry Ben
nett. the famous young lawyer.
The announcement of- an engage
ment between them at any time
would not surprise.
Elaine read no farther. She handed
back the clipping to Kennedy. As her
eyes met his she noticed his expres
sion of deep concern, and hesitated
with thf reply she had evidently been
just about to make.
Still, as she lowered her head, it
seemed to give silent confirmation to
the truth of the newspaper report.
Kennedy sa ! rt nothing, but his eyes
continued to sU'dy her face.
He suppressed fcis feelings with a
great effort then, without a word,
bowed and left the room.
"Walter," h* exclaimed as he re
joined us in the drawing room, where
I was chatting with Aunt Josephine,
"we must be off again. The trail fol
lows still farther."
An hour or so later. Elaine, whose
mind was new in a whirl from what
had happened, decided to make a call
on her lawyer nutl the confidant of her
father. Perry Bennett.
As Elaine entered his private office.
Bennett rose to greet her effusively
and they exchanged a few words.
"I mustn't forget to thank you for
those lovely roses you sent me," she
exclaimed at length. "They were
beautiful, and I appreciated them ever
so much."
A moment later Bennett led the
conversation around until he found an
opportunity to make a tactful allusion
to the report of their engagement in
the morning papers.
He had leaned over, nnd now at
tempted to take her hand. She with
drew it, however. There was some
thing abo U his touch which, try as
she might, she could not like. Was it
mere prejudice or was it her keen
woman's Intuition?
Bennett looked at her a moment,
suppressing a momentary flash of an
ger that had reddened his face, and
controlled himself as if by a super
human effort
believe you really love that man
Kennedy," he exclaimed in a tone that
was almost a hiss. "But I tell you,
Elaine, he is all bluff. Why, he has
been after that Clutching Hand now
for three months —and what has he
accomplished? Nothing!"
He paused. Through Elaine's mind
there flashed the contrast with Ken
nedy's even temper and deferential
manner.
Bennett, by another effort, seemed
to grip his temper again. He paced
up and down the room. Then he
changed the subject abruptly, and the
conversation was resumed with some
constraint
While Elaine and Bennett were talk
ing Kennedy and I had entered the of
fice.
Craig stopped the boy who was
about to announce us ai<d asked for
Bennett's secretary' instead, much to
my astonishment.
The boy merely indicated the door
of one of the other private offices, and
we entered.
We found the secretary hard at
work at the typewriter, copying a
legal document. Without a word Ken
nedy at once locked the door.
The secretary rose In surprise, but
Craig paid no attention to him. In
stead he calmly walked over to the
machine and began to examine it.
"Might I ask"—began the secretary.
"You keep quiet," ordered Kennedy,
with a nod to me to watch the fellow.
"Ton are under arrest—and the less
you say the better for you."
I 1 shall never forget the look that
crossed the secretary's face. Was It
the surprise of an Innocent man?
Taking the man's place at the ma
chine Kennedy removed the legal pa
per that was in it and put in a new
sheet. Then he tapped out. as we
watched:
I BE AT HEADQUARTERS AT 12. DE
h STROY THIS IMMEDIATELY.
TINCTURE OF IODINE
THREE PARTS OF
This is his contention whsrsss
TRUTH Is the only goal snd MATTER
is nonexistent— »
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTI
I "Ixjok, Walter." he exclaimed as he
drew out the paper from the machine.
I bent ,over. and together we com
pared the T's with those in the Clutch
' ing Hand letter, the paper from the
bomb and the letter which Craig had
taken from Elaine's desk.
To Be Continued
AMUSEMENTS
.
MAJESTIC
| To-night, William Gillette, Blanche
Bates, Marie i>oro in "Dipio
| maoy."
| Friday evening, May 20, Christie
Mac Donald in "Sweethearts."
1 Thrus lay evening, May 27, Christie
1 Mui'Donald in "•Sweethearts."
COLON 1 AX.
I.very afternoon and evening, vninl«
villi- and pictures.
VICTORIA
| Million Pictures.
THOTOPLAX
Motion I"icttiros.
KEGENT
Mulion Pictures.
PALACE
Moving Pictures.
V I ————————
Gillette-Bates-Doro To-night
William Gillette. Blanche Bites,
Marie Doro and a deliberately chosen
company of brilliant artists will be
seen here together in a revival of Vis
torien Sardou's celebrated drama.
"Diplomacy," at the Majestic this
evening. This is Charles Erohimn's
most important dramatic offering of
the present season. It took no little
pains and "diplomacy" to
bring about this association of stars.
Ea?h of the principal players has been
absent from the local stage for some
time—Mr. Gillette has not played
hereabouts since he appeared in some
of his own dramas and comedies; Miss
Hates has been too long missing from
the 10-al board, and Mies Doro has
been playing "Dora," the part that
she will enact here, in support of Ger
ald du Maurier, in London.—Adv *
Christie Mac Donald
While "Sweethearts," the opera in
which Christie Mac Donald is to be
seen at the Majestic Thursday evening,
May 27. does not depend upon its
scenic investiture or costuming for it*
success, these are notable features of
the production. What is perhaps more
to the point the company is heralded
as one of the best singing organizations
which has toured America since the
days of the old Bostonians. The coin-
pany numbers seventy-five and this is
said to be the best opera in which Miss
Ma Donald lias appeared. Victor Her
bert wrote the music.—Adv.*
Final Country Store To-night
The <. olonial theatre is going to have
the final Country Store of the present
season to-night." As was the case last
year, the Country Store will be drop
ped for the summer months. In it«
stead next week on Wednesdav nuht
the Colonial will have the first in a
series of try-out nights, in which local
acts that feel that they are good
enough for the professional stage will
compete for $l5O in prizes. A general
invitation is extended to all local per
formers to enter this contest. It may
lead the way to permanent work on
the stage. The final country store to
night will be a rousing wind-up to one
of the best comedy features ever intro
duced in the Colonial. The regular bill
at the Colonial these days is a good
one, headed by Willard,* the man of
mystery, who grows from a man
to a big man while the audience looks
on. To-morrow a new bill comes to the
Colonial for the balance of the week.
It will be headed by the College Girls.
Adv.*
Victoria Theatre
The musical selections, as announced
in our theatre program and played by
Profs. 'Mcßride and Mcintosh", have
surely been appreciated, for from all
sides we are hearing favorable com
ment. Giving the high-class motion
picture entertainment such as this thea
tre affords, a series of classical musical
numbers are rendered, interspersed, of
course* with music that is suitable to
or carries out the action idea of the pic
ture. To-day's motion picture bill is
one of exceptional merit and is in keep
ing with our idea to present onlv the
highest possible type of pictures. "The
Human Otopus," a two-part K. B. pro
duction, that teaches a strong lesson,
will be shown to-day, as well as sev
eral other equally forceful plays.
Adv.*
Edward Abeles in "After Five" at the
Regent To-day and To-morrow
Jesse L. Lasky presents Edward
Abeles at the Regent theatre this aft
ernoon and evening, who made his first
notable screen success under Lasky's
management in "Brewster's Million,"
in a new photo dramatic comedy with
the money motive entitled, "After
Five," in five reels. This play, which
is the joint work of Cecil B.'DeMille
and \\ illiam C. DeMille, finds humor in
things and conditions generally asso
ciated with tragedy. Remember, citi
zens of iHarrisburg, that the moving
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FACKLER'S, 1312 Derry St.
L
pictures shown in this theatre other cit
ies charge 25c to Jl. This theatre has
exclusive service and after showing
here will not be shown in any other
theatre in this city. It doesn't matter
what night you are coming, you will
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William Penn Theatre
The regular patrons of this beauti
ful motion picture house were greatly
delighted by the class and character of
the pictures shown the first two days
under the new management. The Wil
liam fenn theatre is now under the
same management as the popular Vic
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have already been planned that will af
ford the movie fan who has been ac
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burg's most up-to-date and modern
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Dyspepsia Tablets
Will Relieve Your Indigestion
George A. Oorgis
SIO,OOO COATESVJLLE FIRE
Business Block Threatened During Liv
ery Stable Blaze
Coiftesville, Pa., May 19.—Fire of
! unknown origin, that started in the
haymow, completely gutterl Thomas
| Xash's livery stable and threatened the
| business block of this town early yes
i terday morning. Firemen confined the
i flames to the one building and sr.ved the
[Speakman hotel and other business
houses. The loss is >io,ooo, partially
! (fovcred by insurance. The building was
I owned by C. N. Speakman.
The second floor front was occupied
as a paint shop and when the flames
reached there the skies were illuminated
i and the reflection could 'be seen for
! miles. Charles Noll, in charge, asleep
in the office, was aroused. Ille ran into
the staole and rescued fifteen head /;
horses. Cutting the halter straps with
a whip he drove the horses out of the
stable through the flames into the
street.
While the fire was raging
volunteer firemen, members of the
Washington and tßrandywine fire com
panies, went down with a portion of the
falling roof. The men were quickly
rescued and save a few bruises were un
hurt.
MAY LOSE VAN DERtBILT TAX
Will to Be Probated in Newport, Not
Here, It Is Said
Albany, May 19. —It was reported
here last night "that the estate of Alfred
Gwvnne Vanderbilt will not pay an in
heritance tax in New York. The will
is to be probated in Newport, and the
claim will be made that Newport was
Mr. Vanderbilt's home, it is said.
The Vanderbilt estate inheritance tax
would amount to about $3,500,000, ac
cording to estimates.
AUTO BARS SLAVERY CHARGE
Baltimore, -May 19. —C. Robert Kopp,
52 years old, a patent medicine manu
facturer of York, Pa., was arrested here
yesterday at the instance of his wife.
With him was Ruth M. Savlcr, 17 years
old. They came together from York
in an automobile, the girl being a li
censed chauffeur.
The government agent said Kopp
would not be charged with violating
the white slave act because he had
brought the girl in an automobile and
not in a cominoii carrier.
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