The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

P t f f r j | The Exploits of Elaine A Detective Novel anda Motion 0ctuff Drama By ARTHUR a REEVE The Well-Known No tell it and th» Creator of tht "Craig Kennedy" Sloriet Pretested In Collaboration With the Pstfce Player* and the Eclectic FRm Company Copyright, 1014. by the Star Company All Foreign Right* Reswvd 'kV- SYNOPSIS. • The New York police are mystified by a ' vJtortae of morders and other crimes. The rlnclpal clue to the criminal is the warn- s Jitter v.hic!; is sent the victims, signed th a "clutching hand." The latest vic­ tim of the mysterious assassin is Taylor fcodge, the insurance president. His daughter. Elaine, employs Craig Kennedy, She famous scientific detective, to try to lusravel the mystery. What Kennedy ac­ complishes is told by his friend Jameson, newspaper man. Enraged at the deter. ||oined effort which Elaine ana Craig Ken­ nedy are making to put an end to his Srimes, the Clutching Hand, as th's trange criminal is known, resorts to all Sorts of the most diabolical schemes to Put them out of the way. Each chapter ef the story tells of a new plot against Uheir lives and of the way the gr^at de­ fective uces fill his skill to save this pret­ ty girt and himself from death. ^ ^ , THIRTEENTH EPISODE THE DEVIL WORSHIPERS. Elaine was seated In the drawing room with Aunt Josephine one after­ noon, when her lawyer, Perry Ben­ nett, dropped in unexpectedly. He had hardly greeted them when the butler, Jennings, in his usual im­ passive manner announced that Aunt Josephine was wanted on the tele­ phone. No sooner were Elaine and Bennett •lone than Elaine, turning to him, ex­ claimed: ' "Last bight I dreamed that father i£ame to me and told me that if I t .* 'I^ould give up Kennedy and put my $$;•' trust in you, I would find the Clutch- 'i> >ing Hand. I don't know what to think ' «f it." v Benn*H. *ho b««n listening in- gently, moved over nearer to Elaine V.,- r A /vwntt ItA* mm V •J* . • <(<•• < -A find bent over her. "Elaine," he said In a low tone, his "temarkable eyes looking straight into ter own, "you must know that I love ou. Then give me the right to pro­ ject you. It was your father's dearest Irish, I believe, that we should marry. |Let me share your dangers and I Swear that sooner or later there will if ' ' :'fte an end to the Clutching Hand. 4^ , • ;#Hve me your answer, Elaine," he \ yrged, "and make me the happiest , », ^ lnan in all the world." ' _ ':'i; J j Elaine listened, and not unsympa- Jbetically, as Bennett continued to ^ jplead for her answer. ';dS\ "Wait a little while--until tomor- ^ tow," she replied finally. "'Let it be as you wish, then," ftgreed Bennett quietly. He took her hand and kissed it pas- " Jtfonately. ? Y-< 4 An instant later Aunt Josephine re- ||fi ; J J , Jturned. Elaine, unstrung by what M'. m:: had happened, excused herself and Spent into the library. ^ Involuntarily, her mind ^ |»ck traveled over the rapid succession of ivents of the past few weeks and e part that she had thought, at t, Kennedy had come to play in life. *• , Acvy^' Th®* "he 'thought of their recent W' jMsunderstanding. Might there not jfj .,J|>e some simple explanation of It, aft- $^i;_ " jier all, which she had missed? What t*'V }'f"' :#hould she do? 81% .••'.ET. & V< '-=- 'V She solved the problem by talcing jap the telephone and asking for Ifra- •Dnedy'a number. i " I was chatting with Craig in his ^laboratory, and, at the same time, £Jr', rf??was watching him in his experimental if* '^work. Just as a call came on the tele- " vgphone, he was pouring some nitre- hydrochloric acid into a test tube to -complete a reaction * The telephone tinkled sad he laid down the bottle of acid on his desk; ; „ while he moved a few stepB-to answer •;.^'the call. i Whoever the speaker was, Craig .^seemed deeply interested, and, not If * • |knowing who was talking on the wire, %-\h ^ 1* was eager to learn whether it . was V-^ .^Anyone connected with the case of -^.tte Clutching Hand. "Yes, this is Mr. Kennedy," I haard ^^^ICraig say. 1 moved over toward him and whis- Ifpered eagerly, "Is there anything 0<f t> I A Jittle impatient at being interrupt A:® Kennedy waved me off. It oc curred to me that he might need %'V •' pad and pencil to make a note of some information, and I reached over desk for them. did. so my arm inadvertently struck the bottle lot add, knocking it V4®.« '-lover on the to^ of the desk. Its con- '"l-'Vintents streamed out saturating the tele- phone wires before I could prevent it I In trying to right the bottle my hand £i^Ls' ' v came in contact with the-acid which \5?burned like liquid Are, and I cried but i'^ln pain. . -•>-. i? t i • - . ' S Craig hastily^ ^iid dowii the re- w <?-.v cT t <5 . Pad tj P ', J some in ^ * PliftS. des: V' "' Ai I f-k-'i-xi f'" m- : :' celver, seized me and rushed me to ' the back of the laboratory, where he !*•%'.&'• , drenched my hand with a neutraliz- ^ • ing liquid. * :'•• %£>!*. . "e sound up the wounds caused 4>y the acid, which proved to be slight after *11, and then returned to the tele­ phone. To his evident annoyance, he dis covered that the add had burned through the wires aftd cut off all con suction. • # * . • ' • • • At the ether end of the line, Elaine was listening impatiently for a re­ sponse to her first eager words of in quiry. She was astonished to find, vjh- \:i'V at last, that Kennedy had apparently left the telephone without] amy expla­ nation or apology. "Why--he rang off," she exclaimed angrily to herself, ss e!ie hung up the receiver and left the room. • * * - •. • ' • • In the center of a devious and wind­ ing way, quit* unknown to all except those who knew the innermost secrets of the Chinese quarter, and even un­ known to the police, there was a dingy tenement house, apparently Inhabited by hard-working Chinamen, but in re­ ality the headquarters of the notori­ ous devil worshipers, a sect of satan-- ists, banned, even, in the Celestial em­ pire. ' ' •'. • The followers of the cult comprised some of the most dangerous Chinese criminals, thugs and assassins, be­ sides a number of dangerous charac­ ters who belonged to various Chinese secret societies. At the head of this formidable organisation was Long Sin, the high priest of tha devil ged, and Long Sin had, as we know, already joined forces with the notorious Clutching Hand. < The room in which the1 uncanny rites of the devil worshipers were conduct­ ed w&s a large apartment decorated in Chinese style, with highly colored por­ traits of some of the dqvil deities and costly silken hangings. Beside a large dais depended k huge Chinese gong. On the dais itself stood, or rather sat, an ugly figure covered v ith some sort of metallic plating. It almost seemed to be the mummy of a China­ man covered with gold leaf. Into this room came Long Sin at­ tired in an elaborate silken robe, He advanced and kotowed bi«fore the dais with Us strange figure, and laid down an offering before it. This performance was witnessed by twenty or thirty Chinamen who knelt in the rttar of the room. At the same time an aged Chinaman carrying a* prayer wheel entere'd the place and, after prostrating himself devoutly, placed the machine on a sort of low stool or tabourette and began turning It slowly, muttering. A few moments later Long Sin, who had been bowing before the metallic figure in deepest reverence, suddenly sprang to his feet. His glazed eye and excite-4 manner indicated that he had received a message from the lips of the strange god. The worshipers who had prostrated themselves, in awe at the sight of their high priest In the unholy frenzy, all rose to their feet and crowded for­ ward. • Long Sin struck several blows on the resounding gong and then raised his voice In solemn tones. Ksing Chau, the Terrible, demands a cunsort. She is to be foreign--fair of face and with golden hair." At the same time, in a room of the adjoining house, the Clutching Hand himself was busily engaged in mak­ ing the most- elaborate preparations for some nefarious scheme which his fertile mind had evolved. The room had been fitted up as a medium's seance parlor. Two of the Clutching Hand's most trusted confederates and a hard-faced woman of middle age, dressed in plain black, were putting the finishing touches to this apartment, when their chief entered. Clutching Hand gazed about the room, now and then giving an order or two to jnake more effective the setting bri* the purpose which he had in mind. Finally he nodded in approval and stepped over to the fireplace where logs were burning brightly in a grate. Pressing a spring in the mantelpiece, the master criminal effected an instant transformation. The logs in the fire­ place, still burning, disappeared imme­ diately through the bottom of the brick tiling and a metal sheet covered them. An aperture opened at the back, as if by magic. Through this opening Clutching Hand made his way quickly and dis­ appeared. Emerging on thd other side of the peculiar fireplace, Clutching Hand pushed aside a curtail which barred the way and looked into the Chines© temple, taking up a position behind tiie metallic figure on the dais. The Chinamen had by this time fin­ ished their devotions, if such they might be called, and the last one was leaving, while Long Sin stood alone on the dais. ^ ' The noise of the departing satanists had scarcely titdd awky when Clutch­ ing Hand stepped eat. "Follow me," he ordered hoarsely, seizing Long Sin by the arm and lead­ ing him away. They passed through the passage­ way of the fireplace and, having en­ tered the seance room, Clutching Hand began briefly explaining the purpose of the preparations that had been made. Long Sin wagged his head in voluble approval. Jennings entered with a card on a salver. Elaine took it and saw with surprise the name of her caller: MADAME SAVETSKY, . , • Medium. Beneath the engraved name the,words written in ink: "I have a message from the spirit of your fa- ther." "Yes, I will see her," cried Elaine eagerly. In response to the butler's in­ quiry. -- She followed Jennings into the &d? joining room and there found herself face to face with the hard-featured woman who had only a few momentu before left the Clutching Hand. Elaine looked rather than spoke her inquiry. "Your father, toy dear," purred the medium, with a great pretence of sup­ pressed excitement, "appeared to me the other night from the spirit world. I was in a trance and he asked me to deliver a message to you." "What was the message?" asked Elaine breathlessly, now aroused to Intense interest. "I must go into a trance again to get It," replied the insinuating Savetsky, "and if you like I can try it at once, provided we can be left alone long enough." Seated in her chair, the medium muttered wildly for a few moments, rolled her eyes and with some con­ vulsive movements pretended to go inr to a trance. there oftme a knock at the aoor and I opened it hurriedly. There was a mes­ senger boy who handed me a note. I tore it open. It was from Kennedy and read: "I shall probably be away for two or three days. Call up Elaine and tell her to beware of a certain Madame Savetsky." I was still puzzling over the note and was Just about to call up Elaine when the speaking tube was blown and to my surprise I found that it was Aunt Josephine who had called. "Where is Mr. Kennedy?" she asked, greatly agitated. "He has gone away for a few days," I replied blankly. "Ia there anything I can do?" She was very excited and hastily re­ lated what bad happened at the parlor of the me<num. "What was her namef* I cried ahx- iously. "Madamo Savetsky," she replied, to my surprise. Astounded, I picked up Craig's note from the desk and handed it to her without a word. She reaf It. with breathless eagerness. ( "Come back there with me, please," she begged, almost frantic with fear now. "Something terrible, may have happened.",, * v 'r'? . ~ * .* * ;':*V Aunt JoaesjSiJne had \ttsMtf left S&- vetsky when the trance was returned. Suddenly, from the mysterious shad­ ows of the cabinet, there appeared the Suddenly the curtains were pulled spirit of Long Sin, whose death aside and Aunt Josephine and Ben nett, who had just comfe in, entered. "I can do nothingj^pe," exclaimed Savetsky, starting up and looking about severely. "You must come to my seance chamber where we shall not be interrupted." ' "I will," said Elaine, vexed at the intrusion at that moment. "I must have that message--I must." "What's all this, Elaine?" demanded Aunt Josephine. Hurriedly, Elaine poured forth to her b.unt and Bennett the story of the medium's visit and the promised mes­ sage from her father in the other world. Aunt Josephine, 'who was not one easily to be Imposed on, strongly ob­ jected to Elaine's proposal to accom­ pany Savetsky to the seance chamber, but Elaine would not be denied. "It might be safe for Elaine to go," Bennett finally -suggested to Aunt Jo­ sephine, "if you and I accompanied her." A few moments later, in the Dodge car, Elaine, the medium and her two escorts started for the Chinese quar­ ters. ., • • • • • * • At the house the medium opened the door with her key and ushered in her three visitor?. Entering the room, the medium at once prepared for the seance by pull­ ing down the window shades. ' Suddenly an Indistinct face was seen to be peering through the black cur­ tains. A voice, deep, sepulchral, was heard in slow and solemn tones. "I am Eeko--the spirit of Taylor Dodge. I will give no message until one named Josephine leaves the room." No sooner had the words been ut­ tered than the medium came writhing out of her trance. "What happened?" she asked, look­ ing at Elaine. Elaine reported the spirit's words. "We can get nothing if your aunt stays here," Savetsky added, Insisting Elaine was standing la the library gazing sadly at Kennedy's portrait, thinking over recent events and above all the rebuff over the telephone which eha supposed she had received. Elaine la Hurried Through the Hid­ den Passage In the Fireplace. that Aunt Josephine must go. "Your father cannot speak while she is pres­ ent." Aunt Josephine, annoyed by what she had heard, indignantly refused to go and was deaf to all Elaine's plead­ ings. "I think It will be all right," finally acquiesced Bennev., seeing how bent Elaine was on securing the message "I'll stay and protect her." Aunt Josephine finally agreed. "Very well, then," she protested, marching out of the room in a high state of indignation. She had scarcely left the house, however, when she began to suspect that all was not as It ought to be. In fact, the idea had no sooner occurred to her than she decided to call on Kennedy and she ordered the chauf­ feur to take her as quickly as possible to the laboratory. * * • • • * * Kennedy had not been in the labo­ ratory all the day _ after my experi ence with the acid,' and I was impa tiently awaiting his arrival. At last Elaine still believed she had caused when Adventuress Many had lured her to the apartment. Elaine was trembling with fear at the apparition. As before, a strange voice sounded in the depthB of the cabinet and again a message was heard, in low, solemn tones: "I am Keka, and I have with me Long Sin. His blood cries for ven­ geance." ^- ̂ -• Elaine was oVprcotae with horror at the words. Then a dim, ghostly figure, appar­ ently that of Long Sin, appeared. With arms outstretched, the figure glided from the cabinet and approached Elaine. She shrank back farther in fright, too horrified even to scream. At the same moment, the medium drew a vapor pistol from her dress, and, as the ghost of Long Sin leaped at Elaine, Savetsky darted forward and shot a stream of vapor full in Bennett's face. Bennett dropped unconscious, the lights in the darkened room flashed up, and several of the men of the Clutching Hand rushed in. Quickly the fireplace was turned on Its cleverly constructed hinges, re­ vealing the hidden passage. Before, any effective resistance conld be made, Elaine and Bennett were hustled through the passage, securely bound, and placed on a divan in a curtained chamber back cf the altar of the devil worshipers; • • • • rf-;, ,f ' , *• • It was at that moment that I, Httle dreaming of what had been taking place, arrived with Aunt Josephine at the house of the medium. She answered my ring and admitted us. To our surprise, the seance room is empty. "Where is the young lady who was here?t I asked. "Miss Dodge and the gentleman just left a few minutes ago," the medium explained, as we looked about. I happened to notice atom handker­ chief lying on the floor. It flashed over me that perhaps it might afford a clue. As I passed it, I purposely dropped my soft hat over It and picked up the hat, securing the handkerchief with­ out attracting Savetsky's attention. Aunt Josephine was keen now for returning home to find out whether. Elaine was there or not. No sooner had she entered thenar and driven off, than I examined the? handkerchief. It Was torn, as if it had been crushed in the hand during a struggle and wrenched away. ' I looked closer. In the corner was the initial "E." That was enough. Without losing another precious moment I hurried around to the nearest police station, The sergeant detailed several Roundsmen and a man in plain clothes, and together we returned to the house, laying a careful plan to surround it secretly, while the plainclothes man and I obtained admittance. * * * • • * * Meanwhile, the Chinese devil wor­ shipers had again gathered in their cursed temple and Long Sin, in his priestly robe, appeared on the dais. The worshipers kotowed rever­ ently to him, while at the back again stood the aged Chinaman patiently- turning his prayer wheel. Two braziers, or smoke pots, had been placed on the dais, one of which Long Sin touched with a stick, caus­ ing it to burst out into dense fumes. Standing before them, he chanted in nasal tones: "The white consort of the great Ksing Chau. has been found. It is his will that she now be made his." As he finished intoning the message, Long Sin signaled tq, two young China­ men to go into the anteroom, A mo­ ment later they returned with Elaine. Frightened though she was, Elaine made no attempt to struggle, even when they had cut her bonds. They carried her up to the dais, and now Long Sin faced her and sternly ordered her to kotow to the grue­ some metallic figure. 8he refused, but Instantly the China­ men seized her arm and twisted- It, until they had compelled her to fall, to her knees. Having forced her to kotow; Long Sin turned to the assembled devil dancers. "With magic and rare drugs," he chanted, "she shall he made to pass beyond and her body encased In pre­ cious gold shall be the consort of Ksing Chau--forever and ever." With callous deviltry, the oriental satanists made every arrangement for embalming and preserving the body of Elaine. At last all seemed to be in readiness to proceed. "Hold her," ordered Long Sin in gut­ tural Chinese, to the two attendants, as he approached her. Long Sin held In his hand a small, profusely decorated i>ot from which smoke was escaping. As he ap­ proached he passed this receptacle un­ der her nose once, twice,, three times. Gradually Elaine fell into uncon­ sciousness. . • • • . • • • •' While Elaine was faci«& death in the power of the devil worshipers, I had reached the house of Savetsky next uoor with the police, and the place had been quietly surrounded. With the plainclothes man, a daring and intelligent fellow, I went to the door and rang the bell. "What can I do for youT" asked the medium, admitting us. "My friend here," I parleyed, "is in great business trouble. Can your con­ trolling spirit give him advice?" Savetsky set to work preparing the room for a Beauee, As she moved over to the window to pull down the shades leader of Long Sin's attendants and Struck down the other with a blow. Kennedy seized Elaine's yielding body, and, pushing back the curtain to the anteroom, succeeded in gaining It and looking the door iigto the main temple. ; Bennett was still lying on the floor tightly bound. With a few deft cuts with a Chinese knife which he had picked up, Kennedy released him. At the same time Chinamen were trying to batter down the door, Ken­ nedy's last bulwark. It was *w*yi&g under their repeated blows. v ; i . • • * . * While Kennedy was thus besieged by the devil worshipers in the ante­ room, several policemen and detectives gathered in the seance room with us, next door, where Savetsky was held a defiant and mute prisoner. * I had discovered the bell and, taking •jiaf ga o gold's, I stsrtsd to trEC« tHa course of a wire which ran alongside the wall. To the fireplace I traced the bell and, in pulling on the wire, I luckily pressed a secret spring. To my amaze­ ment the whole fireplace swung out of sight and disclosed a secret pas­ sageway. - I looked through It. It was almost at that precise ingtant that the door of the anteroom burst open i and the Chinamen swarmed in, i Elaine Is Forced to Kotow to the Gruesome Metallic Figure. NO THOUGHT OF SURRENDER .been a prisoner thenv^he details of his heroic death. Serman Lieutenant, Wearing the Iron Cross, Proved Himself Worthy ' pf High Decoration. ^Pfeen the German troops again took possession of the little town of Dro- bin in Russia a Poland they found there the grava of one of their lieu­ tenants, who had been missing sincg the end of November; and they ob­ tained from the local priest, the phy- ftataa, and *{3«a|^n hussafc who had lie had been sent out on November 30 with a party of 14 hossars and a corporal to reconnoiter. They sudden­ ly found themselves surrounded by Russian hussars, who opened a hot fire. AtT the very beginning, the lieu­ tenant's horse was shot under him. The rest of his party fled, except four, who were killed or wounded. The lieutenant succeeded in running across fields and half-frozen ditches and get­ ting tetii'-* house,' where he was, f6t» lowed and surrounded by the Russians. Their leader sent a man to call upon renders," he said as he pointed to the Iron Cross on his breast. - He died on him to surrender, but this was re-. Ws way to the field hospital. The Rus- fused. On second summons he was in­ formed that his resistance against a. whole troop of Russians would be im­ possible. But the German counted the bullets in his revolver and answered: "A German officer does not surrender. I still have five cartridges--they are enough foi you--ami me." Then camera fight in'which he. was twice severely wounded and captured. "A man vith that on hUa never sur> sians gave him burial with all the hon­ ors of war In the churchyard at Dro- bin. ' --- . mm,MM , J aefo'fcis?. i" • Life of E£Se for Pets. Pampered pets in this city live & life of ease and comfort, says the New York TimeB. Perched on the seat of a swell auto on Fifth s avenue was a , bulldog regaled In a fur and on his aristocratic head he :£ .j£,: she must have caught sight of one or two of the policemen who had incau­ tiously exposed themselves from the hiding place in which I had disposed them before we entered. At any rate, Savetsky did not lose a jot of her re­ markable composure. "I'm sorry," she remarked merely, "but I'm afraid my control Is weak and cannot work today." She took a step toward the door, motioning us to leave. Neither of us paid any attention to the hint, but re­ mained seated as we had been be­ fore. Almost before I knew what she was doing, she made a dash for something In the corner of the room. It was time for open action; and I seized her quickly. My detective was on his feet in an instant. "I'll take care of her," he ground out, seized her wrists in his viselike grasp. "You give the signal." I rushed to the window, threw up the shade and opened the sash, wav­ ing our preconcerted sign and turned again toward the room. With a sudden accession of desper­ ate strength, Savetsky broke away from the plainclothes man and again attempted to get at something con­ cealed on the wall. I had turned just in time to fling myself between her and whatever object she had in mind. As the detective took her again and twisted her arm until she cried out in pain, I hastily investigated the wall. She had evidently been attempting to press a button that rang a concealed bell. What did it meAtt? • ;• - '"»•/ • V Elaine, now completely unconscious, was being held by the Chinamen, while her arm was smeared with sticky, black material from the caul­ dron of Long Sin. Suddenly the aged Chinaman with the prayer wheel stopped his inces­ sant, impious turning, and, rising, held up his. hand as if to command atten­ tion. "This is nonsense," he cried In a loud voice. "Why should our great Ksing Chou desire a white devil? I, a grefet-grandfather, demand to know." Shaking with rage, Long Sin or­ dered the intruder off the dais. But the aged devotee refused to go. "Throw him out," he ordered his at­ tendants. For answer, as the two young Chinamen approached, the old China­ man threw them down to the floor with a quick jiu-jitsu movement. Furious now beyond expression. Long Sin stepped forward. He seised the beard and queue of the intruder. To his utter amaseG»#i^ U*y e*me Off! ;V; It was Kennedy. ' > With his automatic drawn, before the astonished devil dancers could recover themselves, Craig stood at bay. • Long Sin leaped behind the big gong. As the Chinaman rushed for­ ward to seize him, Kennedy shot the & pair of tortoise shell goggles. Of course, his mistress was also in the auto. When the auto-stopped at the signal of the policeman's whistle, the dog beamed through his goggles and enjoyed the conspicuousness they gave him, for everybody looked at him, and nearly everybody had a word for him, guying or admiring. < Wb£n the big policeman gave the signal for traffic to move, he turned to the aiito and said: "You may go on, Mr. Dog/' urged on by the Insane: exhortations of Long Sin. To my utter amazement, I recog­ nized Kennedy's voice. In the first onslaught Craig shot one Chinaman dead, then closed with the others, slashing right and left with the Chinese knife he had picked up. Bennett came to his aid, but was immediately overcome by two China­ men, who evidently had boon detailed for that purpose. . Meanwhile Kennedy and the others were engaged in a terrible life and death struggle. Finally, Long Sin, seizing a large wall-hanging, leaped upon Kennedy from the back and threw It' over his head, almost suffocating him. ' It was just as the Chinese was about to overpower him that I led the po­ lice and detectives through the paa> sageway of the fireplace. It was a glorious fight that followed. But Long Sin and his Chinamen were no match for the police and were soon completely routed, the police striking furiously in all directions and clearing the room. Instantly Kennedy thought of the fair object of all this melee. He rushed to the divan on which he had placed Elaine. As she opened her eyes for an in­ stant she gazed at Craig, then at Ben­ nett. Still not comprehending just what had happened, she gave her hand to Bennett. Bennett lifted her to her feet and slowly assisted her as she tried to walk away. Kennedy watched them, more stupe­ fied than if he had been struck over the head by Long Sin. -' . • • • * * . • •» Police and detectives were now tak­ ing the captured Chinamen away, as Bennett, his arm about Elaine, led her gently out. A young detective had slipped the bracelets over Long Sin's wrist, and 1 was standing beside him. Kennedy, in a daze at the sight of Elaine and Bennett, passed us, scarce­ ly noting who we were. As Craig collected his scattered forces Long Sin motioned to him, as if he had a message to deliver. Kennedy frowned suspiciously. He *was about to turn away when the Chi­ naman began pleading earnestly for a chance to say a few words. "Step aside for a moment, you fel­ lows, won't you, please?" he asked, "I will hear what you have to say, Long Sin." Long Sin looked about craftily. "What Is it?" prompted Craig, see­ ing that at last they were all alone. Long Sin sgsin looked gtonnd, "Swear that I will go free and not suffer," he whispered, "and I will be­ tray the great Clutching Hand." Kennedy studied the Chinaman ke^hly for a moment. Then, seeming­ ly satisfied with the scrutiny, he nod­ ded slowly assent. As Craig did so, I saw Long Sin lean over ahd whisper into Kennedy's ear. Craig started back in horror and sur­ prise. (TO BB CONTINUED.); ^ Moderation Franklin's Characteristla. His habitual moderation of state­ ment, his aversion to exaggeration, hit inflexible logic and bis perfect truth fulness, made him one of the most per suasive men of his time, and his writ ings a model which no one can stud} without profit. A judicial selectios from Franklin's writings should con stltute a part of. the curriculum of every college ,and high school that aspires to cultivate in its pupils a pure VALUE OF THE "SCRAP HEAP**:»;>V., .1 -/'i "Secondary Metals" Have Added to the Wealth of the United States. In 1914 the value of the "secondary' metals," exclusive of gold, silver, plat- inum, Iron and steel, recovered in the^f United States was $57,039,706, accord-^ ^ ̂ ing to J. P. Dunlop of the Uniteif/^lfe;- State geological survey. This is decrease from 1912 of $15,746,321, the' " *;-V; secondary metals recovered in thalj^. ^ yi»r being valued at $72,786,027. "'^""1 The term "secondary" does not ply that these metals, which are re*> •" y":?' covered from scrap metal, sweepings^..; skimming,drosses, etc., are of inferiorv^^ quality, but it is used to distinguish^:. 7' them from "primary metals," whichpjjfeisfl are derived from ore. While the sur- ' vey figures relative to lead, zinc, cop*" per, aluminum, tin and antimony g!v®riiu v' in this statement cover a large fleldff • and form an essential addition to the reports on primary metals, the scopej, ; of the inquiry probably reveals lessfe^ than one-half the extent of the waste*.!; -f: :* metal* trade. The value of the old; iron and eteel reused amounts to mil-v Hons of dollars. ,'i ECZEMAS AND RASHES Itching and Burning Soothed by CutJi cura. THat Free. • V. The Soap to cleanse and purify, Ointment to soothe and heal. Relief^, rest and sleep follow the use of these* ' supercreamy emollients and lndlcat$ speedy and complete healment in mos cases of young and old, even when thQ-. 5- usual remedies have utterly failed. Address postcard, Cuticura, Dept. XYy ti,. Boston. Sold everywhere.--Adv. The Proudest Moment. "Oh, no! A fellow's proudest mo­ ment was not the time he came out oh top in his first scrap with "the kid next doof." Nor was it the first time he "saw" Mary Jane home from the party. Nor, again, was it when she "named the day." It wasn't when he made his biggest business deal; got his largest raise: became a partner in the concern and was paying ap Income tax. And while this, too, was a proud mo ment. the proudest of all was not when the first-born came, nor was it when the youngster first lisped "dada." All those were big moments, mo­ ments most every fellow remembers iong and happily, but the real proud­ est moment was the first time when He wore his first pair of long pants! f What Interested Him. Uncle Ben Barnstraw's city nephew took him into a fire station one night just in tii^e to see the fire laddies shinning like squirrel*; down a pole from their quarters overhead. "Come ' on, uncle, we'll go to Che fire," the nephew suggested. "I don't want to go," replied the uncle. "I want to . , stay here until they coine back, so t.1; .t. can. see them scoot back up the poleit again."--Judge. c-i Sought Information. During an intermission of a Jdfcef Hofmann recital In a New Jersey town, a woman glancing through the program observed the following ad­ vance notice: "Thursday Eve., March 25th, at -Carnegie hall. Philharmonic Society of New York. Soloist--Zlm- balist." Turning to her companion, she asked: "Tell me, I'm not very fa­ miliar with musical Instruments, but what's a Zimhalist?" • i Hopeless. "Oh, dear," said Mrs. Bleecher. "I wish the home team would win a game or two. They've been losing steadily for two weeks." "I didn't know you took any interest in baseball," said her friend. "I don't; but I want a new gown, and there's no use asking John for it until he's'in better humor." Parachute for Aviator#.* Among the parachutes designed for an aviator is one consisting of wingS and a balloon-shaped canopy, worn folded against the body and opening automatically if he falls. %HE QUIT ^ eat It Was a Hard futr. It is -bajPd to believe that coffee will put a person in such a condition as It did an Ohio woman.; She tells her own story: "I did not believe coffee caused my trouble, and frequently said I liked it 80 well I would not, and could not, quit drinking it, but I was a miserable sufferer from heart trouble and nerv­ ous prostration for four years. "I was scarcely able to be around, had no energy and did not care for anything. Was emaciated and had a constant pain around my heart until I thought I could not endure it. "Frequently I had nervous chilly and the least excitement would driv^v' sleep away, and any little noise wouI(f upset me terribly. I was gradually getting worse until finally I asked my** self what's the use of being sick all the time and buying medicine so that I could indulge myself in coffee? "So I got some Postum to help me quit, I made it strictly according t<§£$ directions and i want io teli you iua$ C; ' change was the greatest step In mf. a life. It was easy to quit coffee be£ cause I now like Postum better thaif, the coffee. K- "One by one the old troubles leffP*"'/,^, until now I am In splendid health^ ; nerves steady, heart all right and th^>. pain all gone. Never have any mor|;^". „ 1 nervous chills, don't take any medi^Vfv:^-. cine, can do all my house work anijf v) have done a great deal besides." i _ Name given by Postum Co., Battl^i .« •.'A Creek, Mich. Read "The Road.Jpr*'" Wellville," in pkgs. . ? Postum comes in two format * * Postum Cereal--the original form- be well boiled. 15c and 25c paCl ages. Instant Postum--a soluble powder -- dissolves quickly in a cup of hot ter and, with cream and Bugar, makes a delicious beverage instantly. 30t and 50c tins. ; . Both kinds are equally delicious antfj cost about the same per cup.