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•m&v- ' 'x'*K A * ' ' v % c ' / ^ . ' * * * . / < t \ ' V * \ ^ s , \ : m?m, - "^?f '&*&K ^;;^A- ' ' £ -• .1 JjTHENBY PLAINDEALER, M'HENRY, IL& •fir::A' The Exploits of Elaine A Detective Novel and a Motion Picture Drama By ARTHUR B* REEVE The Well-Known Novelist and (if Creator qf the "Craig Kennedy" Storie* ^Mcated ia Collaboration With the Pathe Players and the Eclectic Film Company Oawrrtght. 1WL<» by the BUj Coctpany AU Foreign Rights Reserved rgn. ",*V ; ' * m; im' ^ ..-.. • ,Vv • * ' .,•'&• • £v4fc -¥v y?.<# i&h ' -V |--K & -.? EC 37^ ,fe it \ '* 7 i tr-v & fs. Vijj:. ••: Vr'lV ̂ '• ii fafo SYNOPSIS. The New York police are myi>tt*«!d by a Mdea of murders and other crimer The principal clue to the criminal la the warn. Ins letter which ie sent the victims, sijfned •with a "clutching hand." The latest vic­ tim of the mysterious assassin is Taylor rvodge, the insurance president. His daughter, Elaine, employs Craig Kennedy, the f&:nous scientific detective, to try to unravel the mystery. What Kennedy ac­ complishes is told by his friend Jameson. • 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 thin strange criminal is known, .resorts to all ectrte of the most diabolical .schemes to put them out of the way. Each chapter ot the story tells of a new piot against their lives and of the way the, great de­ tective uses all his skill to save this pret­ ty girl and himself from death. ELEVENTH EPISODE THE HOUR OF THREE. With the ominous forefinger of his Clutching Hand extended, the faster Criminal emphasized his instructions to his minions. "Perry Bennett, her Imwyer, is in favor again with Elaine Dodge," he was saying. "She and Kennedy are on the outs even yet But they may become reconciled. Then she'll have that fellow on our trail again. Before that happens we must 'get' her It Was la the latest headquarters to which Craig had chased the crim­ inal, in one of the toughest parts of New York's great river front section. "Now," went on the Clutching Hand. *1 want you, Slim, to follow them. See what they do--where they go. It's her birthday. Something's bound to occur that will give you a lead. All you've got to do is to use your head. Get mer • * * • • ^ * It was, as Clutching Hand had said, Elaine's birthday. She had received many callers and congratulations, in­ numerable costly and beautiful to- - kens of remembrance from her count­ less friends and admirers. In the conservatory of the Dodge house Elaine, Aunt Josephine and Susie Mar­ tin were sitting discussing not only the happy occasion, but more, the many strange events of the past few weeks. "Well, said a familiar voice behind them, "what would a certain blonde young lady accept aB a birthday pres­ ent from her family lawyer?" All three turned in surprise. "Oh, Mr. Bennett," cried Elaine. -How you startled UB!" Blaine hesitated. She was thinking not so much of his words as of Ken­ nedy. To them all. however, it aeemed that she was unable to make tip her mind what, in the wealth of her luxury, what she would like. ' Susie Martin had been wondering whether, now that Bennett was here, she was not de trop, as she looked, at her wrist watch mechanically. As she did so, an idea occurred to her. "Why not one of these?" she cried impulsively, indicating the watch. "Fa­ ther has some beauties at the shop." "Oh, good," exclaimed Elaine, "how sweet!" "Then let's all go to the shopi" said Bennett. "Miss Martin will personally conduct the tour, and we shall have our pick of the finest stock." It was too gay a party to notice a sinister figure following them in a eab. Chatting with animation, the three moved over to the watch counter, while the crook, with a determination not to risk missing anything, entered the shop door, too. "Mr. Thomas," asked Susie as her father's clerk bowed to them, "please •how Miss Dodge the wrist watches father was telling about.". Unobserved, the crook Walked over near enough to hear what was going on. At last, with much banter and yet care, Elaine selected one that was in­ deed a beauty and was about to snap it on her dainty wrist when the clerk Interrupted. "I beg your pardon*" he suggested, "but I'd advise you to leave it to be regulated, if you please." Reluctantly Elaine handed it over to the clerk. i . A moment later they want jrat and entered the car again.' ,, As they did so, Slim, who had been looking over various things in the next case as if undecided, came up to the watch counter. "I'm making a present," he remarl^Bd confldentally to the clerk. "How about those bracelet watches?" The clerk pulled out some of the cheaper ones. "No," he said thoughtfully, pointing out a tray in the showcase, "something like those." He ended by picking oat one iden­ tically like that which Elaine had se­ lected, and started to pay for it. "Better have it regulated," repeated the clerk. "No," he objected hastily, ah»lrlng his head and paying the money quick- v ly. "It's a present--and I want it to­ night." • • 'r:\ He took the watch and left the store '^^.'Ittirriedly. « half as high. In the box I could see, besides other apparatus, two good sited spools of fine wire. "What's all that?" I asked inquisi­ tively. "Another o{ the new instruments that scientific detectives use," he re­ sponded, scarcely looking up. "a little magnetic wizard, the telegraphone." "Which is?" I prompted. "Something we detectives might use to take down and 'can' telephone con­ versations and other such conversa­ tions. When it is attached properly to a telephone, it records everything that Is said over the wire. The record is not made mechanically on a cylin­ der, but electro-magneticaliy on this wire." Craig continued to tinker tan talis- ingly with the machine which had been invented by a Dane, Yaldemar Poulsen. He had scarcely finished testing the telegraphone when the laboratory door opened and a clean-cut young man entered. Kennedy, I knew, had found that the routine work of the Clutching Hand case was beyond his limited time and had retained this young man, Raymond Chase, to attend tp that. Just now what worried Craig was the situation with Elaine, and I fan­ cied that he had given Chase some commission in connection with that. "I've got it, Mr. Kennedy," greeted Chase with quiet modesty. "Good," responded Craig heartily. "I knew you would." "Got what?" I asked a moment later. Kennedy nodded for Chase to an­ swer. "I've located the new residence of Flirty Florrie," he replied. I saw what Kennedy was after at once. Flirty Florrie and Dan the Dude had caused the quarrel between him­ self aqd Elaine. Dan the Dude was dead. But Flirty Florrie might be forced to explain it. "That's fine," he added, exultingly. "Now 111 clear that thing up." He took a hasty step to the tele­ phone, put his hand on the receiver and was about to take it off the hook.' Then he paused, and I saw his face working. Finally his pride, for Kennedy's was a highly sensitive nature, got the bet­ ter of him. "No," he said, half to himself, "not --yet." • m • * • • • • : ,'-w- rV:! :• $3'N v In the laboratory, Kennedy was ^working over an oblong oak Bbk, per- ftftps eighteen inches in length and QUICKLY BROUGHT TO TIME Outbreak Against :v. Henry's Outbreak Against Economy C^f^Hls Part Was Resolute!?.**?? . Checked by Wife. r^ .'*•'• * -•*'/ M vi ;i " • ' i. • Vf ; "My dear?" >*. >'Yes, HenrjfpJ* *! ?"Our expensw;-1t%fen!is to me* •."•.,.^e too heavy." -*•' " agree wit$ you; Take this pencil and see if you can't figure out Sfene of way of redaction. Put down fi tag tobacco. Elaine had returned home. Alone, her thoughts naturally went back to what had happened recently to interrupt a friendship which had been the sweetest in her life. "There must be some mistake," She murmured pensively to herself, think­ ing of the photograph Flirty had giv.en her. "Oh, why did I send him away? Why didn't I believe him?" Mechanically, she put out her hand to the telephone. She was about to take ofF the re­ ceiver, when something seemed to stay her hand. She wanted him to come to her. • • * • • • • Craig's eye fell on the telegraphone, and an idea seemed to occur to him. ^ "Walter, you and Chase bring that thing along." he said a moment later. At last we came to the apartment house at which Chase had located the woman. "Now, Chase," he directed, "you needn't go in with us. Walter and I can manage this now. But don't get out of touch with me. I shall need you any moment--certainly, tomor­ row." Kennedy slipped on a badge in­ scribed: "Telephone inspector." "Walter," he smiled, "you're elect­ ed my helper." We entered the apartment house hall and found a negro boy in charge of the switchboard. "You look over the switchboard. Kelly," he winked at me, "while I test out the connections back here. There must be something wrong with the wires or there wouldn't be so many complaints." He had gone back to the switch­ board while the negro, still unsuspi­ cious, watched without understanding what It was all about. "I don't know," Craig muttered final­ ly for the benefit of the boy, "but I think I'll have to leave that tester, after all. Say, if I put It here, you'll have to be careful not to let anyone meddle with it. If you do, there'll be the deuce to pay. See?" Kennedy had already started to fas­ ten the telegrapnone to the wires he had selected from the tangle. At last he finished and stood up. "Don't disturb it and don't let any- onb else touch it," be ordered. "Bet­ ter not tell anyone--that's the best way. I'll be back for it tomorrow, probably. "Yas, sah," nodded the boy, with a bow, as he went out • • • * • « e Back in the new hang-out, tfa^e Clutching Hand was laying down the law to his lieutenants and" heelers, when Slim at last entered. "Huh!" growled the master crim­ inal, conveying the fact that he was considerably relieved to see him at "Yes." "Your carfare, 91-40. Pleasant days you can walk." "Eh-huh?" "Your club dues. $10 m month." "M-m-m-m--" "You can sift the ashes yourself and save $1 a week that way." "M-m-m-m--" "Now, there's yjMir magazines, «2 a week." > . ' "Eh-huh?" "Now, there's a nice substantial sav- last. "Where nave you been? I've been oft on * Jlttie Job myself, And got back." Slim apologized profusely. < "Yes, sir," he replied hastily,'"well, I went over to the Dodge house, and I saw them finally. I followed them into a fewjelry shop. That lawyer bought a wrist watch. So I bought one just like it '1 thought perhaps we could--" "Glva It to me* growled Clutching Hand, seizing It the moment Slim dis­ played it. "And don't butt In--see?" From the capacious desk the mas­ ter criminal pulled a set of small drills, vises, and other jeweler's tools and placed them on the table. "All right," he relented. "Now, do you see what I have Just thought of-- no? This is just the chance. Look at me." Carefully he plied his hands to the job, regardless of time. / "There," he exclaimed at last, hold­ ing the watch where they could all see it. "See!" He pulled out the stem to set the hands and slowly twisted it between his thumb and finger. He turned the hands uutil they were almost at the point of three o'clock. Then he held the watch out where all could see. As the minute hand touched three, from the back of the case, as If from the chasing itself, a little needle, per­ haps a quarter of an inch, jumped out It seemed to come from what looked like merely a small Insect in the deco­ ration. "You see what will happen at the hour of t*hree?" he asked. ; ' No one said a word, as he held up a vial which he" had drawn from his pocket. On it they could read the la­ bel, "Ricinus." v "One of the most powerful poisons in the world," he exclaimed. '^Enough to kill a regiment!" They fairly gasped and looked at it with horror, exchanging glances. Opening the* vial carefully, he dipped in a thin piece of glass and placed a tiny drop in a receptacle back of the needle and on the needle itself. "I've set my invention to go off at three o'clock," he concluded. "To­ morrow forenoon, it will have to be delivered early'--and I don't believe we shall be troubled any longer by Miss Elaine Dodge,!' he added, ven­ omously. Calmly he wrapped up the appar­ ently innocent engine of destruction and handed it to Slim. "See that she gets it in time," he said merely. "I will, sir," answered Slim, taking it gingerly. * Flinty Florrie had returned that aft­ ernoon, late, from some expedition on which she had been sent. Rankling in her heart yet was the death of her lover? Dan the Dude. Thus, when she arrived home, she went to the telephone to report and called a number, 4494 Greenwich. "Hello, chief," she repeated. "This Ik Flirty. Have you done anything by Flirty, recovered the telegraphone Together we carried it to the labora­ tory. There he set up a little instrument that looked like a wedge sitting up on end, in the face of which was a dial. Through it he began to run the wire from the spools, and, taking an ear­ piece, put another on my head over my ears; He turned a twitch and wt. listened eagerly. First came several calls from peo­ ple with bills, and she put them off most adroitly. Then we heard a call that caused Kennedy to look at me quickly, stop the machine and start at that poipt over again. "That's what I wqpted," he s|J4* as we listened in: * "Give me 4494 Greenwich." "I ^ "Hello." "Hello, chief. This is Flirty. Have you done anything yet in the little matter we talked about?" "Say--be careful of names--over the wire." "You know--what I mean." "Yes, the tritik will be pulled off at three o'clock." "Good! Good-by, and thank Yd«!" "Good-by." \ Craig paused and considered a min­ ute, then moved to the telephone. "There's only one thing to do, and that's to follow out my original scheme," he said! energetically. "In­ formation, please." "Where is Greenwich 44&4f* lie asked a moment later. The minutes passed. "Thank you, sir," he cried, writing down on a pad an address on the West side, near the river front. Then turning to me. he exclaimed, "Walter, we've got him at last!" Craig rose and put on his hat and coat thrusting a pair of opera glasses into his pocket, in case we should want to observe the place at a dis­ tance. I followed him excitedly. The trail was hot. * * • e . • • • Kennedy and I came at last to the place on the West side where the crooked streets curved off. Instead of keeping on until he came to the place we sought, he turned off and quickly slipped behind the shelter of a fence. There was a broken board in the fence and he bent down, gaz­ ing through with the opera glasses. Across the lot was the new hang­ out, a somewhat dilapidated, old-fash­ ioned brick house of sevpral genera­ tions back. Through the glass we could Bee an evil-countenanced crook slinking along. He mounted the steps and , rang the bell, turning as he waited. From a small aperture in the door­ way looked out another face, equally evil. Under cover, the crook made the sign of the Clutching Hand twice and was admitted. "That's the place, 4ll right," whis­ pered Kennedy with satisfaction. He hurried to a telephone booth, where he called several numbers. Then we returned to Jthe laboratory. From the table he picked up * Craig Kennedy Seized Elaine's Arm, Broke the Beautiful Bracelet and. Ripped the Wstch Off Her Wrist. ing we can every week-- " yet in the little matter we talked about?" "Say--be careful of names--over the wire," oame a growl, "You know--what I mean." "Yes. The trick will be pulled off at three o'clock." "Good!" she exclaimed. "Good-by and thank you." With his well-known caution Clutching Hand did not even betray names over the telephone d he could help It. Flirty hung up the receiver with satisfaction. The manes of the de­ parted Dan might soon rest in peace! « • • • • • » The next day, early in the forenoon, a young man with a small package carefully done up came to the Dodge house. "From Martin's, the Jeweler's, for Miss Dodge," he said to Jennings at the door. Elaine and Aunt Josephine were sitting in the library when Jennings announced him. "Oh, it's my watch," cried Elaine. "Show him In." Elaine put the watch on her wrtst and admired it. ' "Is it all right?" asked Slim. "Yes, yesi" answered Elaine. "You may go." Early the same morning Kennedy went around again to the apartment house and, cautious not to be seen "Who saves, woman, who saves? Confound it, am I an intolerable toad to stand here and let you stick the tax on everything that makes for my own comfort and pleasure and let every­ thing of yours go on list? I--" „ "Henry, sit dOw^;:.^^r§- • "Yessum." "Now, just fof that you take these needles and crochet nine times around this dolly just a« I taught you last l night." ' I "Yessum." • ? small coil over which I had seen htm working and attached it to the bell and some batteries. He replaced it on the table, while I hatched curi­ ously. "A selenium cell," he explained. "Only when light falls on it does It become a good conductor of electrici­ ty. Then the bell will ring." Just before making the connection he placed his hat over the cell. Then he lifted the hat. The light fell on it and the bell rang. He replaced the hat and the bell stopped. Just then there came ft knock at the door. I opened it. "Hello, Chase," greeted Kennedy. "Well, I've found the new headquar­ ters all right--over on the West side."' Kennedy picked up the selenium cell and a long coil of fine wire, which he placed in a bag. Then he took another bag already packed, and, shifting them between us, we hurried downtown. Near the vacant lot, back of the new headquarters, was an old broken- down house. Through the rear of it we entered. I started back in astonishment as we entered and found eight or ten policemen already there. Kennedy had ordered them to be ready for a raid, and they had dropped in one at a time without attracting attention. "Well, mep," he greeted them, 'I see you found the place all right Now, In a little while Jameson will MUSIC CAUSED DOG'S DEATH &Yi Must Have Been Something' Extraor­ dinary In the 8tralns That Brought ( About Tragedy. A valuable collie belonging to Miss Jane betrlck, near New Market. Md., met an untimely end as a result of hearing a selection on a pianola. A new machine was recently purchased, and in order to see how the dog would enjoy the music, the oollle waa held up to listen. return with two wires. Attaeh them to the bell which I will leave here. When it rings, raid the house. Jame­ son will lead you to it Come, Wal­ ter," he added, picking- up the bags. : • • * • • * • Ten nilnutes later, outside the new headquarters, a crouched-up figure, carrying a small package, his face hidden under hi8 soft hat and up­ turned collar, could have been seen slinking along until he came to the steps. He went up and peered through the aperture of the doorway. Then he rang the bell. Twice he raised his hand and clenched it in the now fa­ miliar clutch. A crook inside saw ft through the aperture and opened the door. The figure entered and almost before the door was shut tied the masking hand­ kerchief over his face, which hid his identity from even the most trusted lieutenants. The crook bowed to the "chief, who, with a growl as though of recognition, moved down the hall. As he came to the room from which Slim had been sent on his mission, the same group was seated in the thick tobacco smoke. . > "You felloes clear 3Ut," he growled. "I want to be alone." . "T&e old man Is peeved," muttered one, outside, as they left. The weird figure' gazed about the room to be sure that he was alone. • • * - • * * • When Craig and I left the police he had given me most minute instruc­ tions which I was now following out to the letter. ?'I want you to hide there," he said, indicating a barrel back of the house next to the hangout. "When you see a wire come down from the headquar­ ters, take it and carry it across the lot to the old house. Attach it to the bellj then wait. When it rings, raid the Clutching Hand joint." I waited what Beemed to be ah in­ terminable time back of the barrel. Finally, however, I saw a coil of fine wire drop rapidly to the ground from a window somewhere above. I made a dash for it, as though I were trying to rush the trenches, seized my prize and, without looking back to see where it came from, beat a hasty retreat. Around the lot 1 ekirted, until at last I reached the place where the police were waiting. Quickly we fastened the wire to the bell. We waited. ' Not a sound from the bell. Up In the room in the Joint Ae hunched-up, figure stood by the table. He had taken his hat off and placed it carefully on the table and was now waiting. Suddenly a noise at the door startled him. He listened. Then he backed away frqm the door and drew a revol­ ver. As the door slowly opened there en­ tered another figure, hat over his eyes, collar up, a handkerchief over his face, the exact counterpart ot the first! ; For a moment each glared at the other. "Hands up!" shouted the first fig­ ure, hoarsely, moving the gun and closing the* door with his fobt. The newcomer slowly raised his crooked hand over his head, as the blue steel revolver gaped menacingly. With a quick movement of the other hand the first sinister figure removed the handkerchief from his face and straightened up. It was Kennedy! "Come over to the center of the room," ordered Kennedy. Clutching Hand obeyed, eyeing his captor closely. "Now lay your weapons on the ta­ ble." He tossed down a revolver. The two still faced each other. "Take off that handkerchief!!" It was a tense moment. Slowly Clutching Hand Btarted to obey. Then he stopped. Kennedy wa^ just about to thunder, "Go on," when the criminal calmly remarked, "You've got ME all right, Kennedy, but in twenty minutes Elaine Dodge will be dead!" He said it with a nonchalance that might have deceived anyone less a» tute than Kennedy. Suddenly there flashed over Craig the words: "THE TRICK WILL BE PULLED OFF AT THREE O'CLOCK!" There was no fake about that. Ken­ nedy frowned menacingly. If he killed Clutching Hand, Elaine would die. If he fought he must either kill or be killed. If he handed Clutching Hand over Elaine was lost. Hd looked at his watch. It was twenty-five min­ utes of three. "What do you mean--tell me?" de­ manded Kennedy with forced calm. "Yesterday Mr. Bennett bought a wrist watch for Elaine," the Clutching Hand said quietly. "They left It to be regulated. One of my men,bought one just like it. Mine was delivered to her today." "A likely story!" doubted Kennedy. For answer the Clutching Hand merely pointed to the telephone. Kennedy reached for It. "One thing," interrupted the Clutch­ ing Hand. "You are a man of honor." "Yes--yes. -Go on." . "If I tell you what to do, you must promise to give me a fighting chance." "Yes, yes." "Call up Aunt Josephine, then. Do just as I say." Covering Clutching Hand. Kennedy called a number. "This is Mr. Ken­ nedy, Mrs. Dodge. Did Elaine receive a present of a wrist watch->|rom Mr. Bennett?" "Yes," she Replied, "for her birth­ day. It came this forenoon." Kennedy hung up tfee receiver and faced the Clutching Hand, puzzled as the latter said: "Call up Martih, the jeweler." i Again Kennedy obeyed. The collie began to bark and whine, &ud soon bcCSu.c uncontrollable. It ran about the house, jumping at the wall and chewed its own feet. Mem­ bers of the household succeeded in chasing the pet into a room, where it was locked until a veterinarian could arrive. The dog died in less than two hours after hearing the mu­ sic from eonvulsiona, brought on by fright Wild animals work great havoc ia India's wheat fields. U is reported* "Has the' purchased for Miss Elaine Dodge been delivered?" he asked the clerk. "No," came back the reply, "the watch Mr. Bennett bought is still hen being regulated." *-»• Kennedy hung up the receiver. He was stunned. "The watch will cause her death at three o'clock," said the Clutching Hand. "Swear to leave here without discovering thy identity and 1 will tell you how* You can save her! In that watch," be hissed, "I have set a poi­ soned needle In a spring that will be released and will plunge it into her arm at exactly three o'clock. On the needle Is ricinus!" Craig advanced, furious. As he did so Clutching Hand pointed calmly to the clock. It was twenty minutes of three! With a mental struggle Kennedy controlled his loathing of the creature before him. "All right--but you'll hear from me--sooner than you suspect" he shouted, starting for the door. Then he came back and lifted his hat, hiding as much a? possible the selenium cell, letting the light fall on it. "Only Elaine's life has saved you." With a last threat he dashed out He hailed a cab, returning from some steamship wharves not far away. "Quick!" he ordered, giving the Dodge address on Fifth avenue. Minute after minute the police and I waited. Was anything wrong? Where was Craig? Just then a tremor grew intq a tinkle, then came the strong burr of the bell. Kennedy needed us. With a shout of encouragement tc the men I dashed out and over to the old house. Meanwhile Clutching Hand himself had approached the table to recover his weapon and had noticed the queer little selenium cell. "The deuce!" he cried. "He's planned to get me anyhow!" Clutching Hand rushed to the door--- then stopped short Outside he could hear the police and myself. Clutching Hand slammed shut his door and pulled down over it a heavy wooden bar. At the desk he paused and took out a piece of cardboard. Then, with a heavy Jolack-marking pencil, he calmly printed on it, while we battered at the barricaded door, a few short feet away. He laid the sign on the desk, then on another piece of cardboard, drew crudely a hand with the index finger pointing. This he placed on a chair, indicating the desk. Just as the swaying and bulging door gave way, Clutching Hand gave the desk a pull. It opened up--his get­ away. He closed it with a sardonic smile in our - direction, just as the door crashed in. We looked about There was not a soul In the room, nothing but the sele­ nium cell, the chairs, the desk. ' "Look!" I cried, catching sight Of the index finger, and going over to the desk. We rolled back the top. There on the flat top was a sign: Desr Bloekheade: Kennedy and I couldn't wait. Then came that mysterious sign of the Clutching Hand. We hunted over the rooms, but could find nothing that showed a clue. Where was Clutching Hand? Where was Kennedy? In the next house Clutching Hand had literally come out of an upright piano into the room corresponding to that he had left. Hastily he threw off his handkerchief, slouch hat, old coat and trousers. A neat striped pair of trousers replaced the old, frayed and baggy pair. A new shirt, then a sporty vest and a frock coat followed. As lfe put the finishing touches on he looked for all the world like a be- whlskered foreigner. At the door of the new headquarters, a few seconds later, I stood with the police. "Not a sign of him. anywhere," growled one of the officers. • • • • Elaine was sitting In the library reading when Aunt Josephine, turned to her. "What time*is it, dear?" she asked. Elaine glanced at her pretty new trinket "Nearly three, Aunti%--Just decouple 'of minutes," she said. Just then there came the sound of feet running madly down the hallway, t They jumped up, startled. Kennedy, his coat flying and hat jammed over his eyes, had almost bowled over poor Jennings In his mad race down the hall. "Well," demanded Elaine haughtily, "whaflfc--" Before she knew what was going on Craig hurried up to her and literally ripped the watch off her wrist, break­ ing the beautiful bracelet. He held it up, gingerly. Elaine was speechless. Was this Kennedy? Was he possessed by such an inordinate jealousy of Bennett? As he held the watch up, the second haid ticked around and the minute hand passed the meridian of the hotir. A viciously sharp needle gleamed out--then sprang back into the filigree work again. "Well," she gasped again, "what's the meaning of this ?" Craig gazed at Elaine in silence. Should he defend his rudeness, if she did not understand? She stamped her foot, and repeated the question a third time. "What do you mean, sir, by. such conduct?" ' • Slowly he bowed. v "I just don't like the kind-of Mrth- day presents you receive," he said, turning on his heel. "Good afternoon!" V .< (TO BS CONTINUED.) Bent fer Investigation: Bome men an so curious to know things that It would not be surprising to find them poncferlng over the que» tion of what becomes of the part of the stocking where the hole has coice. --Browning's Magazine. ; --~ -.r-| ->1. Who Looks to Htmsetf; * How much trouble he avoids who does not look to see what, his neighboi says or does or thinks, but only to " hat he does himself that It may be just and oijrjj}.--Marcuj, . if* EXCELLENT FMMN6 corns 11 era Utten from Srttfers1rt(ficatin^T Growing Prosperity. : |^ The present year will add another proof that farming in Western Canada, when carried on with the Same energy and system devoted to other lines of business, will bring about results fully as satisfactory. Mixed farming as a tocsin has been sounded for a number of years, and ^ today it is being adopted pretty gen­ erally throughout the Provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. There are those who have made no. greater success of It than they did when they pursued grain growing alone, but where one has failed to ac- Complish what be had hoped to dp* • dozens have scored success. From Sedgewick, Alberta, we heat1 Of E. L>. Deputy, for past twelve years manager for Frye & Sons, packers, Seattle, who during 1914 were the largest buyers of hogs on Alberta markets. He is taking up active work on his 1,200-aere farm near Sedge* / wick. Although he was one of thO highest paid salaried officials on the Pacific Coast, his frequent visits aud personal knowledge of farming condi­ tions in Western Capada convinced him there are greater opportunities in farming Alberta land than in commer­ cial life, with greater assurance of ultimate independence and prospects of home-making under the most de* sirable conditions. , Thomas McKay, a farmer near Har- dlsty, Alberta, has this to say about the country: "I came to Hardisty from Osage City, Kansas, nine years ago and took up a homestead here. This is a good district for the farmer who wishes to raise grain exclusively, and as a mixed farming country It cannot be beaten anywhere in the world to my knowl­ edge. "I had ten cattle, which ranged out­ side all last winter, and this spring they were fat enough for the market this without being fed but one night during the entire winter; they were fine fat cattle and looked beautiful. I raised some winter wheat here which weighed sixty-seven and a half pounds to the bushel, government weight, and which I shipped to Calgary. The mil­ ler who bought It said that It was the best wheat that had ever gone Into Calgary. Wheat in this district yields as high as forty bushels to the acre, oats average sixty bushels. Alfalfa does well here. "All in all I think the farmers are very well satisfied with the country, and the farmer who farms his land intelligently is sure to make a sue* cess. The climate here Is the best I have ever lived 1n, the summers are delightful and the winters are mild. There has never been a blizzard du9> tng the nine years I have lived her* nor any cyclones or wind storms."/ A settler in the neighborhood of Gleichen, Alberta, spent $2,000 1$ im­ proving bis quarter section, has ItS acres ready for crop, keeps 70 head of stock, believes in mixe<| farming; keeps two hired men, one>all year, the other in summer only, ^e milks 11 to 18 cows, and receives an average monthly cream cheque of $110. Last June he sold $1,200 worth of hogs and In November two more carloads, be* sides supplying his own requirements, and Is not only making money but, building up a good home amid desir­ able surroundings. This is an example of the possibilities open to the indus­ trious in the Gleichen district. It is stated in the last three months 938,000,000 of American capital has been invested In Canada, showing that United States financial men are satisfied of the solidity of Canadian in­ stitutions. Western Canada has been a heavy borrower and Western Can­ ada's great resource is agriculture. TJ. S. financiers must be convinced that agriculture in Western Canada Is sure and profitable or they would not be ready to Invest so many millions In the country.--Advertisement Mercenary. "Did you ever stop to consider how many germs accumulate on a dollur bill?" asked the cautious man. "In the hour of my need I never did," answered Ills friend. "If 1 could become the possessor of enough dol­ lar bills to stuff a pillow by merely sleeping on them, I would gladly avail myself of the opportunity." ^ , ' DON'T MIND PIMPLES ------ V 7V Ctlti$ura Soap and Ointment Will .* lah Them. Trisl F^e. i v T^tte fragrant supercreanV euritv llents do so much to cleanse, purify and beautify the skin, scalp, hair *pd hands that you cannot afford to li« without them. Besides they mee& every want in toilet preparations and 11 are most economical. Sample each free by mail with Book. Address postcard, Cuticura, Dept Boston. Sold everywhere.--Adv. Out of Proportion. "Think of an opera singer 92,000 for singing a few songs." . , "I hate to think of It" 'v "Why so?" 'J? • ^ "Considering the great- •'•fshiuie.'ilf- noise in the world that is worth less than nothing. It seems an unjust dis­ crimination to pay so much ler tilN* cultivated ki**d." :y*rv.v* ;------ The UpHftere. "I believe that humanity is born with the desire to improve itself," satd the altruist. •. » "I don't know about all humanity/! ; | said the cynical person, "but I'm con- vinced that half humanity is born with a desire to improve the other half, re­ gardless of consequences." Orfnk Denlson's roffoe> %;>• Always pure and dellciongi^o; ---- : in the Trenohee. >'•• -ffi , "No blankets, captain." 1 • "Well, boys, we ll just hare to o®W|B o u r s e l v e s w i t h ^ o r y . " . ' • 1