TTTT! RTTXDAT OTIFfiOVTAX. POT?TLAXD. MAHCII 14, 1915.
10
THE EXPLOITS OF ELAINE A detective NOVEL and a motion picture drama
- i
"EXPLOITS OF ELAINE.
"The Exploits of Elaine" was
written by Arthur B- Reeve and
dramatized Into a motion-picture
play by Charles Goddard. Miss
Pearl White, Arnold Daly and
Sheldon Lewis take the principal
parts in the play as produced by
the Pathe Players. One install
ment of the story is appearing
in The Oregonlan each Sunday.
' SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOCS CHAPTERS.
th. r.w Vnrk nolica are mystified by
aerlea of murders of prominent tnn. The
principal clue to the murderer is ihe warning-
letter which U sent the victims, signed
with at "clutching band." The latest vic
tim ot the mvaterlous assassin Is Taylor
Dodi the Insurance president. His daugh
ter Elaine. emDioys Cralar Kennedy, the
famous scientific detective, to try . to on
ravel the mystery. What Kennedy accoav
pllshed Is told by his friend Jameson, i
annA man Hna nf the criminals Steall
into Elaine's room at nlKM. puts tier under
the Influence or tee twiiisnt sleep arua-aua
forcea her to rile a letter dismissing- vu.
nedy. This tries; tans. uwr
. . - , - jtmrt rnhhfrr nianned by th
ntunlratori. In an effort to trap them
Elaine Is raptured and sealed up in a tank,
. n,i i. .t ihm noint of death when Kennecj
accidentally discovers her plight and saves
her. In retaliation me criminals iu.
desperate attempt to kill Kennedy by erect
1 ir.MiiAii, dpath-tran In his apart
ment. Then thev administer a subtle poison
to Elaine, accomplishing this by a remark
.M utilization of the wall paper In her
room. Kennedys scientific knowledge helps
him defeat this plan. The master criminal
ibn makes his most desperate effort, and
one of his confederates Is seriously wounded.
t ..... him I'tiln is darinzlr kidnapped
mA to wn under the transfusion of
Mood operation to help th wounded crlm
" ' CHAPTER VII.
fLM IXDFULof the sage advice that
. fI a time of peace Is best employed
in preparing for war. I was busily
engaged in cleaning my automatic gun
one mornine as Kennedy and I were
seated in our living-room.
Our door buzzer sounded, and Ken
nedy, always alert. Jumped up. pushing
aside a great pile of papers which had
accumulated in the Dodge case.
Two steps took him to the wall.
where the day before he had Installed a
peculiar box about four inches long,
connected in some way with a lens-like
box of similar size above our bell and
peaking tube in the hallway below. He
opened it, disclosing an oblong plate of
ground glass.
"I thought the seismograph arrange
merit was not quite enough after that
spring-gun affair, he remarked, so 1
have put in a sort of a teleview of iny
own invention so that I can see down
into the vestibule downstairs. Well
Just look who's here!"
"Some new fandangled periscope ar
rangement. I suppose?" I queried, mov
ing slowly over toward it.
However, one look was enough to in
terest me. I can express it only in
slang;. There, framed in the little thing,
was a vision of as swell a "chicken" as
I have ever seen.
"Uh!" T exclaimed, shamelessly; "a
peach! Who's your friend?"
I had never said a truer word than in
my description of her, though I did not
know it at the time. She was indeed
known as "Gertie the Peach" in the
select circle to which she belonged.
Gertie was very attractive, though
frightfully overdressed. But. then, no
oit thinks anything of that now in New
Tork.
Kennedy had opened the lower door
and our fair visitor was coming up
stairs. Meanwhile he was deep in
PRETTY
' 1 SATW, OUTLINE ANL '
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thought before the "teleview." He made
ud his mind auickly. however.
"Go In there. Walter." he said, elz
Ing me quickly and pushing me Into my
room. "I want you to watt there ana
watch her carefully.
I sliDDed the gun into rny pocket an
went. Just as a knock at the door told
me she was outside.
Kennedy opened the door, disclosing
a very excited young woman.
"Oh, Professor Kennedy." she cried
all in one breath, with much emotion
"I'm so glad I found you in. I can
tell you. Oh my Jewels! They have
been stolen and my husband- must not
know of it. Help me to recover them
please! -
She had not paused, but had gone on
in a wild, voluble explanation.
"Just a moment, my dear young
lady," Interrupted Craig, finding at last
a chance to get a word in edgewise.
"Do you see that table and aU those
papers? Really, I can't take your case.
I am too busy, as it is, even to take the
case of many of my own clients.
"But. please. Professor Kennedy
please!" she begged. "Help me. It
means oh, I can't tell you how much
it means to me!
She had come close to him and had
laid her warm, little spft hand on his
in ardent entreaty.
From my hiding place in my room I
could not help seeing that she was us
ing every charm of her sex and person
ality to lure him on, as she clung con
fidingiy to him. Craig was very much
embarrassed, and I could not help
smile at his discomfiture. Seriously, I
should have hated to have been in his
position.
Gertie had thrown her arms about
eKnnedy as if in wildest devotion.
wondered what Elaine would have
thought if she had a picture of that!
"Oh," she begged him, "pleasi
please help me!"
Still Kennedy seemed utterly unaf
fected by her passionate embrace. Care
fully he loosened her fingers from about
his neck and removed the plump, en
ticing arms.
Gertie sank into a chair, weeping
while Kennedy stood before her a mo
ment in deep abstraction.
Finally he seemed to make up his
mind to something. His manner toward
her changed. He took a step to her
side.
I will help you." he said, laying his
hand on her shoulder. "If it is possible-
will recover your Jewels. Where dr
you live?"
At Hazelhurst. she replied, grate
fully. "Oh, Mr. Kennedy, how can I
ever thank you?"
She seemed overcome with gratitude.
and took his hand, pressed it, even
kissed it.
"Just a minute." he added, carefully
extricating his hand. "I'll be ready in
just a minute.
Kennedy entered the room where I
was listening.
What's it all about, Craig?" I whis
pered, mystified.
For a moment he stood thinking, ap
parently dumfounded at what he had
ust done; then his cleverness prompted
him to approve it.
"This is a trap of the Clutching Hand,
Walter," he whispered, adding, tensely.
and we re going to walk right into it.
I looked at him in amazement.
"But, Craig." I demurred, "that's fool
hardy. Have her trailed anything
but"
He shook his head, and. with a mere
motion of his hand, brushed aside my
objections as he went to a cabinet
across the room.
From one shelf he took out a small
EMBROIDERY DESIGN FOR GUEST TOWEL ENDS
metal box and from another a test tube,
placing the test tube in his waistcoat
pocket and the small box in his coat
pocket with excessive care.
Then he turned and motioned to. me
to follow him out into the other room.
I did so, stuffing my "gatt" into my
pocket
"Let me introduce my friend, Mr.
Jameson," said Craig, presenting me to
the pretty crook.
The introduction quickly over, we
three went out to get Craig's car, which
he kept at a nearby garage.
That forenoon Perry Bennett was
reading up a case.. In the outer office
Milton Schofield. his office boy, was in
dustriously chewing gum and admiring
his feet, cocked up. on the desk before
him.
The door to the waiting-room opened
and an attractive woman of perhaps 30,
dressed in extreme mourning, entered
with a boy.
Milton cast a glance of scorn at the
"little dude." He was in reality about
14 years old, but was dressed to look
much younger.
Milton took his feet down in defer
ence to the lady, but snickered openly
at the boy. A fight seemed imminent.
Did you wish to see Mr. Bennett?
asked the precocious Milton, politely, on
one hand, while on the other he made a
wry grimace.
Yes here is my card, replied the
woman.
It was deeply bordered in black. Even
Milton was startled at reading it:
Mrs. Taylor Dodge.
He looked at the woman in open
mouthed astonishment. Even he knew
that Elaine's mother had been dead for
years.
The woman,- however, true to her
name in the artistic coterie in which
she was leader, had sunk into a chair
and was sobbing convulsively as only
Weepy Mary could.
It was so effective that even Milton
was visibly moved. He took the card
in. excitedly, to Bennett.
There a a woman outside says she
is Mrs. Dodge! he cried.
If Milton had had an X-ray he could
have seen her take a cigarette from
her handbag and light it nonchalantly
the moment he was gone. "
as for Bennett. Milton, who was
watching him closely, thought he was
about to discharge him on the spot for
bothering him. He took the card, and
his face expressed the most extreme
urprise, then anger. He thought a
moment
"Tell that woman to state her busi
ness in writing," he thundered curtly
at Milton.
As the boy turned to go back to the
waiting-room Weepy Mary, hearing
m coming, hastily shoved the cig
arette into her "son's" hand.
Mr. Bennett says for you to write
ut what it is you want to see him
about," reported Milton, indicating the
table before which she was sitting.
Mary had automatically take up
obbing with the release of the cig
arette. She looked at the table on
which were letter paper, pens and ink.
"I may write here? she asked.
"Surely, ma'am," replied Milton, still
very much overwhelmed by her sor
row. "Weepy Mary" sat there, writing and
sobbing.
In the midst of his sympathy, how
ever, Milton sniffed. There was an un
mistakable ordor of tobacco smoke
about the room. He looked sharply at
the "son" and discovered the still
smoking cigarette.
It was too much for Milton's out
raged dignity. Bennett did not allow
The accompanying embroidery de
sign is for guest towel ends. It is
worked In satin, outline and seed
stitches.
There are two ways to apply the
design to the material upon which It Is
to be worked. If the material is sheer,
the simplest method is to lay the ma
This up
start could not usurp It.
He reached over and seized the boy
by the arm and swung him around till
he faced a sign in the corner on the
wall.
"See?" he demanded.
The sign read courteously:
"No Smoking in This Office Please.
"PERRY BENNETT."
"Leggo my arm," snarled the "son,"
putting the offending cigarette de
fiantly into his mouth..
Milton coolly and deliberately reached
over, and with an exaggerated polite
ness, swiftly and effectively removed
it, dropping it on the floor and stamp
ing on it.
"Son" raised his fists pugnaciously,
for he didn't care much for the role he
was playing, anyhow.
Milton did the same.
There was every element of a gaudy
mtxup, when the outer door of the of
fice suddenly swung open and Elaine
Dodge entered.
Gallantry was Milton's middle name,
and he sprang forward to hold the
door, and then opened Bennett s door,
as he ushered in Elaine.
As she passed "Weepy Mary," who
was still writing at the table and cry
ing bitterly, Elaine hesitated and
looked at her curiously. Even after
Milton bad opened Bennett's door she
could not resist another glance. In
stlnctively Elaine seemed to scent
trouble.
Bennett was still studying the
black-bordered card when she greeted
him.
"Who is that woman?" she asked,
still wondering about the identity of
the Niobe outside.
At first he said nothing. But finally,
seeing that she had noticed It. he
handed Elaine the card, reluctantly,
Elaine read it with a gasp. The look
of surprise that crossed, her face was
terrible.
Before she could say anything, how
ever. Milton had returned witn tne
sheet of paper on which "Weepy Mary'
had written, and handed it to Bennett.
Bennett read it with uncontrolled as
tonishment
"What is it?" demanded Elaine.
He handed it to her and she read:
"As the lawful wife and widow of
Taylor Dodge I demand my son s rights
ana my own.
"MRS. TAYLOR DODGE,
Elaine gasped at it.
"She mv father's wife!" she ex
claimed. "What effrontery! What does
she mean?"
Bennett hesitated.
"Tell me." Elaine cried, "Is there
can there be anything in it? No no
there isn t?
Bennett snoke in a low tone. I have
heard a whisper of some scandal or
other connected with your tatner
but" he paused.
Elaine was first shocked, then in
dignant.
Why such a thing is aosura. snow
the woman in!"
No please Misa Dodge. Let me
deal with her."
By this time Elaine was furious.
"Yes I will see her."
She pressed the button on Bennett's
desk and Milton responded.
'Milton, show the the woman in,
she ordered, "and that boy, too."
As Milton turned to crook his finger
at "Weepy Mary ' she nodded surrep
titiously and dug her finger sharply
into her "son's" ribs.
Yell you little fool yell." she
whispered.
Obedient to his "mother's" com
mands and much to Milton's disgust,
him that coveted privilege.
terial over the design and with a
sharply pointed pencil draw over each
line. If the material is heavy, secure
a piece of impression paper. Lay it
face down upon this, then draw over
each line of the paper design with a
hard pencil or the point of a steel knit
ting needle.
the boy started to cry in close lmlta
tion of his elder.
Elaine was still holding the paper In
her hands when they entered.
"What does all this mean?" she de
manded.
"Wedpy Mary," between sobs, man
aged to blurt out. "You are Miss Elaine
Dodge, aren't you? Well, it means that
your father married me when I was
only 17 and this boy is his son your
half-brother."
"No-'-never," cried Elaine, vehement
ly, unable to restrain her disgust. "He
never married again. He was too de
voted to the memory of my mother."
"Weepy Mary" smiled cynically.
"Come with me and I will show you the
church records and the minister who
married us."
"You will?" repeated Elaine defiant
ly. "Well. I'll just do as you ask. Mr.
Bennett shall go with me."
"No, no, Miss Dodge don't go,
Leave the matter to me," urged Ben
nett. "I will take care of her. Be
sides I must be in court in 20 minutes.'
Elaine paused, but she was thorough
ly aroused.
"Then I will go with her .myself,"
she cried, defiantly.
In spite of every objection that Ben
nett made, "Weepy Mary," her son and
Elaine went out to call a taxicab to
take them to the railroad station where
they could catch a train to the little
town where the woman asserted she
had been married.
Meanwhile, before a little country
church in the town a closed automo
bile had drawn up.
As the door opened a figure humped
up and, masked, alighted.
It was- the Clutching Hand.
The car had scarcely pulled away
when he gave a long rap, followed by
two short taps, at the door or the ves
try. a secret code evidently.
Inside the vestry room a man, well
dressed, but with a very sinister face,
heard the knock, and a second later
opened the door.
"What not ready yet?" growled the
Clutching Hand. "Quick now get on
those clothes. I heard the train-whistle
as I came in the car. In which closet
does the minister keep them?"
The crook, without a word, went to
a closet and took out a suit of clothes
of ministerial cut. Then he hastily
put them on, ad-din,? some side whis
kers which he had brought with him.
At about the same time Elaine, ac
companied by "Weepy Mary" and her
son." had arrived at the little tumble
down station and had taken the only
vehicle in sight, a very ancient car
riage. It ambled along, until at last It pulled
up before the vestry-room door of the
church just as the bogus minister was
finishing his transformation from a
frank crook. Clutching Hand was giv
ing him final instructions.
Elaine and the others alighted and
approached the church while the ancient
vehicle rattled away.
"They're coming, whispered the
crook, peering cautiously out of the
wrndow.
Clutching Hand moved silently and
snakelike into the closet and shut the
door.
How do you do. Dr. Carton? greeted
Weepy Mary." "I guess you don't re
member me."
The clerical gentleman looked at her
fixedly a moment.
Remember your he repeated. or
course, my dear, I remember everyone
I marry."
"And you remember to whom you
married me?"
......................................... ....................
II it-IP-1 I J-' -J ' W III I
SmW, OUTLINE AN t
SEED STTCHS
"Perfectly. To an older man a Tay
lor Dodge."
Elaine was overcome.
"Won't you step In?" he asked, suave
ly. "Your friend doesn't seem well." -
They all entered.
"And you you say you married
this this woman to Taylor Dodge?"
queried Elaine tensely.
The bogus minister seemed to be very
fatherly. "Yes," he asserted, "I cer
tainly did so."
"Have you the record?" asked Elaine,
fighting to the last.
"Why, yes; I can show you the rec
ord." He moved over to the closet "Come
over here," he said.
He opened the door. Elaine screamed
and drew b.-.ok. There stood her arch
enemy, the Clutching Hand himself.
. As he stepped forth she turned, wild
ly, to run anywhere: but strong arms
seized her and forced her into a chair.
She looked at the woman and the
minister. It was a plot!
A moment Clutching Hand looked
Elaine over. "Put the others out," he
ordered the other crook.
Quickly the man obeyed, leading
"Weepy Mary" and her "son" to the
door and waving them away as he
locked it. They left, quite as much
in the dark about the master criminal's
identity as Elaine.
"Now, my pretty dear," began the
Clutching Hand as the lock turned
in the vestry door, we shall be Joined
shortly by your friend Craig Kennedy,
and," he added with a leer, "I think
your rather Insistent search for a cer
tain person will cease."
Elaine drew back in the chair, horri
fied at the implied threat.
Clutching Hand laughed diabolically,
While these astounding events were
transpiring in the little church Ken
nedy and I had been tearing across the
country in his big car following the di
rections of our fair friend.
We stooped at last before a pros
perous, attractive looking house ana
entered a very prettily furnished but
small parlor. Heavy portieres hung
over the doorway into the hall, over
another into a back room and over the
bay windows.
"Won't you sit down a moment?
coaxed Gertie; "I'm quite blown to
pieces after that ride. My, how you
drive!"
As she pulled aside the hall portieres
three men with guns thrust their hands
out I turned. . Two others nad stepped
from the back room and two more from
the bay window. We were surrounded.
Seven guns were aimed at us with
deadly precision.
No no Walter it s no use, shout
ed Kennedy calmly, restraining my
hand, which I had clapped on my own
gun.
At the same time, with his other
hand he took from his pocket the small
can which I had seen him place there.
and held it aloft.
"Gentlemen," he said quietly, "I ex
pected some such thing. I have here a
small box of fulminate of mercury. If
drop it this building and the entire
vicinity will be blown to atoms. Go
ahead shoot!" he added nonchalantly.
Kennedy was a dangerous prisoner.
He camly sat down in an armchair,
leaning back as he carefully balanced
the deadly little box of. fulminate of
mercury on his knee. He placed his
finger tips together and smiled at the
seven crooks, who had gathered togeth
er, staring breathlessly at this man
who toyed with death.
Gertie ran from the room.
For a moment they looked at each
other, undecided, then, one by one, they
stepped away from Kennedy toward tlie
door.
Tbe leader was the last to go. He
had scarcely taken step.
"Stop!" ordered Kennedy.
The crook did so. As Craig moved to.
ward him he waited, cold sweat break
ing out on his face.
"Say," he whined, "you let me be!"
It was Ineffectual. Kennedy, smiling
confidently, enme closer, still holdlnif
the deadly little box, balanced between
two fingers.
He took the crook's gun and dropped
it into his pocket.
"Sit down!" ordered Craig.
Outside the other six imrleyrd in
hoarse whispers. One raised a pun, but
the woman and the others restrained
him and fled.
"Take me to your master!" d mainlcl
Kennedy. (
The crook remained silent.
"Where is he?" repeated Cra's. "Tell
me!"
Still the man remained silent. Ciatir
looked the fellow over again. Then,
still with that confident nnlle. he
reached into his in.Mde pocket and drew
forth the tube I had seen him pine
there.
"No matter how much you nceuve
me," added Craig casuully, "no one will
ever take the word of a crook Hint a
reputable scientist like mo would do
what I am about to do."
He had tiiken out his penknife end
opened it. Then he beckoned to mo.
"Bare his arm and hold his wrist,
Walter." ho snid.
Craig bent down with the knife and
(he tube, then paused a moment and
turned the tube so that we could see It
On the label were the ominous words!
Germ culture U'.'ISA
Bacillus Leprae (Leprosy)
Calmly he took the knife and pro
ceeded to make an incision in the man'
arm. The crook's feelings underwent a
terrific struggle.
"No no no don't." he Implored. "I
will take you to the Clutching Hand
even if he kills me!"
Kennedy stepped back, replacing the
tube in his pocket.
"Very well, go ahead!" he agreed.
We followed the crook, Craig still
holding the deadly box of fulminate of
mercury carefully balanced so that if
any one shot him from a hiding place
it would drop.
No sooner had we rone than Gertie
hurried to tho nearest telephone to In.
form the Clutching Hand of our es
cape.
Elaine had sunk back Into the chair
as the telephone rang. Clutching Hand
answered it
A moment later. In uncontrollable
fury he hurled the instrument to the
floor.
Here we've got to act quickly that
devil has escaped again," he hissed.
We must get her away. You keep her
here. I'll be back right away wltls
car.
He dashed madly from the church,
pulling off his mask as he gained the
street
Kennedy had forced the crook ahead
of us into the car which was waiting,
and I followed, taking the wheel this)
time.
Which way, now quick!" demanded
Craig. "And if you get me In wrong
I've got that tube yet you remember"
Our crook started off with a whole
burst of direction that rivaled the
motor guide "through the town, fol
lowing trolley tracks. Jog right Joir
left under the railroad bridge, leaving
trolley tracks; at the cemetery turn
eft, stopping at the old stone church.
(Concluded on Pas
SHOWN