"Have you--found anything?" queried Elaine anxiously, turning
eagerly to Kennedy.
"Nothing--yet," he answered shaking his head, but conveying a
quiet idea of confidence in his tone.
Just then Jennings, the butler, entered, bringing the morning
papers. Elaine seized the Star and hastily opened it. On the first
page was the story I had telephone down very late in the hope of
catching a last city edition.
We all bent over and Craig read aloud:
"CLUTCHING HAND" STILL AT LARGE
NEW YORK'S MASTER CRIMINAL REMAINS UNDETECTED--PERPETRATES NEW
DARING MURDER AND ROBBERY OF MILLIONAIRE DODGE
He had scarcely finished reading the brief but alarming news story
that followed and laid the paper on the desk, when a stone came
smashing through the window from the street.
Startled, we all jumped to our feet. Craig hurried to the window.
Not a soul was in sight!
He stooped and picked up the stone. To it was attached a piece of
paper. Quickly he unfolded it and read:
"Craig Kennedy will give up his search for the "Clutching Hand"--
or die!"
Later I recalled that there seemed to be a slight noise
downstairs, as if at the cellar window through which the masked
man had entered the night before.
In point of fact, one who had been outside at the time might
actually have seen a sinister face at that cellar window, but to
us upstairs it was invisible.
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