"
"Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Jameson," she called back.
"Is that so?" he returned. "Isn't that fine? I didn't think he was
the kind to run away like that. How did it happen?"
Elaine quickly told the story as I had told her.
Had she known it, however, Bennett's valet, Thomas, was at that
very moment listening at the door, intensely interested.
As Bennett hung up the receiver, Thomas entered the room.
"If anyone calls me," ordered Bennett, "take the message,
particularly if it is from Miss Dodge. I must get downtown--and
tell her after I finish my court work for the day I shall be right
up."
"Yes sir," nodded the valet with a covert glance at his master.
Then, as Bennett left, he followed him to the door, paused,
thought a moment, then, as though coming to a sudden decision,
went out by an opposite door.
It was not long afterward that a knock sounded at the door of the
new headquarters of the Clutching Hand. LeCroix and the secretary
were there, as well as a couple of others.
"The Chief!" exclaimed one.
The secretary opened the door, and, sure enough, the Clutching
Hand entered.
"Well, how did your infra-red rays work?" he asked LeCroix.
"Fine."
"And they're gone?"
"Yes. The flowers were in the window yesterday. Two of our men saw
them on the boat."
There came another knock.
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