“One thing,” interrupted the Clutching 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. Kennedy, Mrs. Dodge.  Did Elaine receive a present of a wrist watch from Mr. Bennett?”

“Yes,” she replied, “for her birthday.  It came this forenoon.”

Kennedy hung up the receiver and faced Clutching Hand puzzled as the latter said, “Call up Martin, the jeweler.”

Again Kennedy obeyed.

“Has the watch purchased for Miss Elaine Dodge been delivered?” he asked the clerk.

“No,” came back the reply, “the watch Mr. Bennett bought is still here 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 my identity and I will tell you how.  You can save her!”

A moment Kennedy thought.  Here was a quandary.

“No,” he shouted, seizing the telephone.

Before Kennedy could move, Clutching Hand had pulled the telephone wires with almost superhuman strength from the junction box.

“In that watch,” he hissed, “I have set a poisoned 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 as 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 into a tinkle, then came the strong burr of the bell.  Kennedy needed us.

With a shout of encouragement to 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.  He picked it up and for the first time saw the wire leading out.

“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.  We had shot the lock on the outside and were already inside.