He stroked her forehead gently, laying back the wet ringlets of her hair.

“Craig,” she murmured, “you—­you’ve saved my life!”

Her tone was eloquent.

“Elaine,” he whispered, still gazing into her wonderful eyes, “the Clutching Hand shall pay for this!  It is a fight to the finish between us!”

CHAPTER IV

“The frozen safe”

Kennedy swung open the door of our taxicab as we pulled up, safe at last, before the Dodge mansion, after the rescue of Elaine from the brutal machinations of the Clutching Hand.

Bennett was on the step of the cab in a moment and, together, one on each side of Elaine, they assisted her out of the car and up the steps to the house.

As they mounted the steps, Kennedy called back to me, “Pay the driver, Walter, please.”

It was the first time I had thought of that.  As it happened, I had quite a bankroll with me and, in my hurry, I peeled off a ten dollar bill and tossed it to the fellow, intending to be generous and tell him to keep the change.

“Say,” he exclaimed, pointing to the clock, “come across—­twenty-three, sixty.”

Protesting, I peeled off some more bills.

Having satisfied this veritable anaconda and gorged his dilating appetite for banknotes, I turned to follow the others.  Jennings had opened the door immediately.  Whether it was that he retained a grudge against me or whether he did not see me, he would have closed it before I could get up there.  I called and took the steps two at a time.

Elaine’s Aunt Josephine was waiting for us in the drawing room, very much worried.  The dear old lady was quite scandalized as Elaine excitedly told of the thrilling events that had just taken place.

“And to think they—­actually—­carried you!” she exclaimed, horrified, adding, “And I not—­”

“But Mr. Kennedy came along and saved me just in time,” interrupted Elaine with a smile.  “I was well chaperoned!”

Aunt Josephine turned to Craig gratefully.  “How can I ever thank you enough, Mr. Kennedy,” she said fervently.

Kennedy was quite embarrassed.  With a smile, Elaine perceived his discomfiture, not at all displeased by it.

“Come into the library,” she cried gaily, taking his arm.  “I’ve something to show you.”

Where the old safe which had been burnt through had stood was now a brand new safe of the very latest construction and design—­one of those that look and are so formidable.

“Here is the new safe,” she pointed out brightly.  “It is not only proof against explosives, but between the plates is a lining that is proof against thermit and even that oxy-acetylene blowpipe by which you rescued me from the old boiler.  It has a time lock, too, that will prevent its being opened at night, even if anyone should learn the combination.”