"Craig!" gasped Elaine, reaching up and laying her soft white hand on his arm in undisguised fear for him, "you—you must give up this chase for the Clutching Hand!"
"Give up the chase for the Clutching Hand?" he repeated in surprise.
"Never! Not until either he or I is dead!"
There was both fear and admiration mingled in her look, as he reached down and patted her dainty shoulder encouragingly.
CHAPTER VI
THE VAMPIRE
Kennedy went the next day to the Dodge house, and, as usual, Perry
Bennett was there in the library with Elaine, still going over the
Clutching Hand case, in their endeavor to track down the mysterious
master criminal.
Bennett seemed as deeply as ever in love with Elaine. Still, as Jennings admitted Craig, it was sufficiently evident by the manner in which Elaine left Bennett and ran to meet Craig that she had the highest regard for him.
"I've brought you a little document that may interest you," remarked
Kennedy, reaching into his pocket and pulling out an envelope.
Elaine tore it open and looked at the paper within.
"Oh, how thoughtful of you!" she exclaimed in surprise.