The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-03-16


hull of which sat Wilmer blowing
brine from his mouth, his head
shining with water. The manhole
opened, Wilmer snapped the
chain into a ring, slipped into the
submarine, and reappeared with
something small and flat in his
hand.
"Tll fix you, you damned
whelp!" he yelled. "I'll show you
what it means to choke me! Take
that!"
He aimed at Carson, fired, and
the bullet sang away into the
sky. Theodore seized Virginia in
his arms, and drew her down into
the bottom of the car, where they
lay painting in each others arms,
panic-stricken.
| Il must put the ship out of
range!" cried Carson, leaping to
the lever, and throwing on full
speed upward and ahead.
She rose like feather-for just
moment, and then she swung
about like a kite with its string
fouled, anchored by some devil
ish continuance, of the nature of
which the bewildered Carson
could not guess. He stepped to
the side again and looked over.
The Virginia hung some thirty
yards above the water, and strain
ing backward and downward ran
the steel chain looped through her
works and fastened by both ends
to the submarine. The harsh,
raucous laugh of Wilmer rose
with horrid significance from the
Stickleback's manhole, which was
again above water and open.
i Don't be in hurry" he
shouted. "Stick around with us
a while! We're going out where
it's deep! Come in, the waters
fine! Got your bathing suits? If
you hain't you'll have to let us
lend you some. Sorry to incom-
mode the lady. but we're going
out where that chain won't put
you up so high out o. water.
When she draws short, telephone
down. Don't yell, for there
won't no one hear you. There
won't no one hear either of you
again in this world, except just
you two. By-by! See you in
Davy Jones'-damn you!"
And with this, as If pulled down
from below, the man vanished in
to the dark interior, the manhole
closed, and the chain, like a line
taken by some titanic fish, started
out to sea. The air-ship had been
captured by the submarine! The
mechanical devilfish was not run
ming very deep; her round deck
rose awash sometimes; but with
the manholes closed. and with no
sign, save the erection of her peri
scope, that she was more than an
inert mass of steel, she swan on,
remorseless, silent, the evil ele-
ment in a battle unprecedented
and undreamed Of.
Still seated where Theodore had
placed her, Virginia looked at him
In questioning terror. He was
white and Mortified, but he was
managing the Virginia with a set
determination, which rose with
and met the danger, to save her
and her freight if possible. At
this moment ne was depressing
her in her flight so as to get all
possible slack in the chain, so that
by a sudden upward rush he might
break the tether. Once, twice,
thrice ne did this; but the chain
held.
What is it, Theodore? What
Is it," said she.
II don't know" said he; "but
think it's the end!"
He was not looking at her-he
was looking upward, like a man
seeking for some sort Of inspira-
ton. His expression seemed to
say that there was work to dc:
and as long as every tick of the
watch might make the difference
between death and life, he had
no time for her questions. She
stood looking out over the great
desolate sea, and back to the re-
ceding shore on which she saw a
group of forms-the forms of
their friends. Nothing could seem
more helpless. They were chain