The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1912-03-27
CHAPTER XXI-(Continued)

appeared and the light, penetrat-
ing beyond the place where it
had stood, streamed upon the
face and breast of an enormous
p!ack figure, seated on a kind
or throne, and staring into their
races with flaming eyes, which at once
fascinated and terrified them.
To their startled imaginations the eyes
seemed to roll in their sockets, and
flashes of fire to dart from them. Their
expression was menacing and terrifying
beyond belief. At the same time the
aspect of the face was SO majestic that
they covered before 1t.
The cheek bones were high and
massive and polished until they shone
IN the light; the nose and chin were
powerful in their contours, and the brow
wore an intimidating frown.' 1t seemed
to the awed onlookers as If they had
sacrilegiously burst into the sanctuary
of an offended god.
But after a minute or two of stupe-
faction they thought again of the des-
perateness' of their situation, and turned
from staring at the strange idol to
consider what they should do.
The fact that no water was finding its
way into the submersible somewhat re-
assured them, but the question now
from its position.
They had no doubt that the front of
the Sphinx, saturated by the water after
the thousands of. years, that it had
stood there. exposed to the desiccating
influences of the san and the desert
sands, had suddenly disintegrated and
fallen upon them, ,pinning their vessel
fast under the fragments of its huge
chin, = = :
De Beauxachamps tried the engines
moving the Jules Verne. He tried again
and again by reversing to disengage the
vessel, but 1t would not stir. Then they
debated the only other means of es-
cape.
Although I have levium life suits"
| said the FrenChman, land although the
top can probably be opened, for the
| door seems not to have been touched,
| yet the instant 1t is removed the water
| will rush in, and 1T will be impossible
to pump out the vessel
Are your life suits so arranged that
they will permit of moving the limbs?"
demanded Cosmo.
certainly they are"
And can they be weighted so as to
remain at the bottom"
They are arranged for that" re-
sponded De Beauxchamps.
And can the weights be detached
from within b. the inmates without
permitting the entrance of water?"
ut can be done, although very little
water might enter during tho opera
| ton"
"Ther," said Cosmo, "let us put on
the suits, open the door. take out the
ballast so that. IL released, the sub
mersible will rise to the surface through
its own bToyancy, and then see If We
| cannot loosen the vessel from outside
1t was a suggestion whose boldness
| made even the owner and constructor OF
| the Jules Verne stare for a moment
! but evidently II was the only possible
| way the vessel might be saved; and
knowing that, in case of failure, they
could themselves float to the surface
after removing the weights from the
| bottom of the suits. they unanimously
decided to try Cosmo Versals plan. II
was terribly hard work getting the bal
| they had to do under water. which
rushed in as soon as the door wa,
opened. and in their awkward suits
which were provided with apparatus fol
renewing the supply Of oxygen; but a
| last they succeeded.
Then they clambered outside, and la
| bored desperately to release the Vesse
| from the huge fragments of stone tina
pinned it down. Finally, exhausted b!
their efforts, and unable to make any
impression, they gave up.
De Beauxchamps approached Cosmo
and mentioned to him that 1t was tim,
Jules Verne to her fate. But CosmC
signaled back that he wished first Il
examine more closely the strange statue
that was gazing upon them in the still
uneXtinguished beam of the search
light with what they might now haV,
regarded as a look of mockery.
The others, accordingly. waited Will,