The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1914-09-12

iAA ~ NNWNu Ut UNEta
feet range OF tho spot, he never
came back 10 find the mysterious
box. never saw the ellison house
back home. nor did he ever see
DunkerB again. On the voyage
home no brooded continually, and
was frequently found blubbering;
and one night be skipped his watch
and went 20 Davy Jones locker
Dunkers had not told about The
name he had seen on the boxs and
Blossom had not thought 10. The
name Hargreave had Instantly
brought back TO Dunkers' mind the
newspaper stories he had recently
read. There was no doubt 10 the
world that this box belonged to the
missing millionaire. who had drawn
a million from his banks and van
ished; and, moreover. there was
no doubt In Dunkers' mind that this
million lay I'm the Bahaman waters.
IL had been drawn up from the bot.
tom OF the sound. under the path
OF the balloon. He proceeded. then,
to take most minute range II
would require money and partners;
but half loaf would be far better
than no loaf al all: and he was de-
termined TO return 20 New York 10
find backing. Finding Is keeping,
on land or sea.
Now, II happened that his favorife
grog shop was a cheap saloon across
the way from the headquarters Of
the Black Hundred. and vroon occa-
sionally dropped in, for he often
picked up valuable bit OF maritime
news Drinkers was an old friend OF
the barkeeper. and he proceeded 10
pour and guzzlc down his throat =
very poor substitute for whisky. He
became communicative. He brag-
ged. He knew where there was
million, and all he needed was a.
first-class diving bell. A year from
now be would not be drinking cheap
whisky; he'd be steering q course up
and down Broadway and buying
wine when he was thirsty. He was
no miser. But he had 10 have a div
ing bell: and where the blue devil
could he get one with s12 and an In
gersoll watch In my pocket"
From his table Vroon made a sign
which the bartender understood.
Then he rose and approached Dun
kers.
II own a pretty good diving appar-
atus." he said. If you've got the
goods. I'll take a chance on q $3.50
basis" vroon did not believe there
was anything back OF this talk, but
II always paid to dig deep enough
TO find out. Have a drink; Bill,
give us a real whisky. and none OF
your soap-lye. Now, let's hear your
yarn"
Il don't know yuh." said Dunkers.
with drunken caution. How Is It.
Bill?" turning TO the bartender
He's the goods. Jim. You've
heard OF wyant a COT"
Sure, I've heard o. them. Best
divin' apparatus they Is"
We'll. this gent here n Mr..
Brooks. general manager for Wyant
& Co. can O. X. him"
Nroon threw an appreciation
glance at the bartender. He was
not affiliated with the Black Hun
bred, but he had often aided Vroon
in minor affairs.
"All right. II yuh say so. Bill.
Well. here's tn yarn"
And when he had done, vroon
smoked quietly. without speaking.
Don't yuh believe it," demanded
Dunkers. truculently.
But 500 feet OF water. in coral
bottom, and no way OF telling just
where II fell overheard. That's q
tough proposition"
"Oh, II is. is IT. I'm a sailor.
can lay my hand right over tn spot.
Do yuh think I'd be fool enough {
hunt for II without perfect ranger
Dunkers tapped his coat pocket sug-
gestively.
And Vroon knew that the one
thing he wanted was there, plan
or drawing OF the range. So there
was another man shanghaied that
night, and his destination was Cape
Town. % days voyage by the calen-
dar.
vroon carried his Information TO
the organization that same night.
They would start the expedition at
once, and till this was accomplished,
Hargreave's daughter was 10 be I'M
mune from attacks. Besides, Il
would give Hargreave wherever he
wasl and the others the idea that
the Black Hundred had concluded to
give up the chase.
Above. with his ear TO a smaAs.
hole, skillfully bored through Il
ceiling without permitting the plan
ter TO fall. knelt man with bandp
aged arm. He could never see any
faces; no one ever took off mask
in this sinister chamber. But there
were voices, and he was never going
to forget some OF them. After the
meeting came TO an end, he waited
an hour. and then stole down into
the street by the aid OF the fire es-
cape. Later he entered a telephone
booth and called up Jones.
Then, one leathern and steel box,
dotted with bits of ivory and moth
er-of-pearl, became two; and the
SttOHu VDt was oOdhtV III iuuu Ht1
salt water for two weeks. till you
could not have told It from the orig
Inal. And that is why Jones was
able, some weeks later. to hide once
more the original box AS for the
just as Braine was about
to use a mallet and chisel upon It.
the lights went out. There was =
Wild scramble, chair or two was
"The door, the doorl" shouted I
Braine. furious.
II slammed the moment the words
left his lips. AS suddenly as they(
had gone out, the lights sprang w.
The box was gone. There were evil
IDENTIFY traitors among the BLACK
Hundred
Ito BE contInued.)