Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-10-22

quit. Perhaps we may run them down
yet"
He treasured US and We thanked
him as we said good-by. Outside
Elaine and l got into the car again
and a moment later spun OF. making
a little detour first through the coun'
try before hitting the shore road back
again to Dodge Hill.
-
On the rocky shore Of the promon.
tory several men were engaged in
sinking a peculiar heavy disk which
they submerged about ten or twelve
feet. 1t seemed to be held by a cable
and to it wires were attached, appar.
emily SO that when a key was pressed
a circuit was closed.
1t was an "oscillator," q new system
for the employment of sound for sub
marine signaling. using water instead
Of air as a medium to transmit sound
waves. 1t was composed of ring
magnet, a copper tube lying in an
air gap in a magnetic field and q sta
tionary central armature. The tube
was attached to q steel diaphragm.
Really it was a submarine bell which
could be used for telegraphing or tel.
ephoning both ways through water.
The men finished executing the d.
rections Of Del Mar and left, carefully
concealing the land connections and
key Of the bell, while we were still at
Del Mars.
We had no sooner left, however,
than one of the men who had been en-
gagged in installing the submarine bell
entered the library.
"Well?" demanded Del Mar.
THE bell is installed. sir" he said.
ut will be working soon."
Good" nodded Del Mar.
He went to q drawer and from 1t
took a peculiar-looking helmet to
which was attached a sort of harness
fitting over the shoulders and carry.
ing tank Of oxygen. The headpiece
was a most weird continuance, with
what looked like huge glass eye in
front. 1t was in reality a submarine
life-saving apparatus.
Del Mar put it on, all except the
helmet, which he carried with him,
and then. with his assistant, went out
through the panel in the wall. Through
the underground passage the two
CROPPED their way, lighted by an cleo
trio torch. until at last they came to
the entrance hidden in the under
brush, near the shore.
Del Mar went over to the concealed
station from which the submarine bell
was sounded and pressed the key as
signal. Then he adjusted the subma-
rine helmet to his head and deliber-
ately waded out into the water, far
Their and farther, up to his head, then
deeper still.
As he disappeared into the water,
his emissary turned and went back
toward the shore road.
The ride around through the coun-
try and back to the shore road from
Del Mars was pleasant. In fact. it
was always pleasant to be with
Elaine, especially in a car.
We were spinning along at a fast
clip when we came to a rocky part Of
the coast. As we made q turn a sharp
breeze took of my hat and whirled it
far of the road and among the rocks
of the shore. Elaine shut down the
engine. with a laugh at me, and we
left the car by the road while we
climbed down the rocks after the hat.
1t had been carried into the water,
close to shore and, still laughing, we
clambered over the rocks. Elaine in
sisted on getting 1t herself and in fact
did get it. She was Just about to
hand 1t to me, when something bobbed
up in the water just in front of us.
She reached for it and fished it out.
It was a cylinder with alright caps
on both ends, in one of which was q
hook.
What do you suppose It isl" she
asked, looking it over as we made our
way up the rocks again to the car.
Where did 1t come ffom?"
We did not see Q man standing BY
our car. but he saw us. It was Del
Mars man who had paused on his way
to watch us. As we approached he
hid on the other side of the road.
By this time we had reached the car
and opened the cylinder. Inside was
q note which read:
"Chief arrived safely. Keep watch"
what does 1t mean?" repeated
Elaine. mystified.
Neither of US could guess and
doubt whether we would have under
stood any better, II we had seen q
sinister face peering at US from be-
hind a rock near by. although doubt
less the man knew what was in the
tube and what it meant.
We climbed into the car and start.
ed again. As we disappeared the man
came from behind the rocks and ran
quickly up to the top of the hill.
There. from the bushes. he pulled out
peculiar instrument composed Of q
strange series Of lenses and mirrors
set up on a tripod.
Eagerly he placed the tripod, ad-
1usting the lenses and mirrors in the
sunlight. Then he began working
them. and it was apparent that he was
flashing light beams. using q Morse
code. 1t was a heliograph.
Down the shore on the top of the
next hill sat the man who had already
given the signal with the handker-
chief to those in the valley who were
working on the mining of the bridge.