The hummer. (Houston, Miss.) 1914-19??, 1915-07-02


up 4 rock. hitting the tank with q re-
sounding blow. As the echo died
down, he listened again.
Yes, there was q s0und--a scream
perhaps woman'a voice, faint but
unmistalable.
/ looked at his face inquiringly.
without q word / read IN It the con-
nrmatlon Of the thought that hao
dashed into my mind.
Elaine Dodge was insidel
First had come the limousine. with
its three bandits, to the spot hxed on
Is q rendezvous. Later had come the
taxicab. AS Il hove into sight, the
three Well-dressed crooks had drawn
revolvers, thinking perhaps the plan
for getting rid Of Kennedy might pos
slbly have miscarried. But the taxi
cab driver and the rough-faced fellow
had treasured them with the sign Of
the Clutching Hand, and the revolyera
we're lowered.
A. they parleyed hastily, the
roukhneck and the fake chauffeur
lifted Elaine out Of the taxi. She was
bound and gagged.
We'll, now we've got her, what shall
We do with her7" asked one.
TITS got to be quick. There's an
other cab" put in the driver.
"The deuce with that"
"The deuce with nothing" he re-
turned. THAT fellow Kennedy's q
clever one. He may come to. II he
does, he won't miss Us. Quick, noWl"
"see," cried the third. "see that old
boiler down there at the edge Of the
water? Why not put her in thereG
No oneTl ever think to look in such
a place"
With a hasty expression Of approval,
the roughneck picked Elaine up bodily,
still struggling vainly, and together
they carried her, bound and gagged,
to the tank. The opening, which was
toward the water, was small, but they
managed, roughly, to thrust her in.
A moment later and they had rolled
up a huge bowlder against the small
entrance, bracing It so that It would
be impossible for her to get out from
the inside. Then they drove on hast
fly.
Frantically Elaine managed to
loosen the gag. She screamed. Her
voice seemed to be bound around by
the iron walls as she was herself. She
shuddered. The water was rising
had reached her chest, and was still
rising, slowly, inexorably.
What was that7 Silence? Or was
someone outside?
Coolly, in spite Of the emergency,
Kennedy took in the perllous situA-
ton.
The lower end Of the boiler, which
was on slant on the rapidly shelving
beach, was now completely under wa
ter and impossible to get at. Besides.
the opening was small, too small.
Kennedy gazed about frantically
and his eye caught the sign on tho
factory:
.s''sss.'.sss. .s.ss.
OxYACETYLENE WELDING co.
...,.s ...........,..
"Come, Walter" he cried, running
Up the shore.
A moment later, breathless, we
reached the doorway. It was, Of
course, locked. Kennedy whipped out
his revolver and several well-directed
shots through the keyhole smashed
the lock. We put our shoulders to Il
and swung the door open, entering
the factory.
Beside a work bench stood two long
cylinders, studded with bolts.
'That's what I'm looking for" eE'
claimed Craig. Here, Walter, take
one. I'll take the other-and the
tubes-and-'
We ran, for there was no time to
lose. AS nearly as I could estimate Il.
the water must now be slowly closing
over Elaine
what is it," I asked, as he joined
up the tubes from the tanks to the
peculiar hooklike apparatus he car
ried.
can oxyaeetylene blowpipe," he NUT
tered back feverishly. USED for weld
ing and cutting, too" be added.
With a light he touched the nozzle.
instantly a kissing, binding flame
needle made the steel under It mean
descent. The terrific heat from one
nozzle made the steel glow. The
stream Of oxygen from the second
completely consumed the hot metal
Kennedy was actually cutting out q
huge hole in the still exposed surface
Of the tank-all around, except for q
J few inches. to prevent the heavy
piece from falling inward.
As Kennedy carefully bent outward
the section Of the tank which he had
cut, he quickly reached down and
lifted Elaine, unconscious, out OF the
: water.
Gently he laid her on the sand. Il
, was the work Of only a moment 10 cut
the cords that bound her hands.