The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-04-22
~V14V
CONTINUED

"Come on" cried Kennedy. beckon.
ing us on.
Quickly he rushed through the
house. There was net thing in 1t to
change the deserted appearance Of
the first floor At last 1t occurred to
Craig to grope his way down cellar.
There was nothing there.
Kennedy had been carefully going
over the place, and was at the other
side of the cellar from ourselves
when saw him stop and gaze at the
floor.
Hide" he whispered suddenly to
US.
We waited moment. Nothing hap
pened. Had he been seeing things or
hearing things, i wondered?
From our hidden vantage we could
now see square piece in the floor.
perhaps five feet in diameter, slowly
open up as though on a pivot.
The weird and sinister figure of a
man appeared. Over his head he wore
"a peculiar helmet with hideous glass
pieces over the eyes and tubes that
connected with tank which he car.
ried buckled to his back.
Quickly he closed down the cover OF
the tube, but not before a, vile effiuvi.
um seemed to escape, and penetrate
even to us in our hiding places. AS
he moved forward, Kennedy gave a
flying leap at him, and we followed
with a regular football interference.
1t was the work Of only moment
for us to subdue and hold him. while
Craig ripped off the helmet.
II was Dan the Dude.
What's that thing?" I puffed, as
helped Craig with the headgear
"An oxygen helmet" he replied.
There must be air down the tube that
cannot be breathed."
He went over to the tube. Carefully
he opened the top and gazed down.
starting back second later, with his
face puckered up at the noxious odor
Sewer gas" he calculated, as he
slammed the cover down. Then he
added to the policeman: where do
you suppose it comes from?"
why" replied the officer, "the st.
James viaduct-an old sewer-is some
where about these parts"
Kennedy puckered his face as he
gazed at our prisoner. He reached
down quickly and lifted something off
the mans coat.
Golden hair" he muttered
"Elaines!"
A moment later he seized the man
and shook him roughly.
Where is she-tell me?" he de-
manded.
The man snarled some kind of re-
ply refusing to say word about her.
Tell me-" repeated Kennedy.
"Humph!" snorted the prisoner, more
close-mouthed than ever.
Kennedy was furious. AS he sent
the man reeling away from him he
seized the oxygen helmet and began
putting it on. There was only one
thing to do--to follow the clue of the
golden strands of hair.
Down into the pest hole he went, his
head protected by the oxygen helmet.
AS he cautiously took one step after
another down series of iron rungs
inside the hole, he found that the wa
ter was up to his chest At the bot.
tom Of the perpendicular pit was a
narrow, low passageway leading of.
1t was Just about big enough to get
through, but he managed to grope
along it.
The minutes passed as the police
man and watched our prisoner in the
Cd ar by the tube. looked anxiously
at my watch.
"Craig!" / shouted at last, unable
to control my fears for him.
No answer.
BY this time Craig had come to a
small, open chamber, into which the
viaduct widened On the wall he found
another series of iron rungs, up which
he climbed. The gas was terrible
AS he neared the top of the ladder
he came to shelf-like aperture in the
sewer chamber, and gazed about. 1t