The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1915-09-24

other a moment silently. Each knew
it was the final, fatal encounter.
Slowly WI drew long knife and
leaped at Kennedy, who grappled with
him. They struggled mercilessly.
In the struggle Craig managed to
tear the torpedo out of Wu's hands,
just as they rolled over. 1t fell on
rock. Instantly an explosion tore
hole in the sand, scattering the gravel
all about
Relentlessly the combat ragged. Out
on the wharf itself they went, right up
to the edge.
Then both went over into the water,
| locked in each others viselike grip.
Even in the water they struggled
franticallly.
My search for the escaped crook
| was unsuccessful
Somehow, however, it led me across
| country to a road. AS | approached
heard car and looked up. There
| were the secret service men. / called
| them and stepped out of the bushes.
| They stepped and jumped out of the
| car, and ran to them
| Come back with me-" urged. 1--WE
found two of them. One is dead.
Craig sent me to trace the other I've
lost the trail. Perhaps you can find it
| for me-"
| We crashed through the brush
quickly. Suddenly heard something
that caused me to start. 1t sounded
like an explosion.
| There's the place-over there" /
| pointed, pausing and indicating the
direction of the wharf whence had
come the explosion.
What was it? We did not stop a
moment, but hurried in that direction.
We reached the shore, where we
saw marks of the explosion and Of a
| fight. Out on the pier / ran breath
lessly. l rushed to the very edge and
gazed ever, then climbed down the
slippery piling and peered into the
black water benesth
| A few bubbles seemed to ooZe up
from below. Was that all?
No, as gazed down | saw that some
dark object was there. Slowly WI
Fang's body f1oated to the surface and
lay there, rocked by the waves. Deep
in his breast stuck his own knife with
its handle of the sign of the serpent!
reached down and seized him, as
peered about for Kennedy.
There was nothing more there.
"Craig!" called desperately
"Craigi'
| There was no answer. The silence.
the echo of the tapping water under
the wharf was appalling, hooking.
managed to call the secret service
men, and they got WI Fang's body up
on the wharf.
But could not leave the spot.
Where was Craig? There was not a
sign of him. / could not realize it.
even when the men brought graphing
irons and began to search the black
water.
1t was all a hideous dream. i saw
and heard, in a daze.
1t was not until late that night thai
I returned to the Dodge house.
had delayed my return as long as
! could, but l knew that | must see
Elaine some time.
AS I entered even Jennings must
have seen that something was wrong
Elaine, who was sitting in the library
with Aunt Josephine, rose as she saw
me.
did you get them?" Elaine asked
eagerly.
| could not speak. She seemed tt
read the tragic look on my haggar(
face, and stopped.
why" she gasped. clutching at the
desk, what is the matter?"
AS gently as | could ! told her O
the chase. of leaving Craig, of the ex
plosion, of the marks of the struggle
and of the finding of WI Fang.
AS I finished / thought she would
faint
And you-you went over every
thing about the wharf?"
Everything The men even dragged
for the"
l checked myself over the fatefu
word.
Elaine looked at me wildly. though
that she would lose her reason. Sht
did not cry. The shock was too grea
, for that.
Suddenly / remembered the note
Before l left him-the last time,"
blurted out, she wrote note-to you.
pulled the crumpled paper from
my pocket and Elaine almost tore /
from me-the last word from him
and read:
Dearest may not return until tn,
case is settled and have found tn,
stolen torpedo. Matters involving mil
lions of lives and billions Of dollar,
hang on the plot back Of It. No mat
ter what happens, have no fear. Trus
me. Lovingly, CRAIG.
She finished reading the note ant
slowly laid it down. Then she picket
it up and read it again. Slowly sh,
turned to me-
He told me to trust him and t.
have no fear" she said simply, grip
,, ping herself mentally and PHYSICAL.
, , by main force, then with an air o
defiance she looked at me. Il do no
believe that he is dead!"
/ tried to comfort her. wanted tt
; do so. But ] could do nothing blu
shake my head sadly. My own hear
was full to overlooking. An intimac.
such as had been ours could not b.
broken except with shock that tor
my soul ! knew that the poor cir
had not seen what had seen. Yet
, could not find it in my heart to con