Omaha daily bee., 1915-08-29

hermit. perhaps. who was making his way
toward the house.
The two soldiers stole I'D noiselessly,
close &c him. Almost before he knew It
the hermit felt himself seized from be-
hind by four powerful arms. Escape was
impossible.
Let me 60" he pleaded. Cant you
see I'm harming no one7"
But the captors were obdurate. Tell
it to the lieutenant" they rejoined grimly
forcing him to go before them by twist
ing his arms. "Our orders were to seize
anyone entering or leaving"
Protests were in vain. The hermit was
forced to go before Lieutenant Woodward.
who was just in the rear directing the
advance
Well" demanded Woodward, whats
your business?"
For an instant the hermit stood mute.
What should he do? He had reason to
know that the situation must be urgent.
Slowly he raised his beard so that Wood
ward could see not only that It was false.
but what his features looked like.
Arnold" gasped Woodward, startled.
What brings you here7 Elaine and
Jameson are in the house. We have It
surrounded"
Half an hour before, in the st. Ger
MAN, Arnold had no sooner received the
telaphotograph than he hurried I'D TO his
room. From closet he had produced an
other OF his numerous disguises and
quickly put 1t on. With scant white locks
railing over his shoulders and long.
scrasSly beard, he had made himself into
Verltable Wild man. Then he had nut
on the finishing touches and had made
his way toward Del Mars.
A look of intense anxiety now flashed
over Arnolds face as he heard Wood
wards words
But" he cried, there is an under
ground passage from the house TO the
shore"
The deuce!' muttered Woodward.
more alarmed now than ever. Come
men-to the house." he shouted out his
orders as they passed them around the
line. Arnold, lead the wayi"
Together the soldier and the strange
figure rushed to the front door of the
bungalow. ALI was still inside. Heavy
as 1t was, they broke it down and
burst in.
They hurried to me and, as quickly as
they could, started to bring me around.
where's Blaine?" askel the strange
figure of the hermit
Weakly, I was able only to point to the
panel But it was enough. The soldiers
understood. They dashed for IL, looking
for button or an opening. Finding
neither, they started to bang on it and
batter it in with the butts OF their guns.
IL was only seconds before It was
splintered to kndling There was the
ma nafo
NIT. and the rest plunged into It utterly
regardless OF danger. On through the
tunnel they went until at last they came,
unmolested, to the end. There they
paused to look about
The hermit pointed to the ground.
Clearly there were footprints, leading to
the shore. They followed them on down
to the beach.
''Lookl' pointed the hermit
OFF In the water they could now SEQ
the most curious OF sights. Four
strangely helmeted creatures were wad-
ing out, each like a huge octopus head,
without tentacleS
Only a few seconds before, Del Mar
and his companions. carrying Elaine, had
emerged from the secret entrance of the
tunnel and had dashed for the shore Of
the promontory.
Stopping only an instant to consider
what was to be done. Del Mar had seen
someone also emerge from the tunnel.
"Come-we must get down there
quickly he shouted. hurriedly issuing
orders, as all three. carrying Elaine.
waded out into the water.
At sight of the strange figures. the SOL
dierS raised their guns and a volley OF
shot rang out.
"Stop!" shouted the hermit his hair
streaming wildly as he ran before the
guns and threw up as many as he could
grasp with his outstretched armG DO
you want to kill herr
Herr" repeated Woodward
All stood there. wonderingfy. gazing at
the queer creatures.
What did 1t mean7
Slowly, they disappeared-literally I'M
der the water.
They were gone-with Elainei
Ito be continued.)