The Elbert County tribune., 1915-05-28

tou can explore IL with me now.
Walter" he said quietly. touching the
lever and opening the panel which
disclosed the ladder
Together. Craig and descended in
to the darkness about eight or ten
feet. There we found passageway,
excavated through the earth and rock.
along which we crept. II was crooked
and uneven. and we stumbled, but kept
going slowly ahead.
Kennedy, who was few feet in
front of me. stopped suddenly and
almost fell over him.
What is it," l whispered
Long Sin had made his way from
the opening of the cave to the point
on the plan which was marked by a
cross. and there he had set up his cleo
trio drill which was connected to the
trolley wire. He was working furious
ly to take advantage OF the fifteen
minutes or so before the next car
would pass
1t was evident that Long Sin had
already beer at work. digging and
drilling through the earth and rock
He had gone so far now that he had
disclosed what looked like the face OF
small safe set directly into the
rock
As he worked he would stop from
time to time and consult the map.
Then he would take up drilling again.
He had now come to the point on
which Bennett had written his warn
ing. Quickly he opened the bag and
took the oxygen helmet. which he ad-
iusted carefully over his head. Then
he set to work with redoubled energy.
The man must have heard us ap-
preaching down the tunnel, for he
paused in his work and the noise of
the drill ceased.
From our vantage point around the
bend in the passageway we could see
this strange and uncouth figure.
who is it, do you think" / whis-
| pered, crouching back against the
wall for fear that he might look even
around a corner or through the earth
and discover us.
| AS / spoke my hand loosened a
| piece of rock that jutted out and be
fore I knew 1t there was a crash.
"Confound it, Walter" exclaimed
Kennedy
Down the passageway the figure
was now thoroughly on the alert. star.
ing with his goggle-like eyes into the
blackness in our direction. He was
watched, and he did not hesitate a
minute to act
He seized the bag and picked his
way quickly through the passage as IL
thoroughly familiar with every turn
of the walls and roughness of the
floor.
Kennedy dashed forward and fol-
lowed close after him.
We were making much better time
than our strange visitor and we're gain.
ing on him rapidly.
Suddenly he turned. raised his arm
and dashed something to the earth
much as child explodes a toy torpe
do / fully expected that 1t was @
bomb: but, as moment later. found
that Kennedy and 7 we're still un-
| harmed. ] knew that It must be some
other product of this devilish genius
"A Chinese smoke bomb" sputtered
| and coughed Kennedy as he retreated
a minute, then with renewed vigor en-
| deayored to penetrate the dense and
OPAQUE fumes.
We managed to go ahead still. but
the intruder had exploded one after
another of his peculiar bombs, always
keeping ahead of the smoke which he
created. and we found that under its
cover he had made good his escape.
At the other end of the passageway
up in the living room of the cottage.
the draft had carried large quantities
| of the smoke.
| Long Sin, meanwhile, had started to
work his way through the bushes to
reach the waiting car. with WI. then
| paused and listened Hearing no
sound. he replaced the helmet, which
he had taken OF
Pursuit was now useless for us
| With revolvers drawn, we crept back
along the passageway until we came
again to the chamber itself There
on the floor, lay bag of tools, opened
as though somebody had been working
with them.
Caught red-handedi" exclaimed
Kennedy with great satisfaction.
He looked at the tools a minute
and then at the electric drill, and
finally an idea seemed to strike him
He took UP drill and advanced to
ward the safe. Then he turned on
the current and applied the drill.
The drill was of the very latest de
sign and 1t went quickly through the
steel. But beyond that there was an
other thin steel partition. This Ken
nedy tackled next.
The drill went through and he with
drew IT,
Instantly the most penetrating and
nauseous odor seemed to pervade
everything. Kennedy cried out. We