The log cabin Democrat., 1915-01-01

Nui SIhS hlLuoCIA AOl HUI lud such thoughts should oppress him.
 What ailed the ensign that he did not come? It was past the time ap- pointed That was most unusual. He strode nervously up and down the floor Suddenly the floor gave way with lightning speed, bringing up upon the basement floor with such violence that everything in the room was over turned. while he himself lay half stunned against the table. He staggered away. finding himself so weak and dazed he was obliged to clutch the table edge to keep from topping over. Something cool and soft brushed against his hand, then the softnesS grew as iron and his fingers were loosened from their clutch He staggered back, back against the basement wall. He heard Lucille's voice uttering a little cry of delight His hands encountered the light switch instinctively pressing. The room was flood of yellow light. in the center of which. slowly retreating toward the tunnel exit from the house. revolver pointed steadily at him. with eyes sighting behind the revolver that were harder even than the glint of metal. stood Lucille Love. the precious packet of papers in her hand
 Slowly. without a word, she disap- peared from view, departed as abrupt ly. as unexpectedly as she had ap- peared. making use of the spys in- genuity to turn it against him in this. his greatest hour. For moment he could not think or do anything; then he darted toward the tunnel, staggering back as white hot iron scared his brow even as an orange spurt of flame leaped out the darkness at him
 He could not charge that way. He dashed to the stairs. rushing into the open. hatless. wild. dishevelled An automobile stood before the door He directed it wildly toward the tunnel entrance, arriving there barely in time to see Lucille step inside another motorcar and dart forward like a liv- ing thing.
 Helpless, hopeless. yet fighting Of with bulldog ferocity, Loubeque con tinued the chase. Times he would lose her, only to pick the car up again In the most unexpected place Then for full five minutes. along the wa ter front. she disappeared.
 A husky. irate chauffeur stepped be- fore his driver and slammed open the door.
 Hey. youse." he brawled angriy. "whatta yuh mean chasin loidy like dat?"
 Loubeque did not answer. Instead he put question. snapping it in tone of authority that made even the man cringe.
 "Where did she go?"
 The driver passed him a grimy card The international spy turned it over in his hand. reading the address upon it and marking that it was not block away. On the obverse side he read Ensign Howelrs name. The chauffeur was pointing out upon the harbor Loubeque looked. marked the slim figure of Lucille standing upright in the briskly manned cutter approaching the big ship He turned away.
 His shoulders seemed to have slump ed in the half hour. dis face to have undergone chiseling process by the sculptor Suffering. but a smile crossed his face.
 Once in the cutter. Lucille for the first time heaved huge sigh of relief as she glanced back toward the shore and saw Hugo Loubeque jump from the car in which he had been pursuing her and glance hurriedly up and down the harbor front.
 She clamDered over the sides of the waiting government vessel. being met at the deck by the captain himself. His eyebrows rose in surprise as he regard ed the slender slip of girl facing him. her eyes wet with tears.
 Ensign Howell informed me that MT. Loubeque"- he began. when she Interrupted.
 '"The papers are here. captain. have them. They are safe now"
 For moment he studied her medi- tadvely. She felt an. icy chill running up and down her spine. Would he turn back and force her to return the pa pers? At the very suggestion her face heXed in every muscle. while her eyes met his coldly and steadily. purpose In their depths which even the officer turned away from. convinced that all was we'll
 And now that she was safe, the nerv- ous reaction came upon her. In her own tiny cabin, safe finally from the man she had last seen upon the shore it seemed the very air was fraught with terrors, horrible fears reaching toward her, gibbering at her with threats of perils greater even than those she had come through already. A light tapping on the door brought her to her feet, heartily ashamed of the false terrors she had allowed to un- nerve her, She opened the door, and