Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1915-08-24

| Hello-hellO-Crai
It was her last chance. Would 1t
work?
BY this time we had come in the
revenue cutter to the old dock that
was known as the Van bort jetty.
As we swung around to it. with Ken
nedy and Brainard l leaped out. We
gazed about, hunting for signs of the
opium smugglers. All was as still
as a grave, except for the ominous lap
ping of the waves.
| happened to look down at the
ground. There in the light of the Ian
| tern saw one of those square-toed
| footprints which We had come to
know SO well-the print of a Chinese
shoe.
The footprints led up from the dock
to an old, deserted, dilapidated house.
We paused moment before it. Just
then door opened and Chinaman
appeared.
With a cry he darted back, but We
were at him. There we're others in
! side, too, but they were easily over
! powered.
Prodding the reticent Celestials. we
retraced our steps to the jetty, Brain
ards men carrying the opium. At the
dock we loaded our prisoners and the
contraband on the cutter.
| It was plain that although we had
captured the dope, the ship which had
brought it, had escaped. and, worst OF
all, WI had again slipped through our
| fingers.
| Brainard gave the order, and we
| left the wharf As we stood gazing
from the captured opium to the prison
ers, Brainard was visibly elated.
Shake" he said laconically to Craig.
Whether it was that he was dis
appointed at the failure to land WI
| or whether he had a premonition that
all was not well, somehow Kennedy
did not share the citation. He extend
| ed his hand mechanically.
Just then a buzz, as if a bell had
rung startled US. 1t was so .unexpect-
| ed that exclaimed. although the next
| minute realized that it was from the
wireless telephone Craig had asked me
to bring from the laboratory.
Kennedy seized the box, opened 1t
hastily and clapped the little receiver
| to his ear.
"Hello-hello-yes this is Craig.
| Where are you-what?"
OF course we could hear only one
side of the conversation, but from the
look of intense horror that passed
over Kennedy's face knew that some
thing terrible must have happened to
Elaine.
But at Craig's next words myself
| gasped
IF you can get light" he almost
| shouted, thrust it out of the portfolio
to guide us. But we'll find you any.
way. Keep up your nerve"
We crowded about him.
"Brainard - a pair Of glasses -
quick" he cried, dashing to the bow
of the cutter, and full speed down
the bay
Briefly as he swept the horizon
| ahead he repeated the tale of Elaines
kidnapping.
We strained our eyes.
THAT'S it-Brainard-more speed"
cried Craig at last.
Far of, almost out on the ocean. we
| could see a tiny twinkle of light slow
ly waving back and forth.
In her prison Elaine had talked to
| Craig. afraid to raise her voice too
high
AS she heard Kennedys instruc-
| tions. she replaced the receiver ana
rose quickly 20 her feet from beside
| the suitcase. She looked about. There
was a dingy oil lamp suspended from
| a beam of the deck above.
She seized it and ran to the port
hole. Back and forth she waved it as
far as her arms would permit.
AS the schooner now slipped along,
| Gregor. who had left the man at the
wheel was gazing off, not particularly
happy at the prospect of not touching
| a port for long time again. Sudden
ly he became aware of a peculiar,
though slight. CLEAN on the water. He
leaned over the rail farther. Below
and a bit forward of him he could
catch a glimpse of light moving
along the side of the boat
"Confound that wenchi" he NUT
tered in a sudden fury, turning and
selling up a boathook lying on the
deck.
Raising it, he leaned far over the
rail. Then he brought the boathook
down suddenly on the lamp, smashing
1t into thousand bits as they Kissed
| into the water
Elaine drew back in horror. In her
hand was merely the handle of the
lamp. 1t seemed as il her last hope
had been blasted.
"Cap'n-look over the stern-to
port" cried one of the men on watch.
He pointed, and Gregor raised his
glass as the rest, including the China
man to whom WI had entrusted
Elaine, crowded about.
There was a searchlight sweeping
the water, as if fast boat were hunt
ing for something and were rapidly
overhauling them.
sits a revenue cutter" growled
Gregor, lowering his glass after a
quick scrutiny of the mysterious craft.
Crowd on more sail-start the aux
| iliary motor
He volleyed forth his orders hoarse-
| ly. Instantly the deck was in an up
roar For the moment, in their anxi-
ETY. to escape. they seemed to have
forgotten Elaine-all except the
Chinaman who had been set to guard
her. Silently he drew from his blouse
a knife and slipped down the compan-
| ionway
Elaine, her ears now sharpened by
fear at the mysterious smashing of
the ligb', had heard the commotion
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