The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1915-07-23

lifted out tenderly the little wireless
telephone.
She opened It, pulled up the little
aerials, and pressed the lever.
"Hello-hello-Cra Craig-hello"
II was her last chance Would II
work?
BY this time we had come In the
revenue cutter TO the old dock that
was known as the Van bort ietty.
AS we swung around TO It, with Ken
nedy and Bralnard / leaped out. We
gazed about, hunting for signs OF the
opium smugglers. All was as still
as a grave, except for the omlnous lap
ping OF the waves.
l 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 Chinese
| shoe
The footprints led up from the dock
to an old, deserted, dilapidated house
We paused a moment before 1t. Just
then a door opened and a Chlnaman
| appeared
With a cry he darted back, but we
were at him. There were 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. Al the
dock we loaded our prisoners and the
contraband on the cutter.
1t 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 elation. He extend
ed his hand mechanically.
Just then a buzz, as il 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 mis- 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 Craigs next words l 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 pair of glasses 49,
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 Elaine's
kidnapping
We strained our eyes.
That's it-Brainard-more speed!'
cried Craig at last.
Far off. 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 and
rose quickly to 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 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 a light moving
aIo ba cida nf fbn bOat
"Confound that wench!" he NUT
tered in a sudden fury, turning and
seizing up boathook lying on the
deck.
Raising it, ne leaned far over the
rail. Then he brought the boathook
down suddenly on the lamp, smashing
it into a thousand bits as they hissed
into the water
Elaine drew back in horror. In her
hand was merely the handle Of the
lamp. 1t seemed as if her last hope
had been blasted.
"Capn-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
ng for something and were rapidly
)verhauling them
'It's a revenue cutter" growled
Iregor, lowering his glass after a
luick scrutiny of the mysterious craft.
Crowd on more sail--start the aux
liary motor"