The Ely miner., 1915-11-26
key was unavailing to slide the bolt.

| SECONDS were precious.
Quickly he went to the corner ol
the house. There was a water pipe
He began to climb it, risking It's pre-
carious support.
On the roof at last, the naturalist
crawled along, looking for some way
Of getting into the house. But hi
could not seem to find any. Carefully
he crawled to the edge of the roo1
and looked over. Below he could
| hear sounds, but could make nothing
of them.
From his pocket he took the leather
case and opened it. There was a pc
ouliar arrangement, like some of the
collapsible arms on which telephone
instruments are often fastened to 9
desk or wall, capable of being col
lapsed into small space or of being ex
| tended for some distance. On the
thing was arranged system of mir
rors, which the naturalist adjusted.
1t was pocket periscope.
He thrust the thing over the edge
OF the roof and down, and looked
through 1t. Below, he could see into
the room from which came the pecu
liar sounds.
He looked anxiously. There he could
see Elaine endeavoring still to loosen
the cords and unable to do so. Only
| for a moment he looked. Then he
folded up the pocket periscope in the
case and showed 1t back into his pock
ct. Quickly he crossed the roof again
and slid down the rain-pipe.
At the door stood three of Del Mar'f
men waiting for Del Mar who had told
them he would follow Immediately.
The naturalist had by this tim;
reached the ground and was going
along carefully back to the house
He drew his revolver and, pointing 4
down, fired. Then he lodged back ol
an extension and disappeared for the
moment.
Instantly the three men sprang VI
and ran toward the spot where il
seemed the shot had been fired. There
was no one about the side of the
| house. But the wind had carried the
smoke into some bushes beside ths
grove, and they crashed into the
bushes, beating about.
At the same time, the naturalist
having first waited until he saw which
way the men were going, dashed about
the house in the opposite direction
Then he slipped, unopposed and unob
served, in through the open front
door, up the stairs and along to the
room into which he had just been look
ing. He unlocked the door and en-
tered. Elaine was still struggling with
the cords when she caught sight oi
the stranger.
Not word!" he cautioned under
his breath.
She was indeed too frightened to CRY
out. Quickly he loosened her, still
holding his finger to his lips to enjoiI
silence.
Follow mel" he whispered.
She obeyed mechanically, and then
went out into the hall. On downstairs
went the naturalist, Elaine still keep
ing close after him.
He looked out through the from
door, then drew back. Quickly he went
through the lower hall until he came
to the back door in the kitchen, Elaine
following. He unbolted the door anG
opened it.
Run" he said, simply, pointing ou
OF the door. They're coming bach
the other way. I'll hold them"
She needed no further urging, but
darted from the house as he closed
the door after her.
It was just at this point that De
Mar came riding along the main road
on horseback. He pulled up suddenly
as he saw a car run in alongside the
road.
That's Elaine's runabout," he NUT
tered, as he dismounted and tied hi:
horse. How came it here?'
He approached tho car, much wor
ried by it's unaccountable presence
there instead of before the St. Ger
main. Then he drew his gun and hur
| ried up the side road.
He heard shot and quickened his
| pace. In the woods Unexpectedly he
came upon his three men still beating
about, searching with drawn revolvers
for the person who had fired the shot
"Well?" he demanded, sharply
whats all this?"
Someone fired q shot," they ex
planned, somewhat crestfallen.
1T was a trick, you FOOLS" he an
swered testify. Get back to your
| prisoner"
Without a word they turned anC
hurried toward the house, Del MAJ
following. You two go in," he or
dered the foremost. "Tll go aroun(
the house with Patrick"
AS Del Mar and the other man rar
around the corner they could JUS
catch a fleeting glimpse of someone
disappearing into the trees.
1t was Elaine
The man hurried forward, blazing
away with his gun.
Running, breathless, Elaine heard
the shot behind her which Del Mars
man had fired in his eagerness. The
bullet struck tree near her with {
"ping!" She glanced back and saw
| the man. But she did not stop. In
tead she redoubled her efforts, run
ming zigzag in among the trees wher'
they were thickest.
Del Mar, a little bit behind his mar
where she could not recognize him
urged the man on, following carefully
On fed Elaine, her heart beating
fast. Suddenly she stopped, and al
most cried out in vexation. A stream
blocked her retreat-a stream swift
and deep.