The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-05-19

"You can explore it with me now,
Walter" he said quietly, touching the
lever and opening the panel which
disclosed the ladder
Together, Craig and 1 descended in
to the darkness about eight or ten
feet. There we found passageway,
excavated through the earth and rock,
along which we crept. 1t was crooked
and uneven, and we stumbled, but kept
going slowly ahead.
Kennedy, who was a few feet in
front of me, stopped suddenly and 1
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
4 ly to take advantage of the fifteen
minutes or so before the next car
would pass.
It was evident that Long Sin had
already been 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
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<3he point on
which Bennett had written his warn
ing. Quickly he opened the bag and
took the oxygen helmet, which he adj
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" I 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 / knew it there was a crash.
"Confound 1t, 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
Z floor.
Kennedy dashed forward and I fol
lowed close after him.
We were making much better time
than our strange visitor and were gain
ing on him rapidly.
Suddenly he turned, raised his arm
and dashed something to the earth
much as a child explodes toy torpe
do. / fully expected that 1t was &
bomb; but, as moment later, found
that Kennedy and were still un
harmed, knew that it must be some
other product of this, devilish genius
"a Chinese smoke bombi" sputteret
and coughed Kennedy, as he retreated
minute, then with renewed Figor en-
deavored to penetrate the dense ant
Opaque fumes.
We managed to go ahead still, but
the intruder had exploded one aftel
another of his peculiar bombs, always
keeping ahead of the smoke which hi
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 tt
work his way through the bushes t.
reach the waiting car, with WI, theI
paused and listened. Hearing nj
] he had taken off,
Pursuit was now useless for us
With revolvers drawn, we crept bacl
along the passageway until we cam
again to the chamber itself There
on the floor, lay bag of tools, opened
| as though somebody had been workini
with them.
Caught red-handed," exclaime
Kennedy with great satisfaction.
He looked at the tools a minut
q and then at the electric drill. an
finally an idea seemed to strike hin
He took up drill and advanced to
ward the safe. Then he turned OF
the current and applied the drill.
The drill was of the very latest dc
sign and it went quickly through tn
/ steel. But beyond that there was ar
3 other thin steel partition. This Ker
needy tackled next.
{ The drill went through and he with
9 drew it.
Instantly the most penetrating an
nauseous odor seemed to pervad
Q everything. Kennedy cried out. w
staggered back. overcome by the ei
g Gaping gas. and fell to the ground.
Long Sin with his oxygen helme
on again, had returned to the pa.
sageway and was now stealthily creeI
ing back.
9 He came to the chamber and Their
e discovered us lying on the groun
overcome. He bent down and, to hi
4 great satisfaction, saw that we wer
g really unconscious.
q Quickly he moved over to the SAT
and pried open the last thin stee
! plate.
Ie Inside was small box. He pickle
it up and tried to open it, but it wa
le locked.
q He paused for moment to look q
us. then took out a piece of paper an
e, pencil and on the paper wrote
y Thanks for your trouble"
Beneath it was signed by his specii
70 ctamp-the serpent's head, mout
d open and fangs showing.