The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1915-03-12

l looked at his face inqulringly
Without a word read in II the con.
firmation OF the thought that had
flashed into my mind.
Elaine Dodge was insidel
First had come the limousine, with
its three bandits. 10 the spot fixed on
as a rendezvous. Later had come the
taxicab AS Il hove into sight. the
three well'dressed crooks had drawn
revolvers, thinking perhaps the plan
for getting rid OF Kennedy might pos
sibly have miscarried. But the taxi
cab driver and the rough-faced fellow
had reassured them with the sign OF
the Clutching Hand, and the revolvers
we're lowered.
As they parleyed hastily the
roughneck and the fake chauffeur
lifted Elaine out OF the taxi. She was
bound and gagged.
well, now we've got her. what shall
we do with her?' asked one.
ITS got to be quick There's an.
other cab" put In the driver.
The deuce with that"
"The deuce with nothing" he re.
turned. That fellow Kennedy's a
clever one. He may come TO. II he
does, he won't miss US. Quick, now!"
"See," cried the third See that old
boiler down there at the edge of the
water? Why not put her in there?
No onell ever think to look in such
a place"
With hasty expression of approval,
the roughneck picked Elaine up bodily,
still struggling vainly, and together
they carried her, bound and gagged,
to, the tank The opening, which was
toward the water, was small, but they
managed, roughly, to thrust her in.
A moment later and they had rolled
up a huge bowlder against the small
entrance, bracing it so that it would
be impossible for her to get out from
the inside. Then they drove off hast
lily.
Frantically Elaine managed to
loosen the gag. She screamed Her
voice seemed to be bound around by
the iron walls as she was herself She
shuddered. The water was rising
had reached her chest, and was still
rising, slowly inexorably
What was that? Silence7 Or was
someone outside?
Coolly. in spite of the emergency,
Kennedy took IN the peri'ous situa-
tion.
The lower end Of the boiler, which
was on a slant on the rapidly shelving
beach, was now completely under wa
ter and impossible to get at Besides.
the opening was small. too small
Kennedy gazed about frantically
and his eye caught the sign on the
factory:
.............. $500.
!: OXYACETYLENE WELDING co. |
'''''' ''''''''''''.'
Come, Walter" he cried, running /
up the shore.
A moment later, ireathless, we .
reached the doorway 1t was, OF
course, locked Kennedy whipped out
his revolver and several weIl-directed
shots through the Beyhole smashed
the lock. We put our shoulders to it
and swung the door open, entering
the factory.
Beside a work bench stood two long
cylinders, studded with bolts.
claimed Craig. Here, Walter, take
one. I'll take the other-and the
We ran, for there was no time to
lose. AS nearly as l could estimate it,
the water must now be slowly closing
over Elaine.
What is it," I asked, as he joined
up the tubes from the tanks to the
peculiar hooklike apparatus he car
ried.
AN oXyacetylene blowpipe," he NUT
tered back feverishly. Used for weld.
ing and cutting, too" he added.
With light he touched the nozzle,
a kissing, binding flame
needle made the steel under it incan.
descent. The terrific heat from one
nozzle made the steel glow The
stream of oxygen from the second
consumed the hot metal
Kennedy was actually cutting out a
luge hole in the still exposed surface /
If the tank--all around, except for a
ew inches, to prevent the heavy c
'iece from falling inward
AS Kennedy carefully bent outward
he section of the tank which he had (
.ut, he quickly reached down and
fitted Elaine, unconscious, out of the
yater
Gently he laid her on the sand. 1t !
vas the work of only moment to cut
he cords that bound her hands
There she lay, pale and still. Was
he dead? y
Kennedy worked franticaIly to re. 4
i've her. r
At last, slowly, the color seemed to y
eturn to her pale lips Her eyelids a
Then her great, deep eyes n
pened. n
AS she looked up and caught sight a
Craig bending anxiously over her, "
he seemed to comprehend. For a mo- 81
lent both were silent Then Elaine /
cached up and took his hand. al
Craig" she whispered, ''you- N
ou've saved my life!" a,
Her tone was eloquent. n,
Elaine" he whispered, still gazing tc
own into her wonderful eyes, "the