The Ordway new era., 1915-10-15


the submarine suit while Del Mar got
trip.
Tho men at the council table rose
and saluted as Del Mar himself en-
tered. He returned the salute and
quietly made his way to the head Of
the table where he took q seat, natu.
rally.
This is the area In which We must
work first of ALL" he began. drawing
toward him a book and opening 1t.
And We must strike quickly. for II
they heed the advice in this book. It
may be too late for us to take advan-
tage OF their foolish unpreparedness.
1t was a book entitled "DefenseIess
America" written by q great Ameri.
can inventor. Hudson Maxim.
Del Mar turned the pages until he
came to and pointed out a map. The
others gather about him. leaning for
ward eagerly as he talked to them.
There, on the map. with O radius OF
some one hundred and seventy miles,
was drawn a big segment OF a circle,
with Peekskill, New York, marking the
center.
THAT is the heart OF America" said
Del Mar. earnestly. "It embraces New
York, Boston. Philadelphia, But that
is not the point Here are the great
majority OF the gun and armor fac
tories. the powder and cartridge works.
together with the principal coal fields
OF Pennsylvania"
He brought his fist down decisive
ly on the table. "If we hold this Sec
tion." he declared, I'VE practically hold
America"
Eagerly the other emissaries lis.
tened as Del Mar laid before them the
detailed facts which he was collecting.
the greater mission than the mere cap
ture of kennedy's wireless torpedo
which had brought him into the coun.
try. Detail after detail of their plans
they discussed as they worked out
the gigantic scheme.
II was a war council of a secret
advance guard of the enemies OF
America,
Meanwhile. Del Mars man in his
boat, cutting a wide circle and avoid.
Ing the Dodge boat carrying the natur.
alist, made his way across the harbor
until he came to the shore.
There he landed and proceeded ur
the beach to the foot Of a rocky cliff,
where he turned and followed trail
up 1t to the top It was the same path
already Travelled by my captors with
me and later followed by Elaine.
As he came stealthily out from un.
nj ~
the stairway. He drew back at what he
saw. Slowly he pulled gun from his
pocket, watching down the steps with
tense interest There he could see
Elaine and myself wearily climbing to-
ward the top. our backs toward him.
as We covered the men in the cave.
So surprised was he at what he saw
that he forgot that his boat below had
been followed by the mysterious nat
uralist, who. the moment Del Mars
man had landed, put on the last burst
OF speed and ran the Dodge boat close
to the spot where the aide had left
Del Mars.
A glance into the boat sufiiced to
tell the naturalist that the figure in 1t
was only a dummy. He did not pause,
but followed the trail up the hill until
he was close after the emissary ahead.
going more slowly.
Only a few feet further along the
cliff, the naturalist paused, too, keeping
well under cover, for the man was
now just ahead of him. He looked
fixedly at him and saw him gaze down
the cliff. Then he saw him slowly
draw a gun.
Who could be below? Quickly the
naturalist's mind seemed to work. He
crouched down. as If ready to spring.
The emissary slowly raised his re-
volver and took careful aim at the
backs of Elaine and myself. as we
came up the steps.
But before he could pull the trigger.
the naturalist. more like one of the
wild animals which he studied than
like a human being. sprang from his
concealment in the bushes and
bounced on the man from behind. seiz.
ing him firmly.
Over and over they rolled. strug
Cling almost to the brink of the preci
pice
Elaine and I had got almost to the
top of the fight of steps. when sud
denly We heard a shout above us and
sounds OF terrific struggle. We
turned and saw two men.
Nearer and nearer the edge of the
cliff they rolled. We crouched closer |
to the rocky wall. gazing up at the
death grapple OF the two. Who they |
were we did not know but that one ,
was fighting for and the other against
us we could readily see.
The more vicious of the two seemed
to be forcing the naturalist slowly
back, when, with a superhuman effort.
the naturalist braced himself. His foot
was actually on a small ledge OF rock
directly at the edge OF the clif.