The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-07-27

! minute to act
He seized the bag and picked his
way quickly through the passage as If
thoroughly familiar with every turn
Of the walls and roughness of the
floor.
Kennedy dashed forward and l 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. l fully expected that 1t was a
bomb; but, as moment later, found
that Kennedy and l we're still I'M
harmed, knew that it must be some
other product of this devilish genius.
"A Chinese smoke bomb" sputtered
and coughed Kennedy, as he retreated
minute, then with renewed vigor en-
deavored to penetrate the dense and
Opaque fumes.
We managed to go ahead still, but
the intruder had exploded one after
another Of his peculiar bombs, always
keeping ahead of the smoke which he
created, and we found that under it's
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 to
work his way through the bushes to
reach the waiting car, with WI, then
paused and listened Hearing no
sound, he replaced the helmet, which
he had taken OFF.
Pursuit was now useless for US.
With revolvers drawn, we crept back
along the passageway until we came
again to the chamber ITSELF There,
on the floor, lay bag Of tools, opened,
as though somebody had been working
with them.
Caught red-handed!' exclaimed
Kennedy with great satisfaction.
He looked at the tools a minute
and then at the electric drill, and
finally an idea seemed to strike him.
He took up drill and advanced to-
ward the SAFE Then he turned on
the current and applied the drill.
The drill was of the very latest de-
sign and it went quickly through the
steel. But beyond that there was an
other thin steel partition This Ken
nedy tackled next.
The drill went through and he with
drew IT,
Instantly the most penetrating and
nauseous odor seemed to pervade
everything Kennedy cried out. We
| staggered back, overcome by the es-
Gaping gas, and fell to the ground.
Long Sin with his oxygen helmet
on again, had returned to the pas
sageway and was now stealthily creep
ing back
He came to the chamber and there
discovered US lying on the ground
overcome He bent down and, to his
! great satisfaction, saw that we were
! really unconscious.
| Quickly he moved over to the safe
and pried open the last thin steel
plate.
Inside was small box. He picked
/ it up and tried to open 1t, but it was
| locked.
He paused for moment to look at
us, then took out piece of paper and
pencil and OH the paper wrote:
Thanks for your trouble"
Beneath it was signed by his special
stamp-the serpent's head, mouth
open and fangs showing.
Long Sin looked at US moment
then a subtle smile seemed to spysad
over his face. At last he had us in
his power.
He drew long, wicked-looking Chi
nese knife and carefully tested It'll
edge. It was keen.
|
In the sitting room Elaine, Aunt
Tabby and Joshua had been listening
fntently at the fireplace, but hearing
nothing.
They were now getting decidedly
worried Finally the fumes which we
had released made their way to the
room.
Il can't stand 1t any longer" cried
Elaine. I'm going down there to see
what has become of them"
Aunt Tabby and Joshua tried tC
stop her. but she broke away from
them and went down the ladder Rusty
leaped down after her.
Joshua tried to follow, but Aunt
Tabby held him back. He would have