The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-05-27

Rlse al
when ! heard the Telephone ring. It
was Craig. Without a word Of apology
for his ~rudeness, which ! knew had
been purely absent.minded, | heard
him say: Walter. meet me In half
nm hour outside that Florence Leigh's
house."
Half an hour later I was waiting
near the house in the suburbs TO
which ] had been directed by the
strange telephone call the day before.
| noticed that II was apparently de-
serted. The blinds were closed and a
TO Let" sign vas On the side OF the
house.
Hello. Walter" cried Craig at last.
busting along.
He led the way around the side OF
the house TO a window. and. with q
powerful grasp, wrenched open the
closed shutters. He had just smashed
the window when q policeman APP
peared.
Hey. you fellows-what are you
doing there?" he shouted.
Craig paused a second. then pulled
his card from his pocket.
Just the man ! want" he parted.
much 10 the policeman's surprise.
There's something crooked going on
here. Follow US in
We climbed into the window. There
was the same living room We Lad
seer the day before. But II was now
bare and deserted.
Come on" cried Kennedy, beckon-
ing us on.
Quickly he rushed through the
house. There was not a thing in II 10
change the deserted appearance OF
the first floor. At last II occurred TO
Craig TO grope his way down cellar.
There was nothing there.
Kennedy had been carefully going
owe the place, and was at the other
side OF the cellar from ourselves
when | saw him stop and gaze at the
floor.
Hide" he whispered suddenly to
We waited a moment. Nothing hap.
pened. Had he been seeing things or
hearing things. | wondered?
From our hidden vantage We could
now see a square piece In the floor
perhaps FIVE feet in diameter, slowly
open up as though on a pivot.
The weird and sinister figure OF q
mar appeared. over his head he wore
q peculiar helmet with hideous glass
pieces over the eyes and tubes thai
connected with n tank which he car
ried buckled to his back.
Quickly he closed down the cover o.
the tube. but not before q vile eiiuvi
um seemed TO escape. and penetrate
even to US in our hiding places. Al
he moved forward. Kennedy gave {
flying leap at him, and We followed
with q regular football interference.
II was the work OF only a momen'
for US 10 subdue and hold him. while
Craig ripped OF the helmet
II was Dan the Dude.
What's that thing" I pulled, as
helped Craig with the headgear.
IAN oxygen helmet" he replied
There must be air down the tube tina
cannot be breathed."
He went over 20 the tube. CAREFUL,
he opened the top and gazed down
starting back a second later. with hi
face puckered up at the noxious odor
Sewer gas" he calculated. Is h
slammed the cover down. Then n
added 10 the policeman: Where d.
you suppose II comes from?"
why" replied the officer. "the 81
james viaduc-an old sewers some
where about these parts"
Kennedy puckered his face as h
gazed at our prisoner. He reaches
down quickly and lifted something OF
the mans coat.
Golden hair" he muttered
~"Elaine's!"
A moment later he seized the ma
and shook him roughly.
Where is she-tell me-" he de
manded.
The man snarled some kind o! a RI
J ply. refusing TO say a word about heI
Tell me-" repeated Kennedy.
"Humph!" snorted the prisoner, NOR
close-mouthed than ever.
: Kennedy was furious As he sen
the man Keeling away from him h
seized the Oxygen helmet and bega'
/ putting II or There was only on
/. thing 10 do-to follow the clue OF III
golden strands OF hair,
Down into the pest hole he went. hi
head protected by the oxygen helme
As he cautiously took n step aite
another down a series OF iron runs
3 inside the hole. he found that the WI
ter was up TO his chest. A. the DO
tom Of the perpendicular pit was
!. narrow. low passGgeway leading OF