The Springdale news., 1915-02-26

certainly was a most peculiar noise inside that tank.
 Was it muffied scream?
 Kennedy reached down and picked up rock, hitting the tank with a re- sounding blow. As the echo died down, he listened again.
 Yes, there was a sound-a scream. perhaps-a woman's voice, faint, but unmistakable
 looked at his face inquiringly. Without a word | read in it the con- firmation of the thought that had flashed into my mind.
 Elaine Dodge was inside!
 
 First had come the limousine, with it's three bandits, to the spot fixed on as rendezvous. Later had come the taxicab. As it hove into sight, the three well-dressed crooks had drawn revolvers. thinking perhaps tke 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 reyolyers were 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 herr" asked one.
 It's 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 clever one. He may come to. If he does, he won't miss us Quick, nowi"
 See" cried the third See that old boiler down there at the edge of the water? Why not put her in there? No one1l ever think to look in such place"
 With hasty expression of approval, the roughneek 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 huge powder against the small entrance, braeing it so that 1t would be impossible for her to get ont from the inside Then they drove off hast l fly.
 Frantieal1y 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 1 had reached her chest, and was still rising, slowly, inexorably.
 What was that? Silence? Or was someone outside?
 - s--*
 Coolly, in spite of the emergency, Kennedy took fn the perilous situa- tion.
 The lower end of the boiler, which was on slant on the rapidly shelving i beach, was now completely under wa ter and impossible to get at. Besides, 1 the opening was small, too small.
 Kennedy gazed about frantically and his eye caught the sign on the factory;
 OXYACETYLENE WELDING CO
 Come, Walter" he cried running up the shore.
 A moment later, breathless, we reached the doorway. It was, of course. locked Kennedy whipped out his revolver and several well-directed shots through the keyhole 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.
 That's what I'm looking for, ex- claimed Craig. Here, Walter, take one. I'll take the other-and the tubes-and-'
 We ran, for there was no time to lose. As nearly as I could estimate it, the water must now be slowly closing over Elaine.
 What is it?" asked. as he joined up the tubes from the tanks to the | ried.
 An oxyacetylene blowpipe,' he nut i tered back feverishly. Used for weld ing and cutting. too he added
 With light he touched the nozzle, 1 instantly hissing, blinding flame needle made the steel under it incan. descent The terrific heat from one nozzle made the steel glow. The i stream of oxygen from the second completely consumed the hot metal. l Kennedy was actually cutting out a l huge hole in the still exposed surface of the tank-all around, except for i few inches. to prevent the heavy 1 piece from falling inward.
 As Kennedy carefully bent outward 1 the section of the tank which he had ] cut, he quickly reached down and l lifted Elaine unconscious out of the