The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1915-11-11

there in rack. Then he darted back
and with ringing strokes began his as
sault upon tho wall. Suddenly from
within no heard q woman's shriok.
"Neal," cried Annette's voice within.
and Il was the voice OF a girl beside
herself with agony and fear. Meal,
II is Annette Come. for Gods sake.
come"
Neal delivered one more crashing
blow, then no motioned to his fellows.
"Come, boys" he said. there's not
Q, second to lose. This thing has got
to CO."
The corridor was fairly broad. The
little" squad OF sailors withdrew and
huddled against tho opposite wall.
Then as one man this human batter.
Ing ram lunged and lurched across the
hall and propelled itself against the
already splIntered partition.
With crash tho secret door went
down. and with bound Neal was In
the room. Annette. her dress torn.
her hair dishevelcd. struggled with
the brute In one corner OF the room.
Ponto had released her. With q bound
he crossed the room and jerked aside
the fireplace. disclosing q secret exit.
He crawled through the aperture and
disappeared.
Hernandez. stupohed with astonish.
ment. yet had an expression OF tri'
umph and glee upon his face. He was
thrusting a yellow parchment into his
pocket. Annette with q final struggle
slipped from the brute's grasp and
darted toward Hernandez. calling 10
| Neal.
meal. Neal" she cried. hes got
my fathers map"
With one spring Neal was upon Her
nandez, He snatchod back the hand
with which Hernandez was pushing
the map into his pocket. The map
came out torn and crumpled. An
nette. beside herself. snatched at II
with both hands. Neal grabbed at II
and also got hold. Hernandez still
held Il In his iron clutch.
All this took place In an instant. In
another instant the three had fallen
back. each In a separate direction. The
map had parted and each clutched q
piece OF II.
| Hernandez, with an oath, turned
and diyed into the secret passageway
Five minutes later the fastest boa,
along the shore-the boat which Inel
Castro called her own-was chug
chugging out to sea with three fg
ures huddled In her bottom-the brute
and Ponto and their chief, Hernandez
They had wriggled somehow through
the surrounding circle, had zig-zagged
In and out OF shots-had made good
their escape.
When the chase was over Neal 10
turned and half apologized to Inez.
Sorry, Miss Courtier," he said. "bul
they've made away with your fast mo
torboat. We couldn't get to ours II
time. We landed half mile or q,
just up the shore. How do you feel? 2
Better" exclaimed Inez. "It's tn,
excitement, the noise. the pistol shotl
they have made me well again."
Neal thrust his hand into his poke
and pulled forth q crumpled piece o
parchment.
What did you get, Annette? he In
Quired.
: Annette thrust her hand into he
dress and pulled forth her own tai
tered portion. lnez. watching, ben
her head TO listen. Neal and Annett
spread their two pieces OF the map ou
upon the little stand. Between then
they had the bulk OF the lower portion
OF the map. 1t was blank surface
save for three things-a little tail O
the island sticking down and the word
longitude" and latitude" and moth
ing else. Annette laughed In glee.
We've got everything we want,
she said TO Neal. What is here
important. What the man with tn
saber cut upon his face has got is O
no use to him OF US. We beat hir
to II. Neal. we beat him 10 IT,"
- Over on the he'd Inez. In her crouct
ting attitude. still listened. wondering
CTO BE cONTINUEDl