The Monticellonian., 1915-09-23
Iy. They answered and hurried to meet

now in a car We've got to DIG" Hp the bridge as she crosses.
 The men were hurrying now to"alu the bridge which they had mined. No' a moment was to be lost. for aireaas they could see us coming over the crest of the hill.
 In a few seconds they reached the hidden plunger firing box which hau been arranged to explode the ehaise under the bridge. There they crouched in the brush ready to press the pidhs' CT the moment our car touched the planking. ,.,
 One of the men erept out little nearer the road They're coming! he called back, dropping down asaln' Get ready"
 Del Mars emissaries had not reek- oned. however, that anyone else might be about to whom the heliograph was an open book.
 But, farther up the hill, hiding among the trees, the old farmer anu his dog were sitting quietly. The ola man was sweeping the Sound with his glasses, as if he expected to see some thing any moment.
 To his surprise, however, he caught a flash of the hefiograph from the land. Quickly he turned and 1ottea down the signals. AS he did so, he seemed greatly excited, for the mes sage read:
 Dodge girl has message from be low. Coming in car Blow first bridge she crosses.
 Quickly he turned his glasses down the road. There he could see our car approaching. He put up his glasses and hurried down the hill toward the bridge. Then he broke into a run, the dog scouting ahead
 We were going along the road nice 1y, now, coasting down the hill. As we approached the bridge Elaine slowed up a bit to cross, for the plank ing was loose.
 Just then the farmer who had been running down the hill saw us. eStopt' he shouted.
 But We did not hear He ran after us, but the chase was hopeless. He stopped, in despair.
 With a gesture of vexation he took a step or two mechanically off the road.
 Elaine and I were coming fast to the bridge now.
 In their hiding place Del Mars men were watching breathlessly. The lead CT was just about to press the plunser when all of a sudden a branch in the thieket beside him cracked There stood the farmer and his dog.
 Instantly the farmer seemed to take in the situation. With cry he threw himself at the man who had the plunger. Another man leaped at the farmer. The dog settled him. The others piled in, and a terrific struggle followed It was all so rapid that. to all, seconds seemed like hours Ne were just starting to cross the bridge.
 One of the men broke away and craNled toward the plunger box.
 Our car was now in the middle of the bridge.
 Over and over rolled the men, the dog doing his best to help his master. The man who had broken away reached toward the plunger.
 With a shout he pushed it down.
 
 Our car had just cleared the bridge when we were startled by a terrific roar behind us. It was as though a thousand tires had blown out at once. Elaine shut off the engine automatical- ly and We looked back.
 The whole bridge had been blown up. X second before We had been in the middle of it.
 As the explosion came, the men who had been struggling in the thicket, paused, startled, and stared out At that instant the old farmer saw his chance. It was all over and he bolted, calling the dog.
 Along the road to the bridge he ran, two of the men after him.
 Come back" growled the leader. Let him go. Do you want us all to get caught"
 As the farmer ran up to the bridge he saw 1t in ruins. But down the road he could see Elaine and myself sitting in the car staring back at the peril which we had so narrowly es. capped. His face lighted up in as great joy as a few moments before it had shown despair.
 What can that have been?" asked Elaine, starting to get out of the car What caused it?'
 I don't know I returned, taking her arm firmly. ''But enough has hap pened today. It was intended for us we'd better hasten. Someone might take shot at us. Come, We have the car. We can get out before anyone does anything more. Let's do it Things are going on about us of which We know nothing. The safest thing is to get away"
 EldlAe loohed at the bridge Tn ruins and shuddered 1t was the closest we could have been to death and have escaped. Then she turned to the wheel quickly and the little ear fairly jumped ahead.
 "Oh, if Craig were only here" she murmur.d. He would know what tc do."
 As we disappeared over the crest of the next hill, safe, the old farmer and his dog looked hard at us.
 The silence after the explosion was ominous.
 He glanced about. No one was pur suing him. That seemed ominous, too But if they did pursue he was pre- pared to elude then. They must nev