Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-12-16
A piece Of Steel.

Neal urSt duty was toward An
nette-his second toward joe He
carried Joe tenderly to the side of
the road and left him there, covered
with green boughs. Then he lifted
Annette upon his steed and set of for
help. 1t took time to find surgeon
time 10 get car.
Meantime things happened at the
furnished house-the house so swiftly
and violently unfinished by its in
terloping tenants
Inside the room nothing but a mass
of wreckage was to be seen. But
slowly. painfully, impelled by some
unseen force, this mass of wreckage
slowly rose. Beneath it some giant
writhed and wriggled.
Finally a head appeared-the
Brute's head
He looked about the room. Moth
ing was to be seen. He peered into
the depths from which he had just
emerged. Then suddenly he saw some
thing.
Seeing-he worked away like mad.
Inside of ten minutes, Inez, in a stu
por, was staring at the Brute from
one side OF the room-Hernandez from
the other.
Hernandez shook the lethargy from
him. He crawled to Inez.
"Up-up.'' he cried, tugging at her.
I'VE have no time to lose. Come on.
you beast-come on
&Faayo 11%l,
frantically, like mad, he sped with
them toward a cluster of trees on the
ether side of the road.
In the midst of this dense growth he
had hidden his machine.
Painting with frenzy, his glance ever
over his shoulder, he forced them
into the car, sprang to the wheel,
threw in the clutch, and was off.
1t was three days later, on the high
seas, that Hernandez-his other two
companions well hidden in the hold
stole out of the companion way of &
fruit steamer bound for the southern
seas.
He glanced cautiously around cor
ner.
The first figure that met his sight
was Neal Hardin-an ensign in the
navy.
What's he doing here?" demanded
Hernandez of himself
He watched warily. What he saw
disturbed him.
Neal was giving orders to the csr-
tain Of the ship.
oh 4,
denly he darted forward. stopped, and
picked up something from the floor.
What is to" queried Inez.
"a piece of STEEL" he said.
That night, well muffled, he stole
toward the compass. and concealed his
piece of steel where it would do the
most good-or most harm, as you pre-.
fer. No one saw him-no one knew.
But on his return, turning corner
he ran full tilt into Ensign Neal Har.
din himself. Neal sprang upon the
muffied figure and tore the envelopine
cloak from Hernandez grasp.
You cried Neal, leaping for Her.
nandez. i've got you now"
They struggled like tigers. but Neal
took no chances. This was no ties;
bout. He wanted to make sure OF mis-
man. He called for help. Help came
A dozen men pounced upon Herman
dez
When he was safely chained Neal
rose tc his feet.
We've got him." said Neal briefly
He gave an order. Search the ship
re said
The ship was searched, and with
in the next quarter of an hour Ine7
and the Brute. each in the clutch oil
many powerful men, came into view
on deck.
Lock the woman in a cabin" CON
manded Neal. and keep guard upor
her day and night"
All night he lay. chained heavily
solitary, in the lazarette. working cut
his own salvation-not eternal, but
material. And he always came to one
conclusion-"I'll beat them yet"
All night the pilot puzzled his heac
over his compass.
As dawn broke. in the crows nesf
Hui. inc iOOACuL SHdOSu HIS eyes VIII
his hand-then with the same hanC
shaded his mouth.
Land hoi" ne cried, land hoi"
Neal heard him and hurried to The
pilots side. Cant be Lost Isle" hi
exclaimed.
Must be-" said the pilot. we're
headed straight for her-straight al
the crow flies, sir. But / cant under
stand it. either-blest if T."
The sentence was unfinished Will
a terrific shock the vessel crashed into
an unseen reef-an unknown reef, FOL
they had ventured into uncharted seas
Neal understood the danger. TIL;
shock was too terrific to be ignored
It meant a wreck-it would be mat
ter of minutes only before she filed
Man the boats,n he cried, order
all on deck. Make haste"
He rushed in person TO Annette
door and threw it open. In person he
lifted Annette and her mother into
he first boat. Inez also was included
It was lowered safely. Neal turned tc
us crew. Get the lazarette prisoner,
he commanded. drag him into this
coat here. Be about il now"
Hernandez, in frenzy of fear, had
been beating with his chains upon the
barred door OF the lazarette. They
ragged him forth, his face working
with fear and rage, and bundled him