The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1915-12-10
SIXTH lNSTALLMENT
TIE CAVERN OF DEATH
CHAPTER XIV.
A secret servlee Meesaae.

NNal turned to Annette. 'GOod, ne
exclaimed, you're safe at any rate
Where is my mother-where are the
rest?"
''In the wireless ROOM" returned An.
nette She laughed bit Historically
Even Joe Wolcher is quite safe,' she
said
Neal held her for a moment, shield
ing her body with his own. He looked
about him.
This mutiny is over" he said, in a
tone OF relief.
He was quite right. The mutiny
was over, but with disastrous results.
Nears commanding officer lay on the
deck with a fractured skull. The cap.
tain and the mate of the fruit steamer
Coronado we're dead or nearly so, and
the decks were strewn with disabled,
tleeding mutineers.
Now come with me-" said Neal He
waved his hand and a small squad Of
his companions Joined him. He sought
and found his mother and her fright
euad companions, Joe Welcher and
the Castro giTl-known to the rest as
Irene Courtier. He led them aft and
placed a guard over them.
Now" he said warningly, "stay
where you are, mother, and all the
rest. You, too, Annette. I've got my
work cut out for me for some hours"
Annette shook her head. Not until
dress your arm" she said.
Neal nodded to one of his compan-
ions Mate" he said, shoot the first
person who disobeys. I've got other
fish to fry"
He went back to his work. He wig
wagged to the Jackson for his orders
The orders were brief and to the
point:
You take charge of the steamer.
We are sending help"
He took charge of the steamer, not
only because he was ordered, but be-
cause he had to.
Inside of half an hour he had his
own lieutenant's wounds carefully and
scientifically dressed-had all his
own companions we'll attended to-in
short. in a few hours he had righted
the chip completely.
He signaled for further orders, for
the Coronado was now resting quietly
at anchor, and he got his orders:
Put into the nearest port"
BY midnight they had reached the |
nearest port-had docked By mid |
night he had landed all his passengers
and had reported considerable prog
Tess to his commander on the Jack
son. BY midnight something else
happened-a secret service message
filtered through space and got the
wireless operator on the destroyer.
Reduced from cipher, it read about
like this:
American citizen said collecting
arms and ammunition at Martinique
pr Porto Eico for Dolores insurrec-
ticn. Follow at once. Investigate, ar
rest, prevent. Report.
Next morning this news had filtered
nto Neal. He took it to the homely
little hotel where Annette and his
mother and their party had been har-
bored for the night. He dropped into
/ chair.
Now ne said, II can talk and
listen to some talk. Gee whiz, but I'm
log tired" >"
Annette pouted; then she smiled. IL
owe to talk" she said. And then she {
dded two significant words. Scar {
ace" I
Neal leaped to his feet. "Scar-face," {
Q cried. Where? When? What?" t
"On the Coronado" said Annette. q
/ saw him twice-Scar-face and his
wo companions, the big man and the a
ther." c
""~ll me everything" said Neal. d
She told him. He waited impa- q
emily until she had finished, then il
arted down upon the wharf again. Il
e boarded the Coronado and gave or b,