The daily star-mirror., 1915-11-29


sternly. I'VE are looking for a Snug
gler that you have got. He is here
We know he is here and we are go
ing to get him"
Meantime Hernandez had entered
the room where he had confined An
nette. Once more he locked the door
behind him and without word crossed
the floor toward her. Annette had
made up her mind just what to do
She must fight with woman's weap
ons and she had a woman's 8 weapon
a hat pin.
She waited until Hernandez was
within three feet OF her, then she
raised the weapon and sunk it deep
into his outstretched arm.
His face white with anger, Herman
dez caught her roughly by the throat
But he had forgotten something-for
gotten that she had inherited tremen'
dous strength. Young and graceful as
she was, her every muscle was well
trained. With one strong sweep OF
her arm, she threw him off and then
plunged into a fight, the fight of a
wildcat against wolf. She tore at
his face and head, clutching for his
eyes, trying for a hold upon his ears
Time and again she repulsed him.
then with one wild clutch she caught
him by the hair and held him with a
strong grip of her right hand while
she pummeled his face with small
but energetic left.
Hernandez retreated to the door, un
locked it and gave vent to a low whis
tie. His whistle was Immediately an
swered Ponto entered the room
dragging with him the huge brute.
"Seize her" he demanded of the
brute
The girl stared at this huge figure
with terror in her eyes.
The brute started across the floor
and then whimpering, with hands
hanging at his sides, turned away
from her. Hernandez nodded to his
assistant, Ponto. Po1to drew his ever
ready whip and lashed the brute into
obedience. The huge man, still whim-
pering, caught the girl in his arms
and held her.
Hernandez, without the slightest
compunction, tore open Annette's
waist
You vixen said Hernandez be-
tween his teeth, 81 will get that map
IL have to fay you"
Meantime, one by one, on the lower
floor, the ensign's cohorts had strug-
gled in Each saluted as he came.
Its NO use,," they whispered to the
ensign. "Solinger's got us beat. We
can't find anything"
Neal was the last to come. He had
made thorough search.
A seaman ran lightly up the steps
into the office and saluted.
beg your pardon, sir" he said. Il
found this in crevice In rock be-
hind the house. 1t looks bad, SIR
He handed over the message which
Annette had scrawled upon the card
of Irene Courtier-the message that
she was confined in an upper room.
the room with the barred windows in
the rear.
"The handkerchief is tied there,
SIR" exclaimed the seaman, land l feel
sure that we can locate the room"
The ensign read the card and hand
ed it to Neal. Neal touched his hat
MAY I-do l have to wait for or
ders, sir ?" he cried.
ssNr, ,.ooro1 +bo or,c;op
They reached the third floor corri-
dor and darted into an open room and
thrust heads out of an unbarred win
dow. The sailor plucked Neal by the
sleeve.
There" he whispered. "It's next
door to this. The two windows, the
bars and the handkerchief tied on.
Come on"
They darted out once more into the
corridor There was no door, no open
ing; but this mattered not to Neal.
He stepped to the far end Of the hall
and seized fire ak, which hung
there in rack. Then he darted back
and with ringing strokes began his as
sault upon the wall Suddenly from
within he heard woman's shrek.
Meal" cried Annette's voice within,
and it was the voice of girl beside
herself with agony and fear. Neal,
it is Annette. Come, for Gods sake,
come"
Neal delivered one more crashing
blow, then he motioned to his fellows.
"Come, boys he said, there's not
q second to lose. This thing has got
to go"
The corridor was fairly broad The
little squad of sailors withdrew and
huddled against the 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.