The Ordway new era., 1915-10-08

quit. Perhaps we may run them down
yet"
He reassured us and We thanked
him as we said good-by. Outside.
Elaine and I got into the car again
and a moment later spun of. making
little detour first through the coun-
try before hitting the shore road back
again to Dodge Hill.
On the rocky shore of the promon-
tory several men were engaged In
sinking a peculiar heavy disk which
they submerged about ten or twelve
feet. 1t seemed to he held by cable,
and to it wires were attached. appar-
emily so that when key was pressed
a circuit was closed.
1t was an "oscillator," n new system
for the employment of sound for sub
marine signaling, using water instead
Of air as a medium to transmit sound
waves. 1t was composed of ring
magnet, copper tube lying in an
air gap in n magnetic field and sta
tionary central armature. The tube
was attached to steel diaphragm.
Really it was submarine bell which
ephonng both ways through water.
The men finished executing the di-
rections of Del Mar and left. carefully
| concealing the land connections and
key of the bell, while we were still at
Del Mars.
We had no sooner left, however
than one of the men who had been en-
gagged in installing the submarine bell
entered the library.
"Well?" demanded Del Mar.
THE bell is installed, sir" he said.
ut will be working soon."
Good" nodded Del Mar.
He went to a drawer and from 1t
took peculiar-looking helmet to
which was attached a sort of harness
fitting over the shoulders and carry
ing a tank of oxygen. The headpiece
was a most weird contrivance. with
what looked like a huge glass eye in
front 1t was in reality submarine
life-saving apparatus.
Del Mar put 1t on, all except the
helmet. which he carried with, him.
and then, with his assistant, went out
through the panel in the wall Through
the underground passage the two
groped their way, lighted by an cleo
trio torch. until at last they came to
the entrance hidden in the under
brush, near the shore.
Del Mar went over to the concealed
station from which the submarine bell
was sounded and pressed the key as a
signal. Then he adjusted the subma.
rine helmet to his head and deliber-
ately waded out into the water. far
ther and farther, up to his head, then
deeper still.
As he disappeared into the water.
his emissary turned and went back
toward the shore road.
|
The ride around through the coun-
try and back to the shore road from
was always pleasant to be with
Elaine. especially in car.
| We were spinning along at fast
clip when we came to a rocky part of
the coast. As we made turn a sharp
breeze took of my hat and whirled 1t
far off the road and among the rocks
of the shore. Elaine shut down the
engine, with a laugh at me, and we
left the car by the road while we
climbed down the rocks after the hat.
| 1t had been carried into the water,
close to shore and. still laughing. we
clambered over the rocks. Elaine in
sisted on getting 1t herself and in fact
did get it. She was just about to
hand 1t to me, when something bobbed
up in the water just in front of US.
She reached for 1t and fished it out.
1t was a cylinder with air-tight caps
on both ends, in one OF which was q
hook.
"What do you suppose 1t is?" she
asked, looking 1t over as we made our
way up the rocks again to the car.
where did It come from?"
| We did not see a man standing by
our car but he saw us. 1t was Del
Mars man who had paused on his way
to watch us. AS we approached he
hid on the other side of the road.
By this time we had reached the car
and opened the cylinder. Inside was
a note which read:
"Chief arrived safely. Keep watch"
what does 1t mean?" repeated
Elaine. mystihed.
Neither of US could guess and l
doubt whether we would have under
stood any better, II we had seen a
sinister face peering at us from be.
hind a rock near by. although doubt
less the man knew what was In the
tube and what 1t meant.
We climbed into the car and start.
ed again. AS we disappeared the man
came from behind the rocks and ran
quickly up to the top of the hill
There. from the bushes, he pulled OUT
a peculiar instrument composed of a
strange series Of lenses and mirrors
set up on tripod.
Eagerly he placed the tripod. ad-
justing the lenses and mirrors in the