The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-13

hIcneG for ner. she sighed with salts
faction as she shook it out OF its
folds. 1t was uniform-one OF
Meals. She donned it swiftly-hur.
riedly-silently. There was no light
in the cabin, save the moon, sitting in
was bathed in light. But Annette was
fast asleep.
She was totally oblivious to the
presence OF the prowling figure in
male uniform who stole near and ever
nearer-who now CROPPED about her
neck.
Suddenly with one quick and final
tug Inez wrenched at the chamois
bag.
Annette woke with a scream upon
her lips. But the hand OF lnez was
quicker than Annette voice. Inez's
land closed over Annette-her knee
rushed down her breast.
The wildcat in Annette rose. She
vas fine tighter. She squirmed with
one twist out OF the grasp OF this
unseen foe, and grappled with her as,
iailant. lnez was no match tor her,
md soon found it out.
Annette dragged her to the ray OF
moonlight and looked at her.
She gasped and dropped her hold.
You-lrene COurtier, she cried
But lrene-lnez Castro II you please
was no longer there. In that IN.
Gt hot ;rc
the last few seconds she had waited
TORN that instant she had ieaped to
ner feet and made her getaway.
And lnez knew the Albany-every
part OF that huge battleship she had
studied with the care of an engineer.
She knew just what to do and where
o go, and how to elude pursuit. She
rushed to one spot where safety lay,
cached the rail, leaped over it, and
Win the agility OF professional diver
truck the water with scarcely a
'plash.
Now" said Hernandez to his helms.
nan, like mad for that spot OF white.
lnez, fresh and supple notwithstand,
ng her struggle-in fact the struggle
rad nerved her up-swam toward the
ishing boat and the boat steamed
oward her Within a short time
Utmost less time than it takes to tell
jt-Ponto was once more kicking the
Brute, And the Brute in turn leaned
| over the side of the kicker, and with
he sweep of one powerful hand and
arm, drew dripping object from the
water. 1t was Inez, gasping for
breath
Now, like the devil for the shore,
whispered Hernandez.
They obeyed But if Inez now gasped
for breath, Annette had ceased to gasp
for breath. Her first coherent thought
was to feel for her chamois bag. 1t
was safe. Her next effort was speech
She screamed at the top of her lungs
| Her third was action. She darted to
the deck and gave the alarm.
Within moment launch was
manned and had put off from the
ruiser-Neal in command
Suddenly one of Meals men point
ID toward the shore. The searchlight
VI thC u uiSci was playing upOu d
kicker making full speed south.
That's our boat" said Neal, like
| the devil now
in five minutes they caught her
Neal saw at a glance she showed nc
! lights. II convinced him. Without a
word he swung his launch alongside
ard his men leaped across the gun
vale Every jack tar either had his
man by the throat. or was tickling
his ribs with knife.
We've got ON ALL" said some
,Cdy
Where's the woman" queried Neal
But there was no woman-nO lne1
astro. What S more there was nc
fernandez, no Ponto, no Brute.
No use" said Neal, the birds have
Nwn. No use chasing them. he con
, ted. when those birds fly. they fly
We got to give 'em credit
Annette" he told that young lad,
! lter, Il think now we're safe The
i b all along has been an inside Job
.'ene Courtier has been handing yot
yes and me-over to the enemy
hat was the game-and the game
ended. That's the way it looks t
! ne.