Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-05-01

eanny rappings began to be heard.
nedy walked over TO the fireplace.
"You a explore II with me now.
Walter" he said quietly. touching the
lever and opening the panel which
disclosed the ladder.
Together. Craig and | descended In
TO the darkness about eight or ten
feet There we found a ~passageway.
~excavated through the earth and rock.
along which we crept. II was crooked
and uneven. and we stumbled. but kept
going slowly ahead.
Kennedy. who was q few FEET In
front OF me. stopped suddenly and !
almost fell over him.
What il IT." I whispered.
Long Sin had made his way from
the opening OF the cave to the point
on the plan which was marked by a
cross. and there he had set up his cleo
trio drill which was connected 10 the
trolley wire. lie was working furious
ly to take advantage OF the fifteen
minuttr UT 10 DttoIS the next Car
would pass.
II was evident that Long Sin had
already been az work. digging and
drilling through the earth and rock.
He had gone so far now that he had
disclosed what looked like the face or
a small safe set directly into the
rock.
As ne worked he would stop from
time to time and consult the map.
Then he would take up drilling again.
He had now come to the point on
which Bennett had written his warn
ing. Quickly he opened the bag and
tool the oxygen helmet. which he ad-
iusted carefully over his head. Then
he set to work with redoubled energy.
The man must have heard us ap-
preaching down the tunnel. for he
paused In his work and the noise OF
the drill ceased.
From our vantage point around the
bend in the ~passageway we could see
this strange and uncouth figure.
"Who II II. do you think" I whIs-
pered. crouching back against the
wall for fear that he might look even
around a corner or through the earth
and discover MS.
As I spoke my hand loosened q
piece OF rock hat jutted out and be-
fore I knew II there was a crash.
"Confound II. Walter" exclaimed
Kennedy.
Down the p~assageway the figure
was now thoroughly on the alert. star
ing with his gogglelike eyes into the
~blackness In our direction. He was
watched. and he did not hesitate a
minute TO act.
He seized the bag and picked his
way quickly through the passage an IN
thoroughly familiar with every turn
OF the walls and roughness OF the
floor.
Kennedy dashed forward and I fol-
lowed close after him.
We were making much better time
than our strange visitor and we're gain
ing on him rapidly.
Suddenly he turned. raised his arm
and dashed something to the earth.
much as a child explodes a toy torpe-
do. I fully expected ina II was a
bomb: but. as a moment later. I found
hat Kennedy and ] were still un-
harmed. I knew that II must be some
other product OF this devilish genius.
"A Chinese smoke bomb" sputtered
and coughed Kennedy. as he retreated
a minute. then with renewed vigor en-
deavored TO penetrate the dense and
Opaque fumes.
We managed 10 20 ahead still. but
the intruder had exploded one after
another Of his peculiar bombs. always
keeping ahead OF the smoke which he
created. and we found that under It's
cover he had made good his escape.
At the other end OF the passageway.
up in the living room Of the cottage.
the draft had carried large quantities
Of the smoke.
Long Sin. meanwhile. had started TO
work his way through the bushes 10
reach the waiting car. with WI. then
paused and listened. Hearing no
sound. he replaced the helmet. which
he had taken OF.
Pursuit was now useless for us.
Win reviewers drawn. We Crept Dack
along the passageway until we came
again 10 the chamber itself. There.
ON the floor. lay a bag OF tools. opened.
Is though somebody had beer working
with them.
Caught red-handed," exclaimed
Kennedy with great satisfaction.
He looked at the tools a minute
and then al the electric drill. and
finally an idea seemed TO strike him.
He Dol up a drill and advanced to-
ward the safe. Then he turned on
the current and applied the drill.
The dill was OF the very latest de-
sign and IL went quickly through the
steel. But beyond that there was an
other thin steel partition. This Ken
nedy tackled next.
The drill went through and he with.
drew II.
Instantly the most penetrating and
n%auseous odor scented TO pervade
everything. Kennedy cried out. We
gfaggarad hacL nvarroua hv the an.