The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-11-25

ready woodward had had n fast launch
brought up, ready for use.
When Woodward. Arnold and the at.
lacking party bad discovered me un.
conscious in Del Mars study, there
had been no time to wait for me to re.
gain full consciousness.
Now, however, | slowly regained my
senses and. looking about. vaguely be-.
gan to realize what had happened.
My first impulse was e search the
study. looking In all tho closets and
table drawers. In n corner was a large
chest. opened Il. Inside were sew.
eral OF the queer helmets and suits
which | had seen Del Mar use and
one OF which he had placed on Elaine.
For some moments | examined them
%curlously. wondering what their use
could be.
Then my eye fell on the broken
panel. ! entered II and CROPPED eau.
tiously down the passageway. At the
end | gazed about. trying to discover
which way they had all gone.
AT last. down on the shore. before
a wharf ! could see Woodward. the
strange old hermit. and the rest.
ran toward them. calling.
BY this time the soldier who had
been sent for the submarine tele.
scope arrived at last. with the tele-
scope in sections in several long cases.
Good" exclaimed the old hermit, al.
most selling the package which the
soldier handed him.
He unwrapped II and Joined the va.
rious sections together. IL was, as |
have said. a submarine telescope, but
after Il design entirely new, differing
from the ordinary submarine tele.
scope. 1t had an arm bent at right
angles, with prismatic mirrors so
that II vas not only possible to see
the bottom of the sea. but by an ad-
justment also to see at right angles.
or, as It were, around n corner.
II was while he was Joining this cor.
triyancc together that | came up from
the end of the secret passage down to
the wharf.
why. here's Jameson" greeted
Woodward. I'm glad you're SO much
better"
where's Elaine?" I interrupted
breathlessly.
They began 10 tell me.
Aren't you going to follow" !
cried.
Follow? How can We follow"
Excitedly ! told of my discovery OF
the helmets.
Just the thing" exclaimed the her.
NIT. Send someone back TO get
them"
II was only a few minutes later
that. in Del Mars own car, | drove up
10 the wharf again and we unloaded
the curious submarine helmets and
suits.
Quickly Woodward posted several
OF his men to act as sentries On the
beach, then with the rest we climbed
into the launch and slipped off down
the shore.
The launch which Woodward had
Communicated moving along in the
general direction which they had seen
Del Mar and his men take with Elaine.
With the telescope over the side, we
cruised about slowly In a circle. Ar.
mold gazing through the eye.piece.
All OF US were by this time in the
diving suits which | had brought from
Del Mars, except that we had not
yet strapped on the helmets.
Suddenly Arnold raised his hand
and signaled 10 stop the launch.
"Look!" he cried, indicating the eye
piece OF the submarine telescope
which he had let down over the side
Woodward gazed into the eye.piece
and then ] did. also. There we could
see the side OF a submerged subma'
rine a short distance away, through
the cavelike entrance OF what ap
peared TO be a great underwater har
Dor.
What shall we do?" queried Wood
ward.
Attack II o before they are pre-
pared" replied the hermit decisively
Put on the helmets"
AS soon ns We a nnished, ont
after another we let ourselves over the
side OF the boat and sank to the bot
tom.
On the bottom we gathered and
slowly, In the heavy unaccustomed cle
ment and cumbersome suits, We made
our way In a body rNrough the en-
trance OF tie harbo-.
Upward through the archway We
went, clinging To rocks, anything. but
always upward.
Az we emerged q shot rang out. Ont
OF our men threw up his arms ant
fell back into the water.
On we pressed.
Elaine sat In q corner OF the Office
mute. while the nan who was guard
ing her. heavily armed. paced up ant
down.
Suddenly an overwhelming desir'
came over her to attempt an escape
But no sooner had she made a motion