The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-09-02

Within three minutes after Burke
had returned to the forward compart-
ment, subtle suggestion OF freshness
stole through the submarine; IN five
minutes the atmosphere was as fresh
and wholesome as though they were
in the open air.
81 apologize from the bottom Of my
heart, DOCTOR" said Hope, seizing the
old inventors hand, for what 1 said
a few moments ago. You have con-
WINGED me absolutely Of the efficiency
OF your invention, though you nearly
suffocated US at first. 1t is scarcely
necessary for me TX say that I shall
wire to the department .Jnight, strong.
ly urging that it be purchased by the
government"
Thank you, Mr.. Hope" said the
inventor, huskiIy, a suspicious mois.
ture in his eyes. cit looks as though
my struggles were at an end"
Entering the rear compartment
| moment later, Burke stood transixed
with utter establishment For at the
switchboard, his hand on one Of the
switches which controlled the air cur
rent, stood Satsuma-
=
Satsuma?" shouted the inventor wrath
fully. What have you just done to
that machine?"
As Burke, carried away with anger,
advanced menacingly, Satsuma's hand
went toward his hip pocket Burke.
realizing the significance Of the move
ment, instantly grappled with him.
With a sudden twist, Satsuma threw
Burke, the old man falling heavily. At
that moment, Hope launched himself
against the Japanese as, in his An
napOlis days, he had tackled the West
Point quarterback. For a few brief
moments the two locked forms swayed
madly about the little cabin, over
turning the table and chairs and
threatening each instant to wreck the
mechanism Of Burke's invention Grad
ually working his right hand free, Sat
suma succeeded in reaching his hip
pocket. His fingers closed about the
stock of an automatic. There was a
deafening explosion, followed almost
instantly by a shower of sparks from
the nest of wires above the oxygen
producing apparatus. The stream Of
bubbles in the tank abruptly ceased
| and the little compartment was filed
with acrid fumes.
MY God" groaned Burke, crouching
on the floor where he had been thrown.
| He's smashed the transformer" The
/ bullet which had been intended for
| Hope had missed him by a hairs
breadth and had buried itself amid
| the mechanism. At the same instant
| Satsuma, like all japanese, an adept
| in the art Of wrestling, slipped from
the officers grasp and Ieaped through
the door Of the navigating room. A
| seaman attempted TO fell him with a
spanner, but the OrientaFs pistol
cracked sharply and the man, spin
/ ming completely around, crumpled In
a heap. Another man who rushed for
ward fell with q bullet through his
shoulder. Keeping the remainder of
the crew covered with his smoking
pistol, Satsuma threw over the handle
| which controlled the horizontal rud-
] ders and the sudden inclination Of the
| floor showed that the boat had rapidly
/ begun to rise. A moment later a ray
Of sunlight entered through the con-
ming tower. The submarine was rum
ming awash. Jerking down the lever
which automatically opened the hatch
way, Satsuma sprang up the ladder
and dived into the sea.
An instant later a wave, breaking
over the unprotected deck Of the sub
marine, poured through the hatchway
into the compartment below. After it
came another. Cleo screamed hys-
tericaIIy.
Its all right, Miss BurkeI" shouted
Hope. Don't be frightened III close
the hatch!"
Accustomed, as he was. to the typo
Of hatch in use IN the navy, and, In
| the excitement Of the moment, entire
~ forgetting the inventors automatic
closing device, Hope sprang up the
ladder and franticaIIy endeavored to
pull down the hatch cover and bolt Il
In place But q solid column OF water,
| pouring through the aperture with the
force Of battering ram, knocked him
from the ladder. bruised and half
drowned. Under the weight OF the Wa
ter it had shipped, the submarine was
going down.
I CEND OF CHAPTER oNEl