Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-05-26
The Secret of
the Submarine
By f. Alexander Powell

FIRST lHSLdilIutUt.
Copyright 1918, by Alexander Powslll
Ralph Burke" said Montgomery
reminiseently evidently putting his
thoughts into words IFS close 10
fifteen years since I've seen him
why little Cleo must be al
most a woman now ! won
der if she looks like her mother -
Stepping across to a small safe,
set in the wall, he gave the combi-
nation a few rapid turns and the steel
door swung open. Opening one Of
the drawers Montgomery drew out
large, square envelope Of blue linen.
Il wonder il / did right by Cleo
he unused aloud, staring at the enye-
lope with unseeing eyes. So lost was
he IN meditation that he was quite
obliyious TO the fact that the door
leading TO the outer office had opened
and that a young man, his footballs
deadened by the thickness of the car
pet, had entered and stood beside
him.
Who's Cleo, Uncle Calvin be
exclaimed.
81 didn't hear you come In.
must have been talking to myself"
he added, apologetieally. Restoring
the sealed envelope 10 the drawer
from which he he'd taken il. he swung
shut the door Of the safe, but failed
10 lock II. Returning TO his desk, he
picked up the letter from Washing
ton.
Here's a letter, Gerald, which |
have just received from Davis-the
man who keeps me informed OF what
is going on In Washington, you
know Just glance over it, will you,
while get glass OF water. I'm feel
ing little dizzy must be the
heat deyilish hot today"
The door had no sooner closed be-
hind his uncle than Gerald Morton
darted silently across the room,
swung open the door OF the safe and
snatched out the blue envelope. Not
10 be opened until my death. Calvin
Montgomery he read aloud. Now
wonder what the devil is in thatY
he muttered, examing the seals. ut
certainly gave the old gentleman
jolt when ! caught him looking at II.
And who on earth Is Cleoi" At that
instant footsteps sounded outside the
door. Realizing the impossibility Of
eonccaling II on his person, Morton
hastily returned the envelope TO its
drawer and closed the safe. Had Cal
win Montgomery observed his nephew
more closely, he would have noticed
that his hands we're shaking.
IF this invention of Burkc's is
what Davis says il is. Gerald" he
said, we must get hold OF IT,"
But suppose he won't give us the
| option, Uncle Calvin asked Morton.
Suppose he has already promised il
to the government What shall do
Them"
IF he refuses" said Montgomery
slowly, give him this message TAX
ing card from his case, he wrote
few lines on it and handed il 10 his
nephew This is what the young man
read: Dear Ralph once gave you
something that | valued as much al
you value the secret of the subma-
rine. Now is your chance TO repay
me Calvin"
When Hope reached DR.. Burkes
private wharf the following morning
| he found that the inventor and his
daughter had arrived before him.
Il am no stranger to submarines.
Miss Burke" said the young naval
officer, bowling from the waist after
the Annapolis fashion, but this will
be my first trip on one with a woman
for a shipmate. Indeed, imagine
that you are the first woman in
America to go down in a submarine.
Perhaps you don't approve OF
women being permitted aboard war
craft laughed Cleo with a sugges-
ton of coyness.
II approve Of having you aboard,
Miss Burke said Hope, in open adj
miration. With you for a mascot
feel certain that the experiment is
going to prove successful"
When you two young people have
finished throwing bouquets at each
other" broke in the inventor, well
get started. Is the crew all aboard,
| Hookg"
"All but Satsuma, sir" answered
the seaman, touching his cap. Il
left him at work oiling the engines.
but he's disappeared. You can't trust
a Jap, anyway That reminds me o.
something, doctor. You member that
dark-skinned. furrin-looking Teller
that come to see you the other day9
Mahlin was his name, wasn't III"
Yes"
Well. when | was goin' down TO
the wharf last night, saw him talk
ing TO Satsuma in front o that empty
house on the beach. They was a-whis-
perrin together, an the minute they
saw me they went inside. P'r'aps the
Jap's got another berth"
No matter" said the inventor inn
patiently, we can get along without
him. II everything is ready we will
go aboard"
! have not confined my efforts en-
tircly 20 my nNyFen.producing sys-
ten" remarked Burke. as he followed
his guest through the circular man
hole IN the deck which gave access
20 the boats interior II have util.
itcd my spare moments IN periecting
one ot two other devices f0r use on
submarines which may interest ynu
| This arrangement Tor automatically
opening and closing the hatehway 4
ono ct them A he spoke he ludi.
Gated lever connected with steel
rods which ran up 10 the hinged
cover ~ che hatch through which
| they had just descended
| Very interesting. doctor" assentsd
/ Hope, again become The trained IA