Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-12-14
CHAPTER Xxx.
cornsrsd.

Cornered.
The ensign in the bow Of the naval
launch scanned the coast line with
care.
This Crooked Crag hotel is an un.
canny place." he said. They've prnb-
ably got lookouts posted everywhere.
We'd better land half a mile away and
take them from the rear"
His brother ensign grunted. "Dol-
lars to doughnuts we're on q wild
goose chase" he said. III there's any
place that covers UP its tracks it's
Crooked Crag. You're right though.
we'll take them from the rear"
They landed half a mile up shore
and as quietly as possible tramped
for q mile through ~underbrush in the
general direction Of the granite rock
which stood out clear above the tree
tops. They halted on the edge Of the
clearing, from the center Of which
rose the hotel itself.
."Fcrm a circle" said the ensign,
surround the place, and all close in
at once. No matter what happens,
don't let anybody get away"
One Of the ensigns beckoned to
Neal. "Come with me" he said. you
know the man we're after and a de-
scribe him. Ill need you and about
three more besides" .
With rhythmic, ringing steps, the it,
tie squad crossed the clearing, darted
up the rustic staircase and trariped
across the veranda OF the hotel. Sol
niger met them at the door.
YES" gentlemen" he said, bowling,
what can / serve ycu?"
Serve us nothing" said the ensign
'sternly. I'VE are looking for a SNUG
gler that you have got. He is here.
We know he is here and we are 60
ing to get him"
Meantime Hernandez had entered
the room where he had confined An
nette. Once more he locked the door
behind him and without q word crossed
the floor toward her. Annette had
made up her mind just what to do.
She must fight with a woman's weap-
ons and she had a woman's weapon
q hat pin.
She waited until Hernandez was
within three feet of her, then she
raised the weapon and sunk 1t deep
into his cutstretched arm. -
His face white with anger, Herman.
dez caught her roughly by the throat.
But he had forgotten something-for-
gotten that she had inherited tremen-
dous strength. Young and graceful as
she was, her every muscle was we'll
trained. With one strong sweep Of
her arm, she threw him OF and then
plunged into q fight, the fight Of a
wildcat against q wolf. She tore at
his face and head, clutching for his
eyes, trying for q hold upon his ears.
Time and again she repuIsed him,
then with one wild clutch she caught
him by the hair and held him with a,
strong grip of her right hand while
she punmelcd his face with a small
but energetic left.
Hernandez retreated to the door, IN
locked 1t and gave vent to q low whis-
tie. His whistle was Immediately an.
swered. Ponto entered the room,
dragging with him the huge brute.
Seize her." he demanded Of the
brute.
The girl stared at this huge figure
with terror in her eyes.
The brute started across the floor,
and then whimpering. with hands
hanging at his sides, turned away
from her. Hernandez nodded to his
assistant, Ponto. Ponto drew his ever
ready whip and dashed the brute into
obedience. The huge man, still whim-
pering. caught the girl in his arms
and held her.
Hernandez. without the slightest
conjunction, tore open Annette's
waist.
"You vixen,e said Hernandez be-
tween his teeth, Il will get that map
II I have to fay YOU"
Meantime. n by one, on the lower
floor, the ensign's cohorts had srrug-
gled in. Each saluted as he came.
Its no use," they whispered to the
ensign. %"sclinger's set us beat. We
can't find anything"
Neal was the last to corae. He had
made q thorough search.
A seaman ran lightly up the steps
into the office and saluted. {
Beg your pardon, SIR he said. II
found this in . crevice in q rock be-
hind the house. 1t looks bad, sir"
He handed over the message which
Annette had scrawled upon the card
of Irene Courtier-the message that
she was confined In an upper room,