The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-03

keep in touch with the submarine, fo low her closely, and be at hand | board her when she rose.
 Naturally no one could be sure as the precise facts. The men ahoa shouted that they had seen Mir Smiti son bring a stranger on board and dt scend into the interior of the submt rine, leaving the airlock open. Soo afterward two other men followed and, as these were also unknown tI the patrol, close watch was kept. N
 The newcomers closed the airloc behind them, and the submersible bel gan to sink at once, a quite naturt performance which lulled even tn slight suspicious raised by the fact ths Smithson was accompanied by thre unknown individuals.
 There was nothing to be done noN but to wait. Air bubbles and patche of oil, floating 1aZily on the surfact showed the whereabouts of the sul mersible. It happened by chance thsl her two periscopes were not mounted so those on board must be in complet ignorance of the preparations mad above for warm reception the mt ment the vessel reappeared.
 Thus half an hour passed, a half hou of inaction, though of tense expects tion. Then a strange thing happenet A mans head and shoulders shot int sight with a dolphin-like effect and val ished again, only to reappear after couple of seconds.
 It was Smithson. Blood was strean ing from his forehead and flowed such measure once he remained on tl surface that his features soon ocean unrecognizable. But the fact that | was swimming with strong, stead strokes showed that his wound, thoug ghastly, could not be very seriou Soon, gasping for breath, he was draw on board a boat and brought to u quay. l
 At the same time another boat, Jade with officers from the patrol, natura ly eager to ascertain what the es traordinary incident was, pulled alons side, and the whole party gathere oIOdAll tllS 1llf kclllIuSOH WAS . exhausted that he could hardly stan and was evidently enfeebled by los of blood from a deep cut, which one the officers contrived to bind up wit handkerchief, but he could not be rt strained from purring forth an anna irg narrative.
 I've been bunkoed in broad dayliglI by set of Chinks," he said brokenl] "a fellow who called himself Mir Maj nan and said he was the agent q the''-
 "No names here!' interrupted Man ming emphatically.
 Smithson seemed to be puzzled ft a moment, but grasped the essenti; fact that his statements must | guarded.
 "Well, never mind about names," wheezed. "This Maznan brought th best of credentials. He showed m letters of introduction from men know quite we'll However, let's gt away from that. He played me for sucker, and fell at once. I actuall invited the swine to come and see m air lock in operation. I brought hil on board, meaning to give a partis demonstration without actually sul merging, and, to my complete astol ishment, two little brown men crer down below after us. I was about t protest when one of 'em laid me or with spanner, givin' me this," an he touched his bandaged head signif cantly. "The next thing I knew was being garrotted. But I manage to keep my wits. I had been a foo but was willing to pay a fools prict If only they didn't kill me outright ] resolved to lie doggo until the chand offered that might smash the al lock control. Once that was gone ey cry one on board was doomed, d course, except the man who migI contrive to creep into the air loc chamber. And I meant to be tha man too. Yes, by gosh, I did! An won out, gentlemen. Those thre devils were so keen to get the shil under way-let me tell you, thel knew all about the machinery-thsl they took it for granted I was a gone They had to go forward, you know, il order to use the sinking pumps, anl then came my opportunity. I bust ths control with the same spanner whic nearly bust me and made jump fc the ladder. couldn't resist givil them one shout, so that they migb know what was comin' to themw
 And what is that?" broke in Mar ming, with an eagerness which reveal ed an almost agonizing hope that hi troubles and those of his country migt be at an end.
 The inventor was surprised, almosa pained, that any one should not knoy the true effect of his contrivance.
 Why" he shouted in queer, cracl ed voice, there's not enough air il that submarine at this moment to kee the life in a white mouse for nor than a few minutes. She'll not ris now until she's hauled up, and you'I find three dead men aboard of her. the one that I took care of and hi two pals.'
 "What do you mean by the one vol took care of?" said Manning
 "Oh, forgot" was the airy answe9 "One of the little fellows ran after m and grabbed my ankle, so soaked hilI 'on the head with the spanner anl drove it in an inch or more"
 At last" breathed Bronson.
 The words sounded like prayer eI thanksgiving, prayer which ManninI oobooI for. CinuL