The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-07
Continued from our last issue.)
CHAPTER VII.
The Winking Lights.

DIOhtH lulO HtT TOOul ny IulSLdke.
She recognized his voice in
stantly when he spoke to her, and
in answer to her quiet question
ing he told her in hurried whis-
pers what had happened.
Another moment and her faith
er, aroused ythe shots, was at
the door, and the two men repair
ed to Mallabee's den, where Ker-
ry, after throwing on a dressing
gown, soon followed them.
Mallabee was explaining to
Jensen that the superstitious
Swedes would never enter the
house because of an Eskimo to-
TEN pole placed in the hall and
used by the family as a hat rack,
when suddenly the cluster of cleo
trio lights hanging above their
heads went out.
Mallabee, who had been sitting
beside the fireplace, jumped hur-
riedly to his feet.
What can that mean?" he
growled THE larrikins cannot
have cut out main current wire.
They haven't the tools, and they
wouldn't dare touch it; they
know it's alive. 1t must some
thing has happened as the power
house"
He strobe toward the window
to look out in that direction.
Almost before Mallabee ceased
speaking the lights came on, re-
MANNED on for a brief space,
and then all was suddenly dark
ness again.
Again the lights came on, only
to darken again at once. Then
they snapped on once more, blind
ing their eyes with the sudden
glare.
The room was as quiet as the
grave. Suddenly Kerry Mallabee's
voice, sounding strangely ,hoarse
and far away, cut the silence.
THE, yes" she shuddered.
"Oh, hurry, what is it, what is It?
S-w-e-d-e-s. Yes. The Swedes,' I"
she repeated.
Her form seemed to sway be-
wind as she stared back into Jen-
sens eyes and spelled out the
message in Morse alphabet that
the winking lights were trying to
send them from the power house.
Yes, the Swedes," she said
again. "Oh, why don't they send
faster. | can take. it. H-a-v-e-the
Swedes have-~b-r-o-k-e-n into
the s-t-o-r-e-h-o-u-s-e. Yes, she
whispered, "the Swedes base
broken into the storehouse.".
Smash globe II you get me. "
spelled out Kerry Mallabee more
rapidly now. I'm feel the shock
here on the transformer" She
reached up and broke a frosted
globe with her bare hand.
Now the lights began to wink
more rapidly, as the man working
over on the switchboard at the
other end of the feed wire realiz-
ed his message was being taken.
They have taken twelve
- cases of dynanmite"
The swapping word left her lips
in an explosive, choking shrek.
Then the lights began to wink so
rapidly that her hoarsely whis-
pered letters almost tumbled over
one another as she repeated them.
They have gone to
blow up the DAM"
The lights began to snap on
and off with dazzling rapidity.
They are crazy drunk. They
! took out Pettyiohn, Vetch the
cook, and Truesdale, and dubbed
them to death while their hands
were tied. They got me, too, |
guess, but I'm good for a few
] minutes longer. Hurry up on the
) lcliff, no telling how soon they
may set off the dynamite and
flood the canyon. Pm-all in.
Can't-send--any-"
The message slowed down,
trickled off into a long, binding
dash and the electric lights OF
! Argyle House and the life of stout
hearted Dick Evans went out to-
gether.
Stephen Mallabee strobe to-
ward the door.
"Father!" cried Kerry MALTA
/ bee, as she struck a match on q
/ fireplace tile and lighted a can
! delabra that stood on the mantel
What are you going to do?"
"Do?" he repeated explosively,
! Il am going to blow up my own
dam, before they have chance
| was prepared for this; the dam
was planted with mines when II
was built. | thought there might
possibly come a time when
would wish to wipe out this en-.
| tire undertaking at one stroke
But I never expected such brain.
i less beasts as they would be the
cause of my wanting to destroy
! it," Ia..
! Now, father" said Kerry NAL
! labee soothingly, as she placed hei
l hand on his arm and drew him
back into the chair. do be calm
this is no time for thoughts OF
that sort. We must first get to
the power house somehow and see
! II there is anyone alive there
Then we and the servants can &c
to the cliff, out of reach Of the
drowning flood that will come
when the dam bursts" 7tFf'
Let me go to the power house, =
said Japaan