Gilpin observer., 1917-04-05

} came these unquestionably compromis-
ing surprises in her life SO often fore
warned by him who always safely ex-
tricated her? The Silent Menace The
!: Silent Menace! It was Adams! 1t was
not Adams!
These were PEARLS momentary and
restless thoughts.
To his question she answered: IF
you are positive in this matter, why
do you not take the government into
your confidence?"
He smiled whimsically. 'If should
be in error, Miss Dare, and there is
always the possibility of error, l would
be doing our country far greater harm
by exposing my suspicious than by
keeping silent. I must make sure first.
That Is why ask you what would be
the effect if-if the Silent Menace
should turn out to be one whom you
regard highly as "a friendT
yourself, for example" after a
tense silence.
isn't that bit absurd, Miss Dare 2"
Adams" she cried, and the plead
ing In her voice thrilled him, Can you
prove to me that you are not the ST.
lent Menace? Will your"
| Il can and WILL"
Then do it. Relieve my mind and"
She stopped suddenly, her features
flushing.
He Strengthened in sudden determi-
nation. "Will you hazard one more
adventure?"
Her eyes sparkled and she nodded.
|. He stopped the car, reversed,
changed their direction and sped
homeward.
He left her at the door before pro-
ceeding to the garage with the auto
mobile. "Meet me at the freight docks
inside an hour. l will show you the
Foreign Alliance unmasked and the
Silent Menace!"
Pearl ran into the house.
In less than the appointed time, at
one Of the freighting wharves at the
foot of well-knOwn street, Pearl
Dare met her fathers orderly, who
awaited her coming. On seeing her
his face frightened. Giving her hand
sent, he led the way to a rowboat, She
took the stern seat and picked up the
steering rope. He grasped the oars.
In another moment they skinned up
stream at fair speed. Once or twice
Pearl started to speak, but he re-
strained her with a motion of his head
and whispered that great caution was
essential to the result of the enter
prise. He had prudently muffled the
oarlocks and disguised the nature of
their errand by placing an eel fisher
mans outfit in place in the boat
where 1t was easily discernible to any
inquisitive eye. There were number
of such fishermen on the river, for this
was the favorable hour.
In midstream they came upon tug
towing barges. Adams Immediately
shunted his boat shoreward and pre-
tended to fish, while Pearl simulated
an interest in what he was doing. The
tug steamed in an opposite direction.
In a little while both tug and barges
were tied up at the wharf for the re-
mainder of the night, lights were
doused and silence fell upon the
scene.
"Do you know w-what's In them
barges" Adams whispered to Pearl,
with his old familiar stutter.
ut looks like coal; is itT
He laughed noiselessly. 1.-THE top
layer, yes. Them potato bomb m-molds |
of yours are underneath. That stuff's |
d-due to some submarine somewhere |
d-down the bay, I'm sure"
Il wonder where?"
"We're going tito find that out, |
mebbe."
The time had come to make good |
his promise to Pearl. He showed their |
boat back into deep water, dipped the |
oars hard several times without undue |
noise and began to drift. The tide was |
In their favor and after long sus-
pense they drew alongside the silent
tug.
1t was tugboat of no ordinary de-
sign or dimensions and closely resem- |
bled, and might have been taken for, |
small tramp steamer. There were |
decks fore and aft and top with a |
fairly comfortable rail. Adams and |
Pearl slipped over the side undetect- |
ed and down a narrow companionway. |
Here, either by blunder or intention
on the part of Adams, they became |
separated.
"Adams" whispered Pearl, filed
with sudden forebodings.
She heard his hushed voice and a |
slight scraping sound in the dark. |
Then a light flashed, a door swung
open and masked man showed and
locked her into stateroom.
She pounded on the door hard and
cried out. She thought she heard a
responding voice-Adams-from some