The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-05-04
TWELFTH EPISODE
The Sunken Vault.

Aware OF Phil Kelly's approach to
the House of Mystery, Pat was fully
prepared to give him a reception that
furnished him with the surprise of his
life.
When Kelly arrived he investigated
every available entrance, and decided
to adopt the expedient of climbing a
tree that stood beside the house and
grew tall enough to give him access
to an open window.
One man remained under the tree
as a lookout, while the other two
climbed to the window. After they
had entered the room through the
window, they stopped to investigate.
The room they were in was perfect
ly devoid Of any furnishings and the
one door providing entrance and egress
was the only interesting feature of the
place. Kelly jerked open the door and
found second room, exactly like the
one they had first entered inviting fur
Their investigation.
Opposite was door leading into still
another room. And when Kelly turned
the knob, his surprise party made a
speedy beginning.
Pat was sitting in one corner Of the
room, in large armchair. Other than
this one piece Of furniture the room
was empty.
Kelly made a move to approach the
elusive girl whom he was now deter
mined to capture. Pat pressed push
button in the arm Of her chair. In
twinkling two swiftly-moving rarti-
tons were run out from the wall, COM
Ing together in such a manner that
they shut Pat behind their shelter as
completely as though she were locked
In an entirely separate room.
Kelly and his man stood dumbfound-
ed, for second, and then tried to
leave the room the way they had en-
tered. The door was locked.
Suddenly the floor dropped from I'M
der them. They landed in a great
wooden box that had been placed I'M
der the trap-door through which they
had fallen.
Before they could make move,
some of Pats men rushed forward and
slammed down the cover of the box
securely imprisoning the detectives.
Then strong hands pushed the wooden
case toward an opening In the wall.
Down chute the sleuths proceeded,
riding in their moving prison. The
box and contents presently emerged
through an opening in the outer wall
of the building.
There was motor truck waiting to
receive 1t, and Immediately the box
shot through the wall and landed on
the truck. The driver started his en-
CINE and drove away. An hour later
with Kelly and his assistant still In
side, the box was showed of the truck
landing In a ditch.
When the Sphinx and his man
had kicked their way out Of the box
sometime later they found themselves
far out In the country, near an infre
uuently used trail that led across the
fields.
I'm not going back to the chief tc
report this fizzle," said Kelly. Ano
then the two men started to walk back
home.
There was a period of quiet, lasting
a month, after Kelly's adventure.
II must start something pretty
soon," Pat said to her chief lieutenan
one morning when he had called t.
learn II she had any instructions fol
the Apaches. "This peace and quie
is getting monotonous."
The Apache had called while thu
girl was at breakfast. AS she talked
to him. slipping her coffee, she occa
sionally glanced at the headlines II
the morning paper.
She finally discovered an item tina
fixed her attention. 1t referred to al
immensely wealthy man who had con
trived a vault that he believed woult
be absolutely burglar-rroof.
Here's something / want inyesu