Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-05-24

Honest / am" was all he would say.
His visits both times were brief and
cut short by someone grabbing him by
the coat collar and dragging him away.
AT meal time she found food upon
n platter I'm front Of her door. Every
effort TO catch sight of the messenger
who brought 1t failed. Presently the
weather changed and she perceived
from experience that the swiftly speed
ing steamer was entering tropical
seas.
The seclusion OF her quarters, at
first irksome and wearing On her
nerves, vas now most welcome. for
the days were insufferably hot and
she could not have ventured on deck
had she been free to 20 there. But
she began 10 weaken and her spirits
TO droop under the strain. the rom
finement and the facilitating climate ;
and when one night the engines of the
steamer abruptly stopped and she
heard the anchor chains rafting. she
was too inert TO rise from the berth
on which she now lay most OF the
time. though she was fully attired
and ready for any emergency.
Some time between n midnight and
n dawn n soft knock fell on her state.
room door.
Come In" she responded after q
slight hesitation.
The door opened and Adams entered
cautiously. Though the room was
dark, for no lights were permitted her.
she recognized his familiar outlines.
To his whispered inquiry she replied
with indifference that she was pre-
pared for anything. scoffing ut the con
Germ his voice and name betrayed.
He spoke rapidly. "Come on. g-girl
The ships stripped and d-deserted."
Pearl staggered to her feet. DE
sertedY'
1.-The whole c-crew left n day ago,
Silent Menace and a-all. They've tool,
t-them Canal Defense plans and are go
ing 10 lay mines In the canal. l know
w-where." He named locations in
various parts of one OF the canal lakes.
We amt got n m-moment 10 lose.
There Is a fleet Of foreign battle cruis-
ers d-disguised rs cable ships two days
for everyone o-of our vessels in
The Atlantic squadron. II our Pacific
fleet attempts Ia c-cross the canal. the
Silent Menace intends 10 explode the
mines and blow up the locks. He's go
Ing 10 b-bag our whole navy,'
PEARLS skepticism was vanishing
fast. "Where are we? How Is the 81
lent Menace going 10 get In the canal
10 lay his mlnes:" she faltcred.
"We're in s-slght Of Toro lighthouse"
he informed her us they dashed toward
the companionwny. The whole crews
b-been transferred TO a make-bclieve
American west coast liner. They'll
cit through 1.-THE locks all right, girl
Their papers are g-genulne and they'll
never be suspected. When they git
into the Lake they'll pretend that
something's gone wrong with the yes
sells machinery. That's when they'll
lay the m-mines. The Silent Menace
himself IL g-going down in a diver suit.
He'll e-coIne IN somewhere on the lake
shore ready 10 fire the mines by cable.
All he'll h-have to do will be to press
a buttonv'
II was one Of those tropical nights
preceding a change in season when the
atmosphere was weighted with mist
which strcamed in weird twisted skeins
from the dull, smooth surface of a be-
Gained ocean. Sounds, If there were
any, were muffied and confusing as 10
direction and On this night there were
none. Distances were Geceiving and
there was no radiance In the stars
glImmering through the cobweb shapes
which floated over the heads Of Pearl
Dare and her companion thus aban-
doned.
Pearl. whose faith in Adams had re-
turned 10 remain permanently. ques-
toned him only on one point as they
rummaged around trying TO find a way
out of their difficulty.
"How Is II that you have been per.
United 10 roam this ship at will and
find all Of these things out;"
Il was always under g-guard. That
there Silent Menace let me hang
around | guess rs a k-kind Of a joke.
lie knew he had me. They tied mime
up when they left. i jest got loose
Then Adams produced n sheet of
paper. Here's a message f-from him,
doggone him.
II was too dark to read. "What
does it say?" Pearl asked, amazed.
Adams thought a moment before
speaking; and Pearl noticing his hest
fancy came quite close and peercd
anxiously into his eyes. what is it?'
she reiterated.
He placed his hand on her shoulder.
She was startled Il feel Ii trembling.
This here q girl" he mumbled.
lis N death notice. The ship is
mined from stem to stern. It's like