Gilpin observer., 1917-04-12

Z His visits both times were brief and
cut short by someone grabbing him by
, the coat collar and dragging him away.
J At meal time she found food upon
| n platter in front of her door. Every
effort to catch sight of the messenger
) who brought it 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, was now most welcome, for
the days were insufferably hot and
she could not have ventured on deck
had she been free to go there. But
she began to weaken and her spirits
to droOp under the strain, the con-
finement and the debilitating 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 a midnight and
a dawn a soft knock fell on her state
room door.
"Come in," she responded after a
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 at the con-
cern his voice and manner betrayed.
He spoke rapidly. "Come on, g-girl
The ships stripped and d-deserted
Pearl staggered to her feet. "De-
sertedY"
"The whole c-crew left a day ago,
Silent Menace and a-all. They've took
t-them Canal Defense plans and are 60
ing to lay mines in the canal. know
w-where." He named locations in
various parts of one of the canal lakes.
1--WE amt got a m-moment to lose.
There is fleet Of foreign battle cruis-
ers d-disguised as cable ships two days
out in the windward with submarine
for everyone O-Of our vessels in
the Atlantic squadron. If our Pacific
fleet attempts to c-cross the canal, the
Silent Menace intends to explode the
mines and blow up the locks. He's 60
ing to b-bag our whole navy!"
PEARLS skepticism was vanishing
fast. "Where are we? How is the ST.
lent Menace going to get in the canal
to lay his mines?" she faltered.
"We're in s-sight of Toro lighthouse"
he informed her as they dashed toward
the companionway. "The whole crews
b-been transferred to a make-believe
American west coast liner. They'll
git through 1.-THE locks all right, girl
Their papers are g-genuine and they'll
never be suspected. When they git
into the l-lake. they'll pretend that
s-something's gone wrong with the ves-
sells machinery. That's when they'll
lay the m-mines. The Silent Menace
himself is g-going down in diver suit.
He'll c-come up somewhere on the lake
shore ready to fire the mines by cable.
All he'll h-have to do will be to press
button!"
1t was one Of those tropical nights
preceding change in season when the
atmosphere was weighted with mist
which streamed in weird twisted skeins
from the dull, smooth surface of be-
calmed ocean. Sounds, If there were
any, were muffled and confusing as to
direction; and on this night there were
none. Distances were ueceivlng 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 to remain permanently, ques-
toned him only on one point as they
rummaged around trying to find a way
out Of their difficulty.
"How is 1t that you have been per-
mitted to roam this ship at will and
find all Of these things out?"
II was always under g-guard. That
there Silent Menace let me hang
around guess as k-kind of joke.
He knew he had me. They tied m-me
up when they left. Jest got loose"
| Then Adams produced a sheet of
paper. "Heres n message f-from him,
doggone him! !"
| 1t was too dark to read. "What
does 1t say?" Pearl asked, amazed.
Adams thought moment before
speaking; and Pearl noticing his hesi-
fancy came quite close and peered
anxiously into his eyes. "What is it?"
she reiterated.
He placed his hand on her shoulder.
She was startled to feel 1t trembling.
"Thls here n-note girl" he mumbled,
"fs our death notice. The ship is
mined from stem to stern. It's Like