Gilpin observer., 1917-03-08

Pearls Eyes Opened Wide.
plain clothes. The wide open and in
viting gates were guarded from the
inside by soldiers.
1t was exactly 10 p. m. when Adams
appeared suddenly on the empty
street, rushed across It through the
gates and into the building. He
showed the heavy iron doors shut in
the faces of the startled guards, and
flew down stairway leading into the
basement before they could get them
open. simultaneously the whole build
ing was thrown into darkness.
Adams ran to bolted iron door in
the rear Of the basement and knocked
three times. At tlMt moment Pearl
Dare rushed up from behind. He knew
1t was she from the switch of her
skirts. Toxic was on her heels. All
which opened and closed In
twinkling. Then lock snapped.
1t was pitch black; a terrifying and
silent struggle began. Someone caught
hold of Pearl and forced little round
cardboard box into her hand. A voice
remarkably like that Of Adams whIs-
pered into her ear: '"The chemical
WATERS, girl-hide them!"
Then came a quick short flash from
an electric torch. In the fleeting light
Pearl glimpsed masked faces and
shrouded forms.
"The foreign alliance !" the voice Of
Adams whispered.
"Toko" Pearl cried in grent fright,
all her fears of Adams returning.
A grating, choking sound came from
Toko's throat. That was oil. Pearl
heard the bolt rattle, the door opened,
a rush of many feet and shifting,
moving and the collision of many per
sons cropping in the dark. Oaths and
cries filled the place. Suddenly the
lights flashed back.
The basement was jammed with SOL
diers and no one else. The foreign al
lance seemed to have melted into mir.
Pearl saw her father and Major
Brent. She saw Toxic and Adams.
Bewilderment prevailed upon the faces
Of all.
"Where is the Silent Menace?" Pearl
cried, unable to restrain the question
longer.
The lights flashed out again.
"He is here, Mees Darew from
somewhere a soft European voice was
heard to say.
In the grim silence stenlthy foot
steps mounted the basement stairs.
All rushed after them in panic. DASH
ing into the street like pack Of hounds
seeking lost trail.
"Orderly. Adnms?" cried Colonel
Dare. glaring at the dense crowd sur
rounding the building.
"Here" Adams stepped forth from
| among the sea of people.
ARRESTED, sir!" beloved the colo
mel, and he called corporal and seven
privates to take charge Of Adams.
Pearl Dare jumped into the same
automobile with Adams and the squad
of soldiers, determined to follow him
to the guardhouse and prevent any
possibility of his escape. Lnter on,
| when the excitement abated she could
deliver the box of wafers to her fn-
ther.
This wns so like Pearl TINT Colonel
Dare raised no objection. with Major
Brent and Toxic. he hnstened back to
the basement Of the Chemical build
ing.
| The place was now alight. A care
ful search began ending with sur
prising discovery in one Of the coal
bins. There they found number Of
thick black mufiiers and as many SOM
bre looking shrouds, to one Of which
was fastened n note addressed to
Colonel Dare. It read:
kept my appointment and have obtained
| the chemicals to 'dccipher the Canal defense
plans. Tell Adams not to try that trick
| again. g. n
"what trick? Has this place been
robbed? Does anyone know what this
means?" Numbered the colonel.
"Colonel Dnrel" responded a Junior
officer rushing to the scene. "A horri-
BILE mistake has been made. The cor
poral to whom you delivered Adams
was not a real corporal nor were his
men real soldiers. Both your daugh-
ter and your orderly have been car
ried away by persons masquerndlng in
our uniforms. All trace of them has
been lost I"
| lend OF EIGHTH EPIsepE.)