Macon beacon., 1917-03-23

came these unQueStionably compromls-
ing surprises in her life so often fore
warned by him who always safely ex-
tricated her? The Silent Menace The
I Silent Menace, 1t was Adams 1t was
not Adams!
These were PEARLS momentary and
restless thoughts.
10 his question she answered: eff
you are positive in this matter. why
do you not take the government into
your contidcnceT
Tie 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. must make sure first.
That is why ask you what would be
the effect Tiff the Silent Menace
should turn out to be one whom you
regard highly rs IA fricnd?
Yourself. for example?" after a
tense silence.
isn't that n bit absurd. Miss Dare?"
Adams" she cried. and the plead.
ing in her voice thrilled him, Can you
prove to me that you are not the 81
lent Menace? win your"
Il can and will"
Then do 1t. 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.
lie 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 Menacew
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
tiny pressure, which she did not re-
sent, he led the way to 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
fearl started to speak, but he re-
strained her with motion OF his head
and whispered that great caution was
essential to the result of the enter
prise. He had prudently mufIled 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 n 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 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 it7"
He laughed nolselessly. ''The top
layer, yes. Them potato bomb m-molds
of yours are underneath. That stufr's |
d-due to some submarine somewhere
d-down the bay, I'm sure"
Il wonder where2''
"We're going ito 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
Ia their favor and after q 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,
q small tramp steamer. There were
decks fore and aft and top with
fairly comfortable rail. Adams and
Pearl slipped over the side undetect-
ed and down narrow companlonway.
Here, either by blunder or intention
on the part Of Adams, they became
separated.
Adams" whispered Pearl, filed
with sudden forebodlngs.
She heard his hushed voice and a ,
slight scraplng sound in the dark.
Then light flashed door swung ,
open and masked man showed and ,
ocked her into stateroom. ,
She pounded on the door hard and /
'ried out. She thought she heard a +
responding voice-Adams-from some +
nf Itf,ht a l..