The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-02-01
A DIVERS
STORY
BY HOWARD C BEACH

There are two situations either of
which is calculated. wien one is In 1t.
to chill ones blood. One is up in the
air, the other under water.
| have never been up In the air, but
l have been under water many times
| am. or. rather. was. a professional
diver. didn't adopt the calling be-
cause l considered 1t dangerous. for
when properly done diving in armor Is
not dangerous. The same may be said
of aviation. | became a diver in order
to make living. ceased to be a
diver after receiving a shock under
water.
| was hired to go down to examine
yacht that had been overturned and
sunk in gale with q view to learning
where the chains were to so under her
to lift her. | was told that the owner
was scientific man, great student.
an investigator. He had invented n
number of scientific devices that had
made him a great reputation. The
wrecking company told me that he was
determined to 80 down with me. rath-
er for the sensation of breathing under
water than for being of service.
When we stood on the wrecking boat
putting on the divers uniform l cast
a glance at my diving companion, on
whose head they We're about to put
the helmet. Why did not then and
there refuse to 60 down with him
don't know. | suppose it was a dis
like to do something unpleasant. Sim
gular that | should have been willing
to risk horrible death rather than do
something unpleasant However. |
presume II is the same feeling that
rompels a man to expose himself In
battle to certain death because he Is
expected to do so.
Mr.. Cheney. my diving companion,
went down by one ladder, | by an
other same twenty feet distant from
his The water was clear. and the
sun was shining upon it, so that
could see about me to a comparatively
long distance. kept an eye on Mr..
Chcne-. who struck the yacht at the
bow, ar,dships She had settled on
her keel. and her masts were nearly
perpendicular. | was about to drop
over tic side to hunt for place to
ret support under her when my at
tention was attracted to Mr.. Cheney.
lie had mounted the gunwale and
STOOD with one hand on the ratlines.
Then IL began TO 20 up hand over
hand. Hc stopped Il short distance
from the surface and began to drop.
sliding his hand along the upright
ropes.
This was certainly not making in
vestigations. 1t seemed to me that
he was amusing himself as child
might do going up and down. being
nearly balanced by the density of the
water. Not liking his actions. stood
where was, and when he had gone
up and down few times he let him
self down on the deck and came to-
ward me.
Divers usually carry a knife, since
there is probability of needing one.
At any rate. had one in a pocket In
my diving suit. and Mr.. Cheney had
been provided with one. He was
obliged to move slowly through the
water. and meanwhile I was wonder
ing what his intention was in coming
to me. AS soon as he reached me he
gave me a push and at the same time
made grab for my signal line. In the
tussle that followed | lost It, and he
grasped it,
] would not have believed that so
much strength and agility could be
utilized under water. My antagonist
got his arms around my body and,
pulling his knife from his belt, cut the
rope connecting my waist with the
men above. Then he began to dance
about on the deck. evidently delighted
that he could jump so high and come
down so gently.
was some thirty feet under water,
with neither life nor signal line. at the
mercy OF mailman. for his actions
confirmed that glitter in his eye | had
noticed just before his helmet was put
on. Why the others had not noticed 1t
do not know, except that there are
things which. though plain to some,
are invisible to others. The only arti-
Gle connecting me with the world
above was the air pipe. | was getting
plenty of air. but the maniac had prov
ed himself stronger than I-probably
on account of his madness-and IL he
interfered with the supply of air
would suffocate
Having danced to his satisfaction,
Mr.. Cheney started for me again.
could see by the way he held his head
that he was observing my air tube to
see where he could cut 1t, for he held
his knife still in his hand. evidently
quite pleased whenever a beam OF SUM-
light glittered on 1t through the water.
I drew my own knife. determined, II
necessary. to save my life by killing