Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-28
THE SEVEN PEARLS
Episode No. @.

There" he said, now well wait re-
suits and pray that some one receives
it."
While the wanderers were hoping and
| waiting. another scene which was to
have some bearing on their future was
taking place above their heads. d.
rcctiy over the spot where they were
prisoners was n factory. Back of this
factory was a waterfall; II was not
large. but 1t was steady. Anyway
it was the last place in the world where
one would expect to see a man hiding
Yet out from behind the flow came
4 strengthening individual in rubber
coat. hat and boots. He emerged into
| the sunlight little daZed, and. look
ing carefully around. made of into the
shrubbery. No sooner was he conc
than a second man followed. Evidently
the second man was a-spyinE on the
actions of the first. for his step was
stealthy and his eyes bore n tense ex-
preston OF hate and suspicion.
The first man approached hollow
| tree and deposited therein his rubber
equipment. He then walked off rapidly
| toward the factory. Unfortunately he
| failed to see the spy, who had dropped
his coat. hat and heavy boots in the
bushes, and was watching him from n
| corner. The first man bought n couple
| OF bananas from vender and pro-
ceeded to eat one OF them. dropping
another as though it were not worth
keeping. A shady-looking tramp picked
up the desplsed piece of fruit and
seemed actually interested in 1t. Speedily
he tore back the yellow peel and dis
closed n note. He read this. then tore
1t into minute pieces. which he tossed
to tho winds. Still watching. tho SPY
bcheld this evidence OF the first mans
treachery with set face. He cursed as
he realized that he could never collect
the fragments and thus read the infor-
nation given to the tramp, who had
quickly disappeared.
These two men, who had thus mys-
teriously appeared from the waterfall,
were members OF counterfeiters' gang
that had long eluded the eyes of the
Secret Service; the reason was simple.
Instead Of making their headquarters
In deserted house, or in q cellar. or In
the woods, they had chosen to do their
work in the unused mine gallery
through which lima and Harry had
been wandering.
Having fitted up a sort of den, they
had found themselves immune from dis
covery and already, through the
shrewdness of their leader. they had
been able to reap large returns for
their dishonesty.
On the particular day on which Harry
and lima had sent their frantic appeal
for help, these couD terfeiters were en-
gagged In printing some Of the bogus
bills which they hoped to pass off as
good. The suspicious OF the leader had
been aroused of late. however. and he
had designated one OF the gang to
watch another, whose actions had been
open to question.
These were the two men who had
| emerged from the waterfall and who
now reported 10 headquarters and pro-
ceeded about their work. Their arrival
excited no comment. but the moment
the second man had siEnaled to his
leader that he must see him alone. the
head OF the gang spoke out:
Say, Bill, this file isn't the right
one; get me another from tho store
room. will your"
Bill, the suspected man, departed on
his errand, carefully closing the door
behind him. The moment he WAS gone
the spy cried out: That fellow is a
! stool-pigeon and I can prove IT," In
stantly the counterfeiters dropped their
wait a minute" commanded tho
leader, well deal with him when he
comes back; remember, no quarter"
| But Bill did not return. Suspecting
that all was not right. he had listened
at the keyhole and heard enough to
learn that flight was his best course.
Fortunately. he had his torch and he
proceeded TO get away az fast as he
lsR hA
aroused the men inside.
open the doorw cried the leader.
As the conntcrfeitcrs poured forth they
say the flicker OF Bits torch far down
n gallery. At once they started In pur-
suit. The hunted man, realizing that
his end was near II he did not escape.
made for dark corner and determined
to sell his life as dearly as possible.
AS he hacked into the corner he felt
himself seized in a pair OF iron arms,
the torch was snatchcd from his hands
and extinguished in n pool and he was
/ thrust back of the tall form of the
Executioncr. who awaited the oncom :
ing pursuers.
lie could hear their voices: evidently
they had lost track of their intended
victim. and evidently also they had no
time to waste.
Let him 60" said the leader. The
can't get out unless we see him. He'll
! be begging for food soon"
They rcturned-their steps died away
and the Executioncr. disregarding the
man he had saved, followed them
Now il 80 happened that the note
sent by Harry did really reach it's des-
tination; that is. 1t reached the hands
OF an employee who was sprinkling the
! ground in front OF tho factory. IT
ciogged up the nozzle Of the hose and
In pulling 1t out tho discoverer took
the trouble to read 1t. Once he had
made sure of its contents he dashed
of TO his superiors and laid 1t before
them.
There was only one thing to do, and
that was to organize a searching party
TO save the two men and the girl i'm
prisoncd in the galleries. This was
speedily done. and tho aid Of the police
was also invoked to insure success.
While lima and Harry and the foolish