Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-05-24
BROWNSVILLE DAILY HERALD: THURSDAY. MAY "a, 1917.

lin an official document. Then he
switched of the porch light and they
all went indoors.
In the hall Colonel Dare turned to
Bertha. This telegram Of Brcnt's
may necessitatc a change in my W
plans" he stated In a troubled voice.
1T was the intention of the war Office
to have Brent leave on a solitary mis-.
sion. / shall probably now be obliged
to accompany him. VIII you remain
and look after things here-and Toko?'
Il will do anything you ask. Colonel
Dare" replied Bertha. earnestly.
He took her by the hand. "God bless
you!" he murmured. f%ervently. Then
he followed Brent into the library and
she returned to the porch.
'Those instructions. Major Brent"
said the colonel TO his subordinate who
was inspecting the seals on the docu-
ment he held In his hand, "were not to
be opened until you arrive Mt your des-
tination. They were 10 remain n Sc
cret until then. You were to leave In
the morning and. as you will note on
the envelope. sail from New York d.
rect to the canal. This warning COM
pietely upsets this schedule. l shall
ask the war office for permission TO
90 with you. changing our route"
And he hurried to the telephone and
called the residence OF the chief Of
the army staff.
When he left the telephone five min
utes later he turned to the now *
cited major: You heard the CONVEX
sation. We will outwit the Silent
Menace. Major Brent. If my daughter
is in his power. we will ave her. The
instructions need no longer remain un-
sealed. We think we have found the
weakness in our military defense OF the
| canal. Your document contains an
| elaborate plan whereby mines can be
sunken at certain locations 10 destroy
any hostile ship or fleet Of ships by
| subterranean cable connection on land.
| After a most careful survey of u
| charts OF the canal we have concluded
that these locations are identical with
those In the stolen Canal Defense plans
In possession Of the Silent Menace.
| We will go TO the canal and lay these
| mines before the Silent Menace eur
possibly intercept us. Then. let him
arrive! How soon a you be ready
to got"
Tonight
The colonel nodded approval. AT
| ,ncei Our swiftest submarine lies
II anchor In the Atlantic underwriters.
We shall motor there and sail before
laybreak! !"
"Tll be ready In half an hour. colo
| lel :" cried Brent. saluting and making
hasty exit.
Thus began the beginning Of the un-
uvelling of the mystery of the Silent
Menace. Unknown to Pearl Dare and
{. o. Adams confined in a tramp steam
r somewhere on the sea, eleventh
lour succo lurked beneath the waters
md advanced 10 meet them ut their
destination upon arrival.
II vas a curious race against time
md horrible uncertainties. Hardly
| lad the BIG submersed of the vir-
| dnia capes than by undersea wireless
he colonel and the major were adj
Used of the sinking of the submarine
# the Foreign Alliance In the Chesa-
,eake flats. with the destruction of all
N board. by torpcdoes from the rev.
nue. cutter To which Pearls bottled
Message was delivered In time TO act.
The colonel grew frantic In the fear
hat Pearl was among the lost. But
Srent held a different view. II was
lis opinion that the Silent Menace
would not expose himself TO danger
low that the crisis hour was Ut hand /;
hat he was really travelling TO the
anal on a tramp steamer which by
lis master conniving had safely and
without question cleared from some
me Of the unsupported bay ports and
:otten by the look-outs into open wa
er that he would not take the chance
II harm Detailing Pearl. II only for
sentimental reasons, or OF Pearl find
ng out too much.
Sentimental reasons?" echoed Colo
lel Dare in the midst of Brent's argu-
| nent.
Brent repeated the phrase. adams.
;ir, Is In love with your daughter"
"But Adams Is not the Silent Men
ice, Major Brent"
Meanwhile. and for solitary days AMI
| lights. Pearl Dare was confined In her
stateroom on bonrd the queer craft 10
which, she firmly believed, Adams had
ured her that night In the Potomac
It Washington.
During this time she saw Adams
vice and no one else at all. On both
occasions he came to her stateroom
greatly excited and begged her to be-
ieve in him though he offered nv ex-
,lanation o excuses.
You g-got TO wait till I'm dead
sure Of something I'm getting on 10
n t-this here ship. VIII you wait
sgfrl? / am a prisoner Just like you.