The Carlisle independent., 1917-03-08


 Within three minutes after Burke had returned to the forward compart- ment, subtle suggestion of freshness stole through the submarine; in five minutes the atmosphere was as fresh and wholesome as though they were in the open air
 T apologize from the bottom of my heart, doctor" said Hope, seizing the old inventors hand, flor what I said few moments ago. You have con vinced me absolutely of the efficiency of your invention, though you nearly suffocated us at first. It is scarcely necessary for me to say that I shall wire to the department tonight, strong ly urging that it be purchased by the government"
 Thank you, MT. Hope" said the inventor, huskily, a suspicious mois- ture in his eyes. Tt looks as though my struggles were at an end" Entering the rear compartment 8 moment later, Burke stood transfxed with utter astonishment. For at the
 
 switches which controlled the air cur. rent, stood Satsuma
 What the devil are you doing here, Satsuma? 2" shouted the inventor wrath fully. What have you just done to that machine?"
 As Burke, carried away with anger, advanced menacingly, Satsuma's hand went toward his hip pocket Burke, realizing the significance of the move ment, instantly grappled with him. With sudden twist, Satsuma threw Burke, the old man falling heavily At that moment, Hope launched himself against the Japanese as, in his An. Point quarterback. For a few brief moments the two locked forms swayed madly about the little cabin, over- | turning the table and chairs and l threatening eacA instant to wreck the | mechanism of Burke's invention. Grad ually working his right hand free, Sat suma succeeded in reaching his hip pocket. His fingers closed about the stock of an automatic. There was a deafening explosion, followed almost instantly by shower of sparks from the nest of wires above the oxygen producing apparatus. The stream of bubbles in the tank abruptly ceased and the little compartment was filled with acrid fumes.
 My God" groaned Burke, crouching on the floor where he had been thrown. Hes smashed the transformer" The bullet which had been intended for Hope had missed him by a hairs breadth and had buried itself amid the mechanism. At the same instant Satsuma, like all Japanese, an adept in the art of wrestling. slipped from the officers grasp and leaped through the door of the navigating room. A seaman attempted to fell him with a spanner, but the Orientals pistol cracked sharply and the man, spin ming completely around. crumpled in heap. Another man who rushed for ward fell with a bullet through his shoulder. Keeping the remainder of the crew covered with his smoking pistol, Satsuma threw over the handle which controlled the horizontal rud- ders and the sudden inclination of the floor showed that the boat had rapidly begun to rise. A moment later ray of sunlight entered through the con- ming tower. The submarine was rum ming awash. Jerking down the lever which automatically opened the hatch way, Satsuma sprang up the ladder and dived into the sea.
 An instant later a wave, breaking over the unprotected deck of the sub marine, poured through the hatchway into the compartment below. After t came another. Cleo screamed hys- terically
 It's all right, Miss Burke!" shouted Hope. Don't be frightened! I'll close the hatchl"
 Accustomed, as he was. to the type of hatch in use in the navy, and, in the excitement of the moment, entire ly forgetting the inventors autoa1atic closing device, Hope sprang up the ladder and frantically endeavorad to pull down the hatch cover and bolt t in place. But solid column of water. pouring through the aperture with the force of battering ram, knocked him from the ladder, bruised and hak drowned. Under the weight of the wa ter 1t had shipped, the submarine was going down!
 (END OF CHAPTER ONE)