The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1918-01-31
TheDeepS Sea Peril
By VICTOR ROUSSEAU
By VICTOR ROUSSEAU
lCopyrighi By ". O. Chapmanj

| the key-tone OF their language.
Unfortunately for MncBeard, he had
been unable to learn much more thar
this. The last page OF the manuscript
as well as the first, was missing. Mac
Beard was sure that Donald had kept
possession OF them.
Had he possessed them, he would
have learned that the power Of utter,
Ing these calls rested with the queen
Of the swarm alone, n human organ
ism. the type OF the race toward which
the monsters tended, difrerentiatine
from them as the queen bee differs
from the worker or the drone.
He had discovered that the search
for food was the one purpose Of the
creatures existence. It had assumed
a religious aspect. Their god, their
altar stone. the sacrifcial rite were
Mi the SOUS instructive cropping up.
ward, based upon the dominating AMI
ma. impulse.
The tune that Couts had played
with its discords. had been the deep
sea equivalent Of an artillery salvo
The terrified monsters had dispersed
In all directions, letting down the cur,
tain OF condensed hydrogen. Fortu
nately for the professor, the main por
tion of the herd had kept together, and
this afforded him a medium in which
he could, with difficulty, breathe. But
their rapid movement kept the hydro
gen stirred up, and he was nearly as
phyxiated before he reached his refuge
within the cave. He did not like in
haling carbonated Jelly.
Seeing Donald and Davies upon the
island. he had attempted to open nego
tiations with them. Repulsed, he fec
In terror, and On rounding the point
saw Ida alone ut the caves mouth. Al
| once his scheme was born In his mind
Pushing ashore, he entered the cave
by the narrow way toward tho rear
He came upon Ida suddenly, and
grnsping her IN hIs arms, &c place.
n hand over her mouth, preventing
her from crying for aid. Then. drag
cling her TO the top Of the precipice, h,
sounded the assembly call.
Instantly the water beneath begar
to dissolve. Thick clouds Of steaminl
hydrogen rolled up to the caves roof
Soon there was a natural passage
three hundred feet deep, from the in
terror of the cave to the crater below
He carried Ida down the descent
The girl. who had contrived to droI
her handkerchief. was 10 match fol
the professor. She screamed once OF
twice. but the echoes Of the cavern alb
sorbed the sound Of her voice. And 81
she found herself again within the sub
marine temple.
MacBeard released her and stood In
front OF her. devouring her with hi'
gaze. He could not understand whenct
this novel emotion In HIS heart derived
It's power: and, nov the. che @,as h:
captive. he did not know what to do
Geometry, physics, mathematics and
the calculus oil failed to help solve his
problem
Overcome by the presence OF the
woman he loved. the professor STAN
mered like a youth with his first sweet
heart.
why have you brought me here7'
asked Ida.
"Because-because I-er-I love
you." answered MacBeard.
Ida burst into ironical laughter. The
situation was so impossible that there
was room for no emotion but amuse-
ment. And In that laugh the professor
felt q thousand arrows Of Jealousy
rend him.
Listen to mel" he exclaimed pas.
sionately. "You don't know who I am
or what I am trying to do. ! am going
to obiiterate the earth. MS II Is known
to you. I command the Man Of the
Future. The Man who is to come. The
new rae Of the sea. which Is to sweep
away the puny monkey-man. And
want you to share my power with me-
Ida laughed Historically. She could
not help herself. MacBeard glared al
her. He did not know what to do
"You shall seer ne cried, beside
himself with anger. You don't be
lieve what I tell your I'll prove It."
"It doesn't make any difference. pro
fessor. I I'm not q blackboard" an
swered Ida. "will you kindly take me
back to the place you brought ms
fromfs
"Nol" shouted NfacBeard. "You1
stay here until you learn to love me
Why can't you. love mel"
Ida's look was touched with pity
She did not answer him.
MacBeard sounded his tuning fork
and Immediately the monsters gath
cred about them The hydrogen hax<
rolled higher. disclosing the entire In
terror Of the cave. and the idol. Mac
Beard sounded another fork. and tn
creatures began edgins Ida toward thu
recesses Of the cave.
III I sound the sacrihcial note YOU
die" snorted facBeard-
Ida. perfectly passive. waited. Tn
monsters guarded the entrance. Sh'
was alone. Outside MacHcard pacet
up and down beneath tue 9 In fury
To had encountered q problem whicI