The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-09-19
caey4sat. ,s,s. BY Na.snaaS

sire 10 inspect the cOntrivance.
Mounting ladder which the super
intendent placed In position John be-
gan mounting it closely followed by the
other. He arrived at the trap leading
into the upper chamber of the bell,
and at the suggestion of his companion
climbed down into it,. A moment later
he was startled to hear the door closed
behind him and find himself alone in
the Interior of the submarine plunger
Alarmed by the strange actions of
the one who had lured him here. Davis
hammered upon the trap. There was
no response. Beneath his feet the
floor of the hell was rising and he cast
a glance from the window but nothing
but the barren sea met his gaze. For
a moment the machine mounted, hung
suspended and then began to sink.
Slowly but steadily he went down and
down, saw his prison beyond the glass.
With all means of escape cut off from
above, he opened the trap In the floor
and looked into the chamber below.
Held back by the compression of the
air which filed 1t. the sea had been
able to mount but little ways into
the lower room. The air which had fill
ed the upper chamber already had be-
gun to grow heavy. and finding that
he breathed more freely with the in
| fiux of fresh oxygen from below, he
seized hammer, knocked open valve
and putting his mouth to the open be-
| gan calling for help into the tube which
ran to the free air above the surface.
"Help! Help" Still silence. He
glanced about his prison.
The inside of the bell had grown
dark as he neared the bottom of the
bay. and the atmosphere Of the place
was fast becoming unbreathable 1t
would be but a few minutes more be-
fore he would be asphyxiated, for al
ready his brain was reeling, his sight
falling and his breath coming in gasps.
As helpless as though he had been seal
ed up in tomb, he began reeling about
the room striking upon the side of his
prison with the hamper. With head
about to burst and with faintness
| creeping over him, he again placed his
mouth before the open valve and shout
ed his despairing appeal for succor.
Then giddiness swept over him and he
sank upon the floor.
On the dork above Ethel. her ear
to the tube. heard the wild call from
the depths Of the ocean. and turned
faint even as the man below. By
great effort she recovered herself and
shouted back. but no answer came from
the fa'nting man. Selling the air hose
she pulled 1t loose.
| ut is he!" she cried. "Great God, Is
there no one who can help me?"
| Across the dock Rainface came
stumbling. dragging an unwilling work.
man in his tow. Resisting, protesting,
suffering with indignation, the captive
was powerless in the hands of the In
dian. The girl flew to them.
| 'Do you understand this thing?" she
cried to him who was being hauled
bodily to the scene. He stood staring
at the place where the bell had dis
appeared.
Eyes, but what does 1t all mean?
How did it get down there, and what
is happening?" Wildly her tongue flew
| on.
There is man in 1t down there,
and he Is dying. In the name Of
Heaven, hoist it as quickly as is within
your power" Undecided as to whether
the beautiful creature before him had
lost her mind, or whether there was
real danger to some unknown down In
the green depths he hesitated
"But 1 amt the engineer or superin-
tendent of this place. I amt got no
orders to fool with machinery, and
dassen't do 1t, lady. OF course If I
| In
ing in down there, I'd take the chance.
But otherwise" With cry of despair
she raised the tube.
"Listen!" But no sound came to her
ears, and with knees grown weak as
putty she sank upon the dock
"Oh, God 1t is too late" she sobbed.
Then realizing that unless she forced
this obstinate one into action the man
she loved must certainly perish. she
sprang to her feet and whipped out the
small automatic that Ralnface had
thrust upon her as they left the hotel.
| Quailing before the weapon and the
f1erceness of her demeanor, the work
man hastened across the dock and
started the hoisting engine. Still COW
ering him with the gun, the girl ever
drove him to greater endeavors, and
faster and more fast the heavy bell was
dragged from the depths. A minute
later 1t rose above the surface and was
swung to the wharf and lowered upon
1t. In second the ladder was placed
against 1t, and Ethel, running up the
rounds pulled aside the levers which
fastened the trap and peered within.
No one was there.
| 'Too late" she gasped, and swooning
would have fallen to the dock had not
the workman who had followed her
closely caught her limp form and eased
her down.
From the place where they had
watched 1t all, the Hawk and the Spi-
der came running to the scene.
L NrrI,I-r