The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-09-19
EPISODE 9.
PRISONER OF THE DEEP.

Rainface having gotten on top of
the home of Ram Chunder and awed
the six Hindus into submission at the
point of his revolver peeped through
the trap in the floor to the floor be-
low. Seeing Ethel standing there
white and swaying from terror her
dress torn from her bosom and the
old fakir approaching her with his
lancet, the Indian heSitated no longer.
Still keeping the Hindu gang at bay,
he drew a heavy hunting knife and
hurled it through the aperture The
point of the missile struck Ram in the
throat and he reeled back into the
arms of Shallum. Morgan and the
Spider at that moment burst the graf
ing behind which they had been stand
ing and rushed upon the scene. As they
did so the Indian dropped through the
trap and stood between the pair and
Ethel. gun in hand and ready to drop
any one else as he had done Ram
Chunder, should the other person have
the temerity to attempt to lay violent
hands upon her. But it so happened
that the Hawk and the Spider had no
Intention of harming the girl. Instead
the former grasped her by the hand,
crying as though greatly worried:
1--WE trailed you here. Are we in
timer
AS the Spider bent over the form of
Ram Chunder, now lying upon the floor
In the arms of Shallum. the girl with
out replying to Morgan's question tore
herself from him and ran to the quad
rant upon the wall. Throwing back
the lever as she had seen the old fakir
do. the doors of the idol gradually
swung open, disclosing John Davis i'm
prisoned within. Morgan. having de-
clded that his game was up for the
present and that he would still have to
wear the mask of deception and pre-
tended friendship. at once ran to the
idol. unscrewed the turn-buckles which
held the neck. waist. arms and legs Of
Davis. thus releasing him.
Leaving at once. the party sought
the street where they hailed
taxicab and entered. Rainface took
his seat beside the chauffeur, his
weapon in readiness in case of trick
cry.
Ordering that they be driven to their
hotel they sought quiet corner, and
there the Hawk began his false expla-
nation of the things that had happened.
81 caught sight of that scoundrelly
hermit at dawn near the shack in the
mountains. The Spider, here, had just
gotten up. Instantly we gave chase
and pursued him for miles, but in
spite of all we could do he finally gave
us the slip. We then decided to come
here to Frisco, expecting that you
would follow, and we have been hunt
Ing you for the last two days, having
heard that you were here somewhere.
Johns taxi driver told us where he
had taken him, and as soon as we
could get there we burst in. I guess
you know all the rest. and if old Rain
face hadn't been on the job and beat
en- us to it we'd have saved you in
another second anyway. AS it is, let
us hope that we have got free of them
ar last
50 sincere did the mans speech
sound, and so friendly were his ac-
tions that they shook hands all around
In the best good fellowship-that is,
all except the ancient Indian, who, sit
ting sullenly in his corner, refused to
either eat or drink with them. Nor
was Ethel entirely undeceived
Meanwhile as to the room in the
temple wherein had occurred the trag-
edy.
No sooner had the four white people |
and Rainface left the room than Shall |
lum, arising from the floor where he /
mad been supporting the body of his |
stricken master, struck a gong. In !
stantly JoostSingh and the other |
Hindus came swiftly into the room,
some through the trap and others by |
means of the secret doors. Carefully
raising the body of the dying Yogi, |
they laid him before the image of the
god silva, whom he had worshiped
so devotedly throughout the years.
And as though revived by the presence
of the idol. Ram Chunder opened his
eyes and then raising himself spasmod-
icaily, one last word burst from his
graying lips, before they were sealed
by the eternal silence of death:
"REvENGE."
Then fell back dead.
For moment there was an awful |
pauss Sarasg which they all stared at |