The Lamar register., 1919-05-28

MIN to follow me up. But he backed
away In manner almost Of despair.
thought. and resumed his bench At
the farther side OF the cabin ms
Dent low under the wreckage ut the
door and backed out on deck. signal
Ing 10 he pulled up"
Wenry's face was chalk white. as
big Garrick went over the side and
dropped out OF sight in the green
swell that rocked our raft and dingey.
As for me. | confess my nerves were
strangely shaken. But | was scarce
ly more than II green diver AS yet.
whereas Wenry thrilled his listeners
and hlmself-wilh well.told tales Of
raised treasures and strange subma-
rine encounters In which. he ii known,
he spared himself little Of the com
mendatiOn due To achievements.
Within twelve minutes after Gar
rick went down. the body OF Connors
had been recovered ia II fair state Of
preservation. HarkInson, an Old-tm-
er, too. had after all allowed himself
10 be frightened on the job by some
fool, subaqueuus phenomenon whose
phases he had been studying all his
precious life.
Wenry's superstitlous mind was in
tnitely relieved. A semblance of color
cnlue back into his face. and | had be
gun to feel less Of the anxiety expert
enced by one at work with q near
maniac for u companion, when all at
once Garrick startled US with II fierce
ly rugged up" signal. He WAS mum
bling strange sounds before We got
his helmet on. and when the light fell
rOr unspeakHble. His features were
drawn and scanned unbelievnbly, and
speech had deserted him altogether.
Some awful emotion shook his great
body like all aspen.
II was two long hours before we
knew his story. All that Harklnson
had seen in the IIelena's cabin, Gar
rick. too. had beheld-the same IN all
It's blOOd-chilling details.
The affair began to nag my nerves
with vengeance. would have
siaked my very existence on the grip
uf Garrick's big jaw. ] almost wished
that had done so; for Wenry and
were the only avallahl-s now, and
| knew beforehand that Wenry. II
would refuse to go down. II
was time when one must be man
Or II mouse; when n white feather he
romes white flag. and Il white flag
means the surrendering OF a career.
underlying qualities OF resolution. l
could live without this job. thought:
and. too. |. unlike Gnrrick. was
blessed with no woInan's love save
mothers; but her comforts were my
pleasures. her self-denials my heart
aches. | went downl
went downtown. down, down
until my cumbrous feet met the Shiny,
deck of the Inflated Helena.
The water was as clear as might be
at q like depth. Everywhere wss
confusion OF wreckage. II had been q
smashing gale that wrought all this
/ made out the cabin.
hdll -nluhru unuri thhs"b "oSo VI
wreckage. and worked my way to the
debris barred door. avoided the
keen edge of = long knife which some
whIm OF the storms fury had fixed
firmly In q piece Of broken mast. The
edge turned outward. menacins my
lines, and gasped. The mystery Of
Connors' death was laid bare. His
hose had doubtless caught on the
knife blade: he had tried to haul IL
after him, and
had to crouch low to pass under
the barrier at the door. The cabin
windows were clear. and In the cell
ing was n huge, spar-torn hole which
admitted light. stood erect inside
the cabin. and AT the opposite
side OF the room q second diver In
full dress had risen before me. mo
tlonless, but erect with the confident
polse OF life. A nervous. insane curl
osity seized me; yearning 10 know
II the diver that faced me were of
flesh and blood, or-or something
else. | advanced toward the appari-
lion and then my nerve all but broke.
for II followed my example and came
forward TO meet mel hesitated only
for the space Of a heartbeat; then
threw myself forward wildly. hands
but on the greasy. slime
coated floor my feet flew from under
me with the effort. and l crashed
down.