The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-12-18
c.yy~yM. ,,,s. sy Ha4s.sa

had invented. John signified his de-
sire to inspect the contrivance.
Mounting a ladder which the super
lntendent placed in position, John be-
gan mounting 1t 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
door Of the bell was rising and he cast
. glance from the window, but nothing
but the barren sea met his gaze. For
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 of from
above. he opened the trap in the floor
and looked into the chamber below.
Held back BY the compression Of the
air which filled 1t, the sea had been
able to mount but a little ways into
the lower room. The air which had I'LL
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. be
seized hammer, knocked open 4 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.
"Helpi HelpY" Stin silence. He
glanced about his prison.
The inside Of the bell had grown
dark a. 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
failing and his breath coming in gasps.
Az helpless AZ though he had been seal
ed up In tomb, he began reelinE about
the room striking upon the side OF his
prison with the hammer. With head
about to burst and with faintness
creeping over him, he again placed his
-Ossth befose tAs-epeAv vnsve anfrsegt-
ed his despairIng appeal for succor.
Then giddiness swept over him and he
sank upon the floor.
On the dock 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 answsr cane from
the fainting man. Selsing the air hose
she pulled II looee.
TT II he 7" she cried. sGreat God, 10
there no one who can help msr'
Across the dock Nainfaee came
stumbling. dragging an unwi1ilnk woak-
scattering with indignation, the captive
was poweriess In the hands Of Tie n
dian. The giri new to them.
DO you understand this thinG7'' she
esied to him who was being hauled
bodily to the scene. He stoed staring
at tie place where the ben had dis
appeared. E ~.
eyes, .but what does 1T all meant
How did It get down there, and what
Ia happeningY' Wildly her tongue few
on.
'@There is q man in 1t down there.
and he IL dying. In the name of
Heaven. hoist It ~ quickly a. In within
your power" Undecided rs 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 amt the engineer or superin-
tendent Of this place. ! amt got NO
orders to fool with machinery, and 1
dassen't do 1t, lady. OF course II
knew there was really somebody cash.
ing in down there. I'd take the chance.
But otherwise" With a 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 Rainface had
thrust upon her rs 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 q second the ladder was placed
against 1t. and Ethel, running up the
rodnds pulled aside the levers which
fastened the trap and peered within.
No one was there.
''Too late" she gasped, and swo0ping
would have fallen to the dock had hot