The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-07-07

q. In order to furnish electric light
to the camp itself. Tor the telephone
service OF tho valley and for the
minor machinery which was opeat-
cd by this or that machine shop
along the side OF tho mountain. A
cable from the power house ran up
TO another house known as the light
ms plant. which stood In the angle
between the street level and the dam
itself, Here was installed n giant
scarchlight which could be played
at will along the face OF the dam.
to mako It's examination the more
easy and exact by night Tho steady
stream OF this light was a fixed fac.
tor. being held at such a position
as would cover the greatest amount
OF the dam face.
Now. aa sim Gage topped the
grade. gravel crunchinK under his
feet a trifie out OF breath with his
climb. since the incline itself was
thing OF magnificent distances. he
saw tho searchiiRht OF the power
dam begin "a performance altogether
new In his own experience.
The great shaft of light rose up
abruptly to position vertical. a
beam OF light reaching up into the
sky. An instant. and d; began TO
swing from side TO side. IL swung
sharply clear against tho bald face
Of the mountain AZ the farther end Of
the dam. II swept down the canyon
itself. or to it's first great bend. II
rose again and swept across the
dark-fringed summit OF the noun.
tains on tho hiihcr side OF the
stream. Not once. but twice. this
was done.
IL was spiepdid and magnificent
thing itself. this giant eve. iiluminat.
Ing and revealing. ri factor In a wild
and Imposing panorama OF the night
But why 10 one ever had known
tn. searchlight 20 bc used In this
way. What orders had been given
What did these xig gag beams up ana
down the surface Of the aky lndi.
cate Was II a signal. or was some.
ono playing with the property OF the
company. there In the cupola Of the
light Atationf
sim Gage reached tho side Of tho
plant Iusl AS the light came down TO
ita original duty Of watching the
face OF the dam. Al first there was
not any sound.
who's there he called out. No
answer came. IL seemed 10 him that
he heard some sort Of movement in
the little rock house.
Halt Who goes there he call.
I'd out in "a formula he had learned.
He got no answer. but he heard a
thud an OF body dropping out OF
the window OF the further sldo Of
the house. against the slope OF the
dam which lay above H.
Hs ran around the corner Of the
little building. rife at the ready.
only 10 acc scrambling figure. bent
over, endeavorinx 10 reach tho top
OF the dam. where the smooth road.
way ran from side 10 side of the
great gorge. That way lay no
escape. Tn. sentry was across yon.
der. and would soon return, This
way. toward the east. fugitive
must 80 II he would scck any point
of emerwcncs from thcsc surround
ings.
HALT HIATT. there! Halt. or II fire
cried Gage. Haiti lilo called u out
again. once. twice. three times. But
the figure. whoever or whatever II
was. ran on. II now had reached
the top OF the dam, and could be seen
with more or less diStinctness. sky
lined against the starlight and the
gray sky behind H.
sim Gage. oidtlme hunter. used all
his life TO firearms. was used also
20 fsrinE at running game. lie drew
down now deep into the rear sight
OF his Springfield. allowing for the
faint light. and held at the front
edge OF the running figure as neariy
twice and three times--rapi-rapiI
--rRps--the echo came from III. con.
cretc-at the figure as IL crouched
and stumbled on. Then " stopped.
There came scrambiinn and a
sliding of the object. which fell at
the top Of tho dam. IL slipped off
the dam top and rolled and slid al
most at his feet. He dragged II
down into the edge of the beams OF
the searchlight itself
Up to this time he Ind not known
or suspected who the man might be
Al first he now thought IL was
woman. In reality IL was n China
man. tho cook and body-scrvant OF
engineer at the power
He was dead.
Sim stood looking down at what
he had done. trying In his slow
fashion Of mind TO puzzle out what
this man had been doing here. and