Evening star., 1923-05-14

Close by was the wreck of
steamer that had been wrecked on
! in that vicinity in other days she had
resolutely turned her back on the
ghastly Jkeletons entansled in the
wreckage, swaying to and fro with
every stir of the waves. the denizeus
| of the deep gliding about them.
Jil-Bett had never ventured past
them without lump rising in her
throat and tear to her eyes. think
| ing. no doubt. they had been happy
sailors who had lost their lives at
the helm. In her heart there had
always come the silent prayer to God
! to comfort those who had loved them
and watched and waited in vain for
| their coming.
She had no time for speculation
on this particular morning. Mo-
ments were precious and rushing
swift-winged past her. She had
/ marked the spot we'll; her experienced
eye soon discerned the box she sought.
For an instant she stood gazing upon
| 1t with fascinated eyes.
| "Grandfather," she murmured, your
JilBett will soon know il this box
contains that which you toiled over
with such a world OF hope and JOY.
1t it does, it will fix Ben-Ali. and
| your worst enemy. as the thief
| The box was fully a rod away.
She knew there were treacherous
depths in that vicinity. AS she took
I
| preaching her shark of no small
dimensions. The huge fish swan in
i a circle around her. it's glistening eye
| meeting and holding her own.
| Jill -Bett, brought up in these waters.
| as 1t were. had never known fear. II
| was by no means the first shark she
| had encountered. but on all previous
! occasions she had always carried her
/; trusty knife unsheathed In her right
/ hand, picking up the shells nimbly-
| with her left. For the first time she
| stood on the oceans bed with nothing
| to protect herself from an attack.
In that instant she remembered she
had seen a small searchlight lying or
| the deck one day, which she had
! slipped into the pocket OF the jacket
| Of her suit--it was Jacks.
| With a GOODNESS which would have
F., done credit to the Oldest and most
| experienced of divers, she drew II
| instantly forth. focusing it upon the
(; shark The suns rays caught the
/ magnified light, rejecting II, send
| ing it's dazzling, binding light di-
monster. Stunned. it whirled sharply
| about, making desperately for deep
| water.
The encounter had occupied scarce
| ly more than moment OF time. out
1t seemed to Jil-Bett that much
| longer time had been consumed.
There was another who watched
| the sun rise with equal imatience that
morning Ben-Ali had passed rest
less night, thinking and planning. He
had come to the conclusion that the
| oceans bed might not be safe place.
after all. for the valuable box he had
deposited there the night before
Il will bring it up from the water
and take it along with me, or rather
the contents of the box"
He would have fully an hour TO
accomplish this ere the katar divers
| would be astir.
woman was preparing the morning
meal Beu-Ali knew he must use
strategy in succeeding to elude her
to get down to the water. He did
not intend that she should see hiHl
either dive down or bring up the
box. If she saw 1t she would insist
upon its being opened and appropri-
ate it's contents then and there win
the gold ii contained he meant to put
Arabia far behind him.
| Stealthy as had been his steps. her
quick car caught them. Where
lnow?" she asked. standing with arms
akimbo, barring the exit.
II must walk before L can eat' ne
replied tartly.
"Since whene" she demanded, eye
ing him sharply.
by the arm. attempting to hurI ner
by main force from the DOORWAY
Strong and wiry though he was, he
SO you would go out. eh? Wen, I
go with you. There Will not oe
moment when you VIII be out Oh my
sight, understand that.
"Eo woman shall ever rule Ben-Ah.
he screamed. making a lunge at her
and catching her by the waist; IN q
; twinkling. and before she could eaten
, Iher breath. he had flung her ASIDE
/ and dashed through the door.
Il AS he had expected. taught by the
experience of the previous day. sne
was at his heels. He knew the chase
would last until both fell e1hsusteu, "a
catch up with him, which she did
with alacrity, reaching out ana
grasping his wrist with steei-Iike
grasp at the same time uttering a
him so he would have used his
cienched fist on her had he dared.
Maybe you have had exercise
enough. and are ready to go back
and eat" she sneered, s r,,.
given you a little exercise which you
needed"
By this time they had gained the
waters edge. but at some little ais
tance away from the spot he wanted
to reach. He saw there was nothing
for it but to let her know. as nearly
as possible, the object of his wanting
to come out.
u nave just TcColicCtcu
little work to do here he said. point
ing to a jut Of land further out.
There's a box of government papers
idown there. in which are laid out
the exact spots where the oyster BEDS
are located, not only on the katar
coast. but elsewhere; I want that box
The information it contains would be
most valuable to me, and to you, or
course"
there?" she qusried suspiciously.
They had me take 1t down ana
plant it for them"
why should they put valuable
|, papers on the ocean bed. instead OF
, in their strong boxes in their iron
: vaults?'
How do I know their reasons"
he returned surlily, "and / don't care
what they are. Get that box l VIII;
there's no time to lose. for they will
ask me to go down for 1t today;
after I fetch it up to them my every
, hope of learning the secret the box
contains will be gone"
"If I could only trust you, Ben
ALL she said.
You shall go to the spot with me
where 1 shall go down. and mo-
ment more l will be up with It.
That seemed to satisfy her. II
YOU mean to cheat me, elude me in
, any way, you had better stay down
there for all time, than come up at
, any other place and try to race me
and lose me-"
I'm not a sea-monster, that I can
stay under water for any length or
, time. getting from one place to an
other, without being in diving suit.
At that instant Ben-Alfs eye
, oauobt aiphf of Nudge and Jii.Bett