The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-10-09
him. He's Killed! 0hr Nv /


hes killed." she shrieked Her tones
told story all their own.
Lord George read 1t. Catlike he
caught his footing Not a blooming
bit of 1t, Bess," he said. "The beggar
only got me through the arm. What?"
FOR half second he hesitated, then
oefore them all, he kissed her square
ly on the lips.
As he did SO Archman ran up.
Hey! What's thisY" he cried.
What's all this mean?"
Bess snatched at him. Don't
swear, popsl'' she counseled inno-
Gently. Save your cuss words.
You've got worse shocks. than this
coming She glanced at Edith and
.hen at Nellie. However, we won't
tax about that now. Just shake
hands with Lord George and"
But Strindberg broke in. While the
others talked, he had been acting.
crimson with rage he had sprung
toward the guards, who, too late, had
1aiien upon Price like thunderbolts.
Fools! Doltsl Blockheads! |" he
cried. Then he spun round on his
lieutenant, who came rrhning up.
Take that man out of sight and hang
MIN to the nearest treei" he ordered.
Inc lieutenant saluted, gave a
Drlsk order, and the men closed in
around Price and marched him away
up the slope of the ravine. Then the
captain broke in ON Bess words. Mr..
Archman," he ordered sharply, "be
good enough to lead me to his high
ness!'
FOR perhaps ten minutes Archman's
Doat with its lantern cleaning at the
DOW, pushed on through the darkness,
following the convolutions of the
stream. At last CLEAN of daylight
appeared ahead, evidently shining in
through some opening in the rocks.
Close to it Archman's boat stopped
and its passengers clambered out.
This is as far as the boats can
go at this stage of the tide, captain"
he explained, as the latter's boat
came up: AT high tide we can row
through, but at present the chan
mel beyond the opening is practically
dry and we have to walk. If you will
follow"
Strindberg bowed. Lead on" he
said.
The distance to be traversed was
not great, and luckily so, for to unac-
customed Adventures the surround
ings were terrifying. GeyserliSe bursts
of steam puffed up again and again in
their faces; the crust on which they
walked was hot to their feet, and
almost continual tremors ran through
the earth. When at last they pushed
through the final curtain of mist and
came out close to a house, there
was not one of the party but drew II
long breath of relief, even though
they all knew that the crater had
long been occupied by men and must
be perfectly safe.
In front of the building Archman
halted. Friends ALL" he said. Gap
tain Strindbergl The time has come
to lift curtain that fell more than
twenty years ago, when one whose
name 1 will not mention, even now,
quit his great place in the world to
marry the woman of his choice. He
sailed away with her to conceal him
self so that he might live in demo
cratic freedom from the restrictions
that hedge about a court. Here he
came and here he has lived since, and
here his wife is buried.
'He did not live idly. He had al
ready won reputation for chemical
research, and here he broadened and
expanded his knowledge. He called
to his aid the heat and gases that
alone survived of the mighty forces
that once filled this place. Many in
ventions he made. and marketed
through me, his servant. Many secrets
of nature he discovered, among Others
the secret of the diamond. He har-
! messed the volcano and bent 1t to his
will.
zone lot of diamonds he made and
sent to me by the hands of his serv.
ant, Morbach. Most of you know how
Morbach was robbed and murdered
| do not know whether the criminal
! has been discovered
Not the murderer, father" 1t was
Nellie who interrupted. But the
IHdIl, VIM piShVu
Morbach up after the auto accident
has confessed that he came back to
Miss Grants cottage in disguise and
got the map and the diamonds from
Mr.. Morbach. Later he shipped or
board the Ell Rio under the name OF
Price and led the mutiny."
"Humph! That explains much!
will say here that his highness hai
made no moro diamonds and viii
make no more. The secret is lost. And
now perhaps Captain Strindberg will
explain why he seeks his highness-
why he has sought him SO desperately
that he or his friends corrupted my
secretary and bribed him to play
traitor"
"Akin7" The exclamation came from
all.
"Yesi Akin was the traitor.
suspected him before 1 left New York