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Show The Romance of Elaine SEQUEL TO THE EXPLOITS OF ELAINE H 4 Detective Novel By ARTHUR B. REEVE mid a Motion PiC- Th! Well-Known Novelist and , ri the Creator of the 'Craig I" tlire Drama Kennedy" Stories Presented in Collaboration With the rathe Pliycrs and the Eclectic Film Co. Cppyrlctit, 1914, bf the Stir Cotnpmjr All Poidin Rlctli RtKtfoi. H 8YNOP8IS. I H The morning after tlio finding of Wu j FntiK's body and Kennedy's dlsappoar- H unco, a submarine appears on tha bay, lE IIurciiB Dot Mar plunges overboard from It nncl swims ashore IIIh mission Ih to j obtain Information of Kennedy and ro- H cover tlio lout torpedo, At tlin Uodga H Iioitio lio noon wins tlio conlUlenco of Klalno. Later she Ih warned by a llttlo H old mart to bo careful of Del Mar Just In f tlmo to prevent Del Mar from carrying H out bin plans. Del Mar at last miccoedH In Rottlnif tlio torpedo, only to liavx It dent toyed by the llttlo old man, Jameson In captured by Del Mar's men wlillo on Ida way to mall a letter to tlio U. H. no- crot Hcrvlce. Dlalno resetios lilm, I.leil- tenant Woodward and bin friend, Prof en- j nor Arnold, attend a party Riven at tlio H Dodgo homo, where unknowingly. Del H Mar dropn a noto which Klvcn l?fnlne a H clue. In Iter attempt to prevent bis cut- j tlntf the Atlantlo eablo nliu In discovered H and nuulo a prisoner on tlio boat, which H itftorwardn Is wrecked by Woodward unit H Arnold. Jameson, In a liydro-neroplano, H naves Klalno from drowning. Klalno, ills- H gulsed an a man, discovers tlio entranco H of Del Mar'n wireless cavo nt almost the H amo tlmo Arnold, by a "radio detective," H lias discovered tlio wireless station. H Klnlno's discovery nearly proves fatal, lm In saved by Jameson, both aid Arnold H mid Woodward In rtcstioylng the wireless H Htatton, but Del Mar crapes. In a du- m nertcd hotel In tlio woods, ho dlrcctn tlio m making of a number of Kan bombs. Klalno m dlscovcrn Del Mar's man at work, In cap- turod, but escapes. When tlio hotel In H later nttacked tlio men retreat to tha M woodn, where they explode the Kan bombs, m nenily causing tlio death of 1-leiitonant H Woodward and his attacking party. H Klalno recclven a package which contains m a new snnrchllght trim from nn unknown H jrrlend. Jameson und Klalno provo the ac- m curacy of tlio new weapon. Wlillo motor- H IMS' with Jnmeson, Klalno discovers a M bomb placed thera by one of Del Mar'n H tnon for safe-keeping. They taka It to Lieutenant Woodward who sends them to H Professor Arnold's yacht, Thoy are at- M lacked by Del Mar and his men. Tlio m HearchllKh Run naves Klalno and Jamo- m r.on who ikcIi the yacht Barely. Dot Mar m appeals on tlio bay with u niibinarlno and m destroys the ynelit with a torpedo, only to llnd that Professor Arnold and bis H i party liavo escaped. H thirty-third'episode H THE LURE OF THE MODISTE. H Early ono morning a vory linmlHomo m woman of tlio adventuress typo ar- M rived with sovoral trunks nt tlio big U Btimmor hotol Just outsldo tho town, M tho St. Qormaln. m Among tho many fnshionnblo pcoplo M at tho watering placq, however, sho M uttractod no great attention, and In tho M forenoon sho quietly wont In her mo- m tor for a rldo. 1 It was Madnmo Laronz, ono of Del - Mar'n aocrot agents, who, up to this M titno, had boon engaged In spying on Hj wealthy and lmpresslonublo Amorlcan x' ninnufacturors. H Her airing brought lior Anally to H tho bungalow of Dol Mar, and thoro H Hho raa admitted In a manner that M nhowod thai Dol Mar trusted hor M highly. H "Now," ho ItiBtructod, after a fow H minutes' chat, "I want you to got ac- H qunlntod with Miss Dodgo, Slip's qulto H human. Protty gowns appoal to hor. H Hot hor to tho St. Qormaln. Then H I'll toll you what to(do." H A fow minutes later tho woman loft H In hor enr, so rapidly driven that no H ono would rocognizo her. H It was early in tho afternoon that H Aunt Josophlno was' sitting on tho H voranda whoa an automobllo drovo up H KAk und h vory stylishly gownod and bou- H noted womnn stopped out. H "Good afternoon," sho grootod Aunt H Josophlno ingratiatingly, as sho ap- H proachod tho houso. "I am Madamo H laronz of Now York and Paris. Por- H Imps you liavo hoard of ray shops on H . Fifth avonuo and tho Ituo do la Palx." H Aunt Josophlno had hoard tho namo, H thouch sho did not know that this H woman had assumod it without bolng H In any way connoctod with tho placos H sho montlonod. H "I'm establishing a now sort of sum- H mor servlco at tho bettor resorts," tho M woman oxplulnod. "You see, my poo- H plo llnd it annoying to go into tho city H (or gowns. So I am bringing tho lat- H ost Paris modols out to thorn. Is Miss H Dodgo at homo?" H "I think Hlio is playing tonnis," ro- B turnod Aunt Josophlno. M "Oh, yes, I soo her, thank you," tho Hj womnn murmured, moving toward tho m tonnis court back of tho houso. H Klalno and I had agrood to play a H couplo of gamoa, and woro tossing m racks for position. B "Vory woll," laughod Elalno, as sho M won tho toss, "tako tho othor court." jH It was a cool day, and I folt in 9H good spirits. Just to boo whethor I jfljn could do it still, I jumped ovor tho m9 not- fafiflj Our gamo had scarcely started whon H wo woro tnterruplod by tho approach B of a stunning looking womr u. HI "Miss Dodgo?" sho groeted. "Will fjyjgj you oxcuso mo a moment?" MlB Elalno pausod in serving tho ball WSf nnd tho woman handed hor a card MOT from hor dollcato gold mesh bag. It "'yzjl read simply: MS MMB. LAnENZ wm PARIS $$a Gowns. 4(j Elnlno lookod at tho card a momont 3 whllo tho woman ropoatod what alio jn$f had alroudy told Aunt Josophlno. "Mm "You have them horo, then?" Wjjjp ijuorlod Elalno, interested. itfgjS "Yea, I liavo somo very oxcluslvo EaB Inodola which I am showing at my mm nuite lu tho St. Qormaln." aH "Oh, how lovoly!" exclalmod Elalno. H Mi must soo them." H , Thoy talkod a fow minutos, while I H .waltoa patiently for Elalno to start B (the game apgjn. Tha gamo, bowovor, M t- I was dostlncd novor to bo finished. More wolghty matters woro under discussion. dis-cussion. I wondered what thoy woro talking about and, suppressing a yawn, I walked toward them. As I approached I hoard scattered romarks about stylos and dross fabrics. Elalno had completely forgotten tennis ten-nis and mo. Sho took a couplo of stops nwny from tho court with tho woman as I camo up. "Aren't you going to play?" I nuked. "I know you'll oxcuso mo, Walter," smiled Elnlno. "My frocks are all so frightfully out of dato. And hero's a chnnco to get now ones, vory reasonably, reasona-bly, too." Thoy walked off, nnd I could not help scowling at tho visitor. On toward to-ward tho houso Elalno nnd Madamo Lnren. proceeded, nnd around It to tho front porch, whero Aunt Josophlno wns standing. "Just think, auntie," cried Elalno, "rcnl Paris gowns down horo without tho trouble of going to tho city and cheaply, too." Aunt Josophlno wns only mildly interested, in-terested, but that did not scorn to worry Mndatno Lnrcnz. "I shall bo glad to sco you at threo, Miss Dodgo," Bho said, as she got into hor car again and drovo off. Whon I enrao down I found Aunt Josophlno still on tho vornnda. In addition ad-dition to my horso, which I had telephoned tele-phoned for, Elaine's llttlo runnhout had been driven to tho door. While I wns talking to Aunt Josophlno, Elnlno camo downstairs and walked ovor to tho car. "May I go with you?" I pleaded. "No, Woltor," sho replied, laughing morrlly. "You can't go. I want to try them on." Proporly squelched, I rotrented. Elalno drovo nway, and a momont lntor I mounted nnd cantered off lela-uroly. lela-uroly. Nenr Dol Mar's bungalow might have been scon again tho mysterious naturalist, walking along tho road with n butterfly net in his hand, and what appeared to bo a lenthor Bpeclmon caso, porhnps six Inches long, under his other arm. As Madamo Laronz whizzed past In hor car, ho looked up keenly, In Bplto of his scorning near-sightedness and huge- smoked glasses. Ho watched her closely, noting tho number of tho enr, then turnod nnd followed it. Mndam Lnrcnz drow up, a second tlmo, beforo Del Mar's. As sho got out and entered, tho naturalist, having qulckcnod his pneo, camo up and watched hor go in. Then, after taking in tho situation for a momont, ho mado his way around tho sldo of tho bungalow. bunga-low. "Is Mr. Dol Mar nt homo?" Inquired Madam Laronz, ob tho valot ushorod hor Into tlio library. "No, madam," ho roturnod. "Mr. Dol Mnr is out. Hut ho loft word thnt If you camo boforo ho got back you woro to lcavo word." .Tho womnn snt down nt tho desk nnd wroto hastily. Whon sho had finished fin-ished tho short noto sho read It ovor nnd folded It up. "Tell Mr Dol Mar I'vo loft n noto horo on his desk," sho Bald to tho valot. A moment Inter Bho loft tho library, followed by tho valot, who accom-panlod accom-panlod her to her car, and nssisted hor In. "Tho hotel." sho directed to her drlvor, ns ho started off, wlillo tho valet roturnod to tho bungalow. Outsldo, tho naturalist hnd como through tho shrubbery nnd had boon looking in nt tho library window, watching ovory move of Madamo Laronz Lar-onz as sho wroto. As Bho went out ho paused just n socond to look about. Then ho drow a long knlfo from his pocket, forcod tho window catch, and quickly climbed into tho room. Directly to tho deBk ho wont and hurriedly rnn ovor the papers to It. Thoro wns tho noto. Ho picked it up and read It eagerly. "My npnrtmont -St. Qormaln 3 p. m. Laronz." For a moment ho Boomed to consider con-sider what to do. Thon ho roplaced tho noto. Suddenly ho heard tho sound of footBteps. It wns tho valot returning. Quickly tho naturalist ran to tho window nnd jumpod out. A momont later tho valot cntored tho library again. "That's strange," ho exclaimed, under his breath; "I don't recall opening that window over thoro today." I To looked puzzled, nut as no ono was about ho went ovor nnd shut it. Somo distnnco down tho road tho naturalist quietly emerged in safety from tho bushes. With scarcely a moment's hesitation, his mind thoroughly thor-oughly nindo up to his courso, ho hurried hur-ried along tho road. Meanwhllo,' nt tho St. Qormaln, Madamo Larenz entered and passed through tho rotunda of tho hotel, followed fol-lowed by many admiring glances of tho mon, Up in hor room stood several largjs trunks, open, Prom them sho had takon a number of gowns which were Bcutterod about or hung up for exhibition. - As sho cntored, quickly sho selected ono of tho trunks whoso contents woro moro smart than tho rest, and laid tho gowns out most fetchlngly about the room. In tho ofllco of tho hotel a fow mo-inonts mo-inonts lntor tho naturalist ontorcd. Ho looked about curiously, thon wont over to tho desk and glanced ovor tho register. reg-ister. At tho namo "Madame Larenz, Paris, Room 22," ho paused. For somo seconds ho stood thinking. Then ho dellhorntely walked over to a leather chair and took n prominent soat near by in tho lobby. Ho had discarded dis-carded his not, but still had tho caso, which now ho had shoved Into his pocket. From a tnblo ho picked up a nowspapor. It was not long boforo Del Mar pulled up beforo tho hotel and cntored in his usual swagger manner. Ho had returned to tho bungalow, read tho note, nnd hurried over to tho St. Germain. Ho crossed tho lobby, back to tho ofllco. As ho did so tho nnturallst hnd his faco hidden deeply in tho open uowspapcr. Hut no sooner had Del Mnr passed than tho newspaper foil unappreciated, and ho gazed nfter him, as ho left tho lobby by tho back way. It was only a fow minutes after sho had completed arranging her small stock so that it looked qulto impressive, impres-sive, that Madamo Larenz heard n knock at tho door and recognized Del Mar's secret code. Sho opened tho door and ho utrodo in. "I got your noto," ho said, brlofiy, coming directly to business nnd telling tell-ing her just what ho wnnted dono. "Lot mo see," ho concluded, glnncing at his watch. "It is nfter threo now. Sho ought to bo horo nny mlnuto." Outsldo, Elalno drovo up to tho rather garish ontranco of tho St. Qormaln, Qor-maln, and ono of tho boys In uniform uni-form rnn forward to open tho door and tako charge of tho car. Sho, too, crossed tho lobby without seoing tho old naturalist, though nothing escaped him. As Bho pnsscd ho started to riso and cross toward hor, then appeared to chango his mind. Elalno wont on out through tho back of tho lobby, diroctcd by a boy, and mounted a flight of stairs In profcr-on profcr-on co to taking tho lift to tho socond, or sort of mozznnlno floor. Down along tho corridor sho wont, hunting Elaine Jumped In and 8elzed the Paddle. for number twenty-two. At last sho found it at tho end nnd knocked. Dol Mar and Madamo Laronz woro still talking in low tones whon thoy heard a light tap on tho door. "Thoro sho is now," whispored Larenz, "All right; let hor in," answorcd Dol Mar, leaping quietly to a closet. "I'll hldo horo until I got tho signal. Do Just as I told you." Outsldo, at tho samo tlmo, according accord-ing to his carefully concocted plans, Dol Mar's car had driven up nnd stopped closo to tho sldo of tho hotol, which was on a slight hill that brought tho street lovol horo not so far bolow tho second story windows. Threo of his most trusted men woro in tho car. Madamo Larenz openod tho door. "Oh, I'm so glad you camo," sho rattled rat-tled on to Elalno. "You soo, I'vo got to got started. Not a customer yet. nut if you'll only tako a fow gowns, othor peoplo will como to me. I'll lot you liavo them cheaply, too. Just look at this ono." Sho hold up ono fllmy, creamy creation crea-tion that looked llko a dollcato flower. "I'd llko to try It on," crlod Elalno, lingering It rapturously. "Hy all moans!" agreed madamo. "Wo aro alono. Do bo." With deft flngors, Larenz helped hor tako off hor own very protty dress. As Elalno slipped tho soft gown over hor head, with her hoad and arms en-gagod en-gagod in its multitudinous folds, Madamo Laronz, a powerful woman, selzod hor. Elalno was effectually gaggod and bound in tho gown Itsolf. Instantly Del Mar flung himself from tho closet, disguising his volco. Togothor they wrapped tho dross about Elalno ovon moro tightly to pro-vont pro-vont hor scroamtng. Madamo Laronz seized a blanket and throw that ovor Elalno's head also, while Dol Mar ran to tho window. win-dow. Thoro woro his men In tho car, waiting bolow. "Aro you ready?" ho called softly to them. Thoy looked about carefully. Thoro was no ono on that sldo of tho hotol just at tho moment. "Ready," responded ono. "Quick!" Togothor Del Mnr and Madamo Laronz passed Elalno, Ineffectually struggling, out of tho window. The mon soized her nnd plnced her in tho bottom of tho car, which wan covered. Then thoy 'shot away, taking a back road up tho hill. Hurriedly tho naturalist went through tho lobby in tho direction Elalno had gono, nnd a moment later reached tho corridor abovo. Down it, ho could hear someone coming out of room 22. Ho slid into an anglo and hid. It was Dol Mar and tho womnn ho had seen at tho bungalow. Thoy pnsscd by without discovering him, nor could ho make out anything that thoy Bald. What mischief was afoot? Whoro was Elaine? Ho rnn to tho door and tried it. It was locked. Quickly ho took from his pocket a skeleton key nnd unlocked It. Thoro was Elalno's lint nnd dross lying in a heap on tho bed. Hut sho was not thoro. Ho was now thoroughly thor-oughly alarmed. Sho could not liavo passed him in tho hall. Thoroforo sho must liavo gono or been taken out through tho window. That would nover liavo been voluntary, especially leaving hor things thcro. Tho window waB still open. Ho ran to it. Ono glanco out was enough. Ho leaped to tho ground. Suro enough thoro woro automobllo tracks in tho dust. '"Del Mar's car!" ho muttored to hlmsolf, studying them. Ho fairly ran nround tho sldo of tho hotol. Thoro ho camo suddenly upon Elalno's car standing alono, and recognized rec-ognized it. Thoro was no tlmo for dolay. Ho Jumped into it and lot tho swift llttlo racor out as ho turned and gathered momentum to shoot up tho hill on high speed. Meanwhllo, I had been Jogging along through tho country, lonely and disconsolate. dis-consolate. I don't hnow how it happened, hap-pened, but I Biipposo it was by somo subconscious desire. At any rato, I found myself at tho road that camo out across ono leading to tho St. Qormaln, and it occurred to mo that Elalno might by thla tlmo liavo purchased pur-chased enough frocks to clotho her for a year. At any rato I quickened my pace in tho hope of seeing hor. Suddonly my horso shied, and a familiar fa-miliar llttlo car Unshod past mo. Hut tho drlvor was not familiar. It was Elalno's roadstor. In it was a strangera stran-gera man who looked llko a "bugol-oglst," "bugol-oglst," ns noarly as I can dcscrlbo him. Was ho running off with hor car wlillo sho was waiting insldo tho hotol? ho-tol? I galloped after him. Del Mnr's automobllo, with Elalno bound nnd gaggod In It, drovo rapidly by bnck and unfrcquontod ways Into tho country until at last it pulled up boforo an ompty two-story houso in n sort of grovo of troos. Tho men leaped out, lifted Elalno, and carried hor bodily into tho houso, taking her upstnirs and into nn upper room. Sho hnd fnlnted whon thoy laid hor down and loosened tho dross from about hor faco so thnt Bho could broatho. Thoro thoy left her, on tho floor, her hands and feet bound, and wont out. How long sho lay thero sho novor knew; but nt Inst tho air rovlved hor and sho rogalnod consciousness nnd sat up. Her muscles woro soro nnd hor head ached. Dut Bho sot hor teeth and began struggling with tlio cords that bound her, managing at last to pull tho dress over herself at least. In Elalno's car tho naturalist drovo slowly at times, following tho track of tho automobllo ahead. At last, howovor, ho camo to a placo whoro ho saw that tho tracks wont up a lonely rood. To npproaph in a car was to warn whoovor waB thoro. Ho ran the car up alongside tho road in tho bushes nnd Jumped out, leaving it nnd following tho tracks up tho sldo roadway. Stealthily tho naturalist crept around, Btlll hiding, until ho wns closer clos-er to tho houso on tho othor sldo. At last ho worked his- way around to tho rear door. Ho tried it. It was bolted, and ovon tho skeleton 4 koy was unavailing to slldo tho bolt. Soconds woro precious. Quickly ho wont to tho cornor ot tho houso. Thero was a water pipe. Ho began to climb it, risking its pro-carious pro-carious support. On tho roof at last, tho naturalist crawled along, looking for somo way of getting into tho houso. Dut ho could not seem to find any. Carofully ho crawled to tho odgo of tho roof nnd looked ovor. Ilolow ho could hear sounds, but could mako nothing of thorn, t From his pocket he' took tho leather caso and opened It. Thero was a peculiar pe-culiar arrangement, llko somo ot tho collapsiblo arms on which telephone instruments aro often fastened to a desk or wall, capable of being col-lapsod col-lapsod into small spaco or of being extended ex-tended for somo distance On tho thing wns arranged a system of mirrors, mir-rors, which tho naturalist adjusted. It wns a pocket periscope. Ho thrust tho thing over tho edgo ot tho roof and down, and looked through it. Bolow, ho could soo Into tlio room from which camo tho peculiar pecu-liar sounds. Ho looked anxiously. Thoro ho could bco Elalno endeavoring still to looson tho cords and unablo to do so. Only for a moment ho looked. Thon ho folded up tho pocket poriscopo in tho caso and shoved it back into his pocket. pock-et. Quickly ho crossed tho roof again and slid down tho raln-plpc. At tho door stood threo of Dol Mar's mon waiting for Del Mar who had told thorn ho would fotfow immediately. Tho naturalist had by this tlmo reached tho ground and was going nlong carofully back to tho houso. Ho drew his revolver and, pointing it down, fired. Thon ho dodged back of an extension nnd disappeared for tho moment. Instantly tho threo men sprang up and ran toward tho spot whoro it seemed tho shot had been fired. Thoro was no ono about tho sldo of tho houso. Dut tho wind had carried tho smoke into somo bushes bcsldo tho grovo, nnd thoy crashed into tho bushes, beating about. At tho samo tlmo, tho naturalist, having first waited until ho saw which way tho men woro going, dashed about tho houso in tho opposlto direction. Then ho slipped, unopposed and unob served, in through tho open front door, up tho stairs and nlong to tho room into which ho had Just been looking. look-ing. Ho unlocked tho door and entered. en-tered. Elalno was still struggling with tho cords when Bho caught sight of tho stranger. "Not a word!" ho cautioned under his breath. Sho was indeed too frightened to cry out. Quickly ho loosened hor, still holding his linger to his lips to enjoin sllcnco. "Follow mo!" ho whispered. ' Sho oboyed mechanically, and then went out into tho hall. On downstairs went tho naturalist, Elalno still keop-ing keop-ing closo after him. Ho looked out through tho front door, then drow back. Quickly ho went through tho lower hall until ho camo to tho back door in tho kitchen, Elalno following. Ho unboiled tho door and opened it. "Run," he said, simply, pointing out of tho door. "Thoy'ro coming back tho othor way. I'll hold them." Sho needed no further urging, but darted from tho houso as ho closed tho door after her. It was Just at thlB point that Dol Mar camo riding along tho main road on horseback. Ho pulled up suddenly as ho saw a car run In alongside tho rond. "That's Elalno's runabout," ho muttered, mut-tered, as ho dismounted and tied his horso. "How camo it hero?" IIo approached tho car, much wor ried by its unaccountablo prcsenco thoro instead of boforo tho St. Germain. Ger-main. Thon ho drow his gun and hurried hur-ried up tho sldo road. Ho heard a shot and quickened his paco. In tho woods unexpectedly ho camo upon his threo men still beating about, searching with drawn rovolvers for tho person who had fired tho shot. "Well?" ho demanded, sharply, "what's all this?" "Someono fired a shot," thoy explained, ex-plained, Bomowhat crestfallen. "It was a trick, you fools," ho answered an-swered testily. "Got back to your prisoner." Without a word thoy turned and hurried toward tho houso, Del Mar following. "You two go In," ho ordered or-dered the foremost. "I'll go around tho houso with Patrick." As Del Mar and tho other mnn ran around tho corner thoy could just catch a fleeting gltmpso ot eomeono disappearing into tho treos. It wns Elalno. Tho man hurried forward, blazing awny with his gun. Running, breathless, Elalno heard tho shot bohlnd hor which Dol Mar'n man had fired in his eagerness. Tho bullot struck a troo near her with a "ping!" Sho glancod back nnd saw tho man. Hut sho did not stop. Intend In-tend sho rodoublod hor efforts, running run-ning zigzag in among tho treos whero thoy wero thickest. Dol Mar, a llttlo bit behind hlsTan whero Bho could not rocognizo him, urged tho mnn on, following carefully. On fled Elalno, her heart bcntlng fuBt Suddenly Bho stopped, nnd almost al-most cried out in vexation. A stream blocked hor retroat a stream swift and deep. Sho looked back, torrlfled-. Hor pursuers pur-suers woro coming ahead fast now in hor direction. Wildly sho gazed around, Thoro waB a canoe on tho bank. In an instant sho Jumpod in, untied it and seized tho paddlo. Off Bho wont, striking for tho opposlto oppo-slto shoro. Hut tho current was raging rag-ing swiftly, and sho wns already tlrod and exhausted. Sho oould swircoly mako any headway at all in thtt fierce eddies. But nt least, sho thought hur- t riedly, Bho was getting farther nnd I farther away from thom down stream. Up above, Del Mar and his man r' camo to the edgo of tho water. Thcn they stood for n moment looking dowfc. I "Thero Bho Is," pointed the man Del Mar raised his rovolver and fired. f Suddenly a bullet struck Elaine's paddlo and broke it. Clutchlnp .h f useless splintered shaft, sho war, uow I at tho mercy of tho current, wept I along llko a piece of drlftwoo SMll Sho looked about frantically What f '7"" was that roaring noise? - jKf r' It was tho waterfalls ahead I jF Jjj In tho mcantimo Del MaiKfl othor ' two men had entered tho huaso and had run upstairs, knowing well his wrath if anything had happened. As they did so, tho naturalist poked his hend cautiously out of tho kitchen whero ho had been hiding, nnd saw them. Then ho followed noiselessly, his revolver ready. Headlong thoy ran ir.to tho room whoro thoy had left Elnjno. Sho was gono! Before thoy could turn tho naturalist natural-ist locked tho door, turned, and took tho stops down, two at a tlmo. Then ho ran out of tho front door and Into tho woods at an anglo to tho direction taken by Elalno, turning nnd going down hill, whero a rapid, Bwollen stream curved about through a gorge As ho reached tho stream ho J hoard a Bhot'abovo. j Ho looked up. Thoro was Elaine, swopt down toward him. Helow ho ' know tlio stream tumbled ovor a tall cataract into tho gorge below. ; What could ho do? " i A sudden crackling' of tlio twigs caused him to turn nnd catch sight ot me, Just coming up. For, as best I could on horseback, I had followed Elaine's car until at last I saw that It had been abandoned. ' Thoroughly nlarmed, I rodo on, past a deserted house, until suddenly I heard a Bhot and a scream. It seemed - - to como from below me. and I leaped , off my horse, making for it as fast as I could, racing toward a stream whoBo roar I could hoar. f Thcro on tho bank I came upon a , queer old codger, looking about wildly. if Was ho tho automobllo thief? I ran J forward, ready to seizo him. Dut as il I did so ho whirled about, and with a j strength remarkable In ono so old, soized my wrist beforo I could got H his. rJ1" "Look!" ho cried simply, pointing ;r up tho otroam. I did. A girl in a canoe was coming down toward tho falls, screaming, her jj paddlo broken and useless. My heart fS leaped into my mouth. It was Elalno! J!' "Como! " ho panted eagerly to mo, "I Gh can savo her. You must do just as I k say." -y-r Ho pointed to an overhanging rock k near by and wo ran to It. rl Hy this tlmo Elalno was almost upon j us, each second getting nearer tho ra veritable maelstrom abovo tho falls. if From tho rock overhung also a troo at tho vory edgo of tho water. J Thoro waB nothing to do but obey - "'"15 him. Abovo, though wo did not boo thom, Dol Mar and his man wero gloating gloat-ing ovor tho result of their work. Dut thoy woro gloating too soon. Wo camo to tho rock and tho tree. y "Horo," crlod 'the now-found frlond, "I'll got hold of tho troo and then hold you." Instantly ho throw himself on his stomach, hooking his leg about tho troo trunk. I crawled out over tho ledgo of sllppory rock to tho very edgo and looked over. It waB tho only 8 chance. Tho old naturalist seized my logs In V his hands. I slid down tho rock, let- ting myself go. J Literally, his presonco of mlud had "jj Invented what was really a life chain, jl a human ropo. ,' jl On camo tho canoo, Elalno la it as I white as death, crying out and trying -t5. to stop or guldo it as, nearer and near- I or though tho smooth, worn walls of I tho chasm, It whirled to tho fulls. I With a grip ot steel tho naturalist 1 hold to tho treo, which swayed and -1 bent, while also ho held mo, as If in IB a vlso, hend down. U On camo Elaine directly at us. m Sho stood up nnd balanced horsoU K a dangerous feat In a ennoe at nny Jl tlmo, but doubly so in thouo dark, swirling, trencherotiB wnterB. "Steady!" I encouragod. "Grab my arms!" ; As tho canoo reached us sho gave a ' llttlo Jump and Bolzed my forearmB. Hor hands slipped, but I grasped hor own arms, nnd wo hold each other. Tho momentum of hor bodj wnH great. For an Instant I thought wo woro all going over. Hut tho naturalist natural-ist held his grip and slowly began to pull himself and us up tho slippery rock. A second later tho canoo crashed o?er tho falls in a cloud of spray ana pounding water. Ab wo reached tho bank nbovo tho x rock I almost lifted Elalno and set her 9 down, trembling nnd gasping Irtl) breath. Heforo olthor of us knew itH. "-tho "-tho queer old follow had plungod lnto tho bushes and was gono without another an-other word. "Walter," she cried, "call him back. I must toll him how much I owo him my llfol" Hut ho had disappeared, absolutely. Wo shouted after him. It waa ot no use. x "Woll, what do you think ot that?" cried Elalno. "IIo saved my life thoa didn't wnlt oven to bo thanked." Who was ho? Wo looked at each other a moment, nut neither of us spoko what vu 1a our hearts. (TO BE CONTINUED.) 1 r |