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Show The Romance of I I Tllina Sequel to The Exploits I -mi of Elaine I hSeK?Noel fiy ARTHUR B. REEVE 1 ijti0nPCl Th WdMCnown Novelist .nd th. C,e- jj Wre Drama fi ator of the "Craig Kennedy" Stories. K j rrcitDttd la CoIUboutlon Wilfc tat P.tb. PUreri ui Is Etletlic Fila Coapuy 8 d ComUM 1914. by lh ttf Compnnr. All Foreltn Rlhu RtKirtl. JJ - 8YNOP8I8. After the finding of Wu Fang's body una Kennedy's disappearance, a submarine subma-rine appears the following mornlnK on the bay. A man plunges overboard from It and swims ashore. It Is the entrance of Marcius Del Mar Into America. Ills mission Is to obtain Information of Kennedy and recover, If possible, the lost torpodo. At tho Dodgo homo ho soon wins the confidence of Elaine. Later she is warned by a little old man to bo careful care-ful pf Del Mar. This warning camo Just In tlmo to prevent Del Mar from carrying carry-ing out his plans. Later Elaine gives a masquerade ball. Del Mnr attends. Neither ho nor his domino girl cdn locate tho torpedo. A ray friar warng Elaine and Jameson of '' Mars purpose, nnd his plans aro up- m'f fet.D.el Mnr succeeds In getting this girl V ,n Elalno's home as a maid. Bhe finds tho torpedo In tho attic, places It In a trunk, 4 which with others Is sent to Elalno's , country home. A holdup on tho train takes place. Del Mar's men carry tho trunk away, only to rind on opening It that they have tho wrong trunk. upon lilalno'n arrival In the country slio again encounters tho old man of mystery. mys-tery. Ho warns her to do her own un- ' . packing. Sho docs, and finds the long-lost torpedo, which she places In a dresser drawer. Del Mar's men enter her room t"' - during her absence nnd escape with the lv torpedo. They are seen by tho old man, who follows them. A desperate battle - follows In which tho old man destroys the torpedo. That afternoon as Elaine ' nd Jameson aro riding through tho country Del Mar plans to blow up a ' brldgo at a tlmo when they nro crossing. Ho would hove succeeded but tho old rnan unexpectedly appears nnd delays tho EXPJOB,on J"8 'ng enough to permit - Elaine's car to cross safely. T TWENTY-EIGHTH EPISODE THE CAVE IN THE CLIFF. 1 It wob not long after the almost miraculous escape of Elaine and" my- eelf from tho blowing up of the brldgo on tho Bhoro road that Del Mar returned re-turned from his mysterious mission which had, apparently, taken him actually down to tho bottom of the ea. The panel In tho wall of his library opened and in tho still dripping sub- t marlno suit, holding under his arm t- the weird holmet, Del Mar entered. No sooner had ho begun to removo his wot diving BUlt than tho man who , had signaled with tho heliograph that we had found Dol Mar's message from v "below," whatever that might mean, entered tho houso and was announced by the valet. s, ' "Let him como In Immediately," or- -'' derod Del Mar, placing his suit In a closet. Then to tho man, as ho en- .- tered the room, ho said: "Well, what's , . new?" i "Quito a bit," returned tho man, frowning still ovor Elalno's accidental discovery of tho under-wntor communication. com-munication. "Tho Dodge girl happened to pick up ono of tho tubos with a message Just nfter you wont down. I tried to get her by blowing up ono of tho bridges, but It didn't work, somehow." some-how." "Wo'll havo to Bllenco her," remarked re-marked Del Mar angrily with a sinister sinis-ter frown, "You stay hero and wait for orders." A momont later ho made his way down to a prlvato dock on his grounds and Jumped aboard a trim littlo speed boat moored there Ho started tho motor and off the boat feathered In a cloud of spray. It was only a momont by water bo-foro bo-foro ho reached tho Dodgo dock. There ho tied his boat and hurried up tho dock. Elaine and I arrived homo without any further experiences after our hairbreadth hair-breadth oscapo from tho explosion , at tho brldgo. Wo wore In doubt at first, however, Just what to do about tho mysterious message which wo had picked up In the harbor. ! "Really, Walter," remarked Elaine, after wo had considered tho matter for Bomo tlmo, "I think wo ought to aend that mosBago to tho government ' at Washington. It may bo of great lm- ,. portanco." ' Already Bho had seated horaolf at j2 her doBk and began to wrlto, while I - examined the metal tubo and tho noto jf ! &. ' y "Thore," she said at length, handing j '' mo the note she had written, "how ' ' does that sound?" v- I read It whllo Bhe addressed the on- 4, velope. "Very good," I repllod, hand- , X' ng t back. .- t ,7 Sho folded It and shoved it Into tho ' envelopo on which Bho had written: "Chief, "Secret Service, "Washington, D. C." I was studying tho address, wonder-'.:. wonder-'.:. lng whether this was just tho thing to ' do, when Elalno deeldod tho matter J by energetically ringing tho bell for 4B Jennings. "Post that, Jennings, plcaso," Bhe directed. : The butler bowed Just bb tho door boll rang. Ho turned to go. "Just a mlnuto," I Interrupted. "I think perhaps I'd better mall It myself, my-self, aftor all." He handed mo the letter and went out. "Yes, Walter," agreed Elalno, "that would bo bettor. Please register It, too." "How do you do?" greeted a Buavo volco. It was Del Mar, As ho passed me I f to speak to Elaine, apparently by ac cident, ho knocked tho letter from my hand. "I beg your pardon," ho apologized, quickly Btooping and picking tho mis-slvo mis-slvo up. Though he managed to read tho ad-drcBS, ad-drcBS, he maintained IiIb composure and handed the letter back to mo. 1 started to go out, when Elalno called to mo. "Excuso mo Just a moment, Mr. Del Mar?" she queried) accompanying mo out on tho porch. Already a saddle horso had been brought around for mo. "'Perhaps you'd bettor put a special delivery stamp on it, too, Waltor," sho ndded, walking along with mo. "And bo very careful." "I will," I promised, as I rodo quickly quick-ly off. Del Mar, alone, seized tho opportunity opportun-ity to go over quietly to tho telophono. It was the work of only a moment to call up his bungalow where tho emissary emis-sary who had placed tho submarine bell was waiting for orders. Quickly Quick-ly Del Mar whispered Ills Instructions, which tho man took, and hung up tho rocolvor. "I hope you'll pardon mo," said Elaine, entering just as Del Mar left tho telophono. "Mr. Jameson was going go-ing into town nnd I had a number of littlo things I wanted him to do. Won't you sit down?" They chatted for a few moments, but Del Mar did not stay very long. Ho excused himself shortly and Elalno bado him good-by at tho door as ho walked off, apparently, down the road I had taken. Del Mar's emissary hurried from the bungalow and almost ran down tho road until ho camo to a spot where two men wero biding. "Jameson Is coming with a letter which tho Dodgo girl has written to tho Secret Service," ho cried, pointing excitedly up tho road. "You've got to get it, see?" I was cantering along nicely down tho road by tho shore, when suddenly, from behind somo rocks nnd bushes, threo men leaped out at me. Ono of them seized tho horse's bridlo, while tho other two quickly dragged mo out of tho saddle. It was very unexpected, but I had tlmo enough to draw my gun nnd flro once. I hit ono of the men, too, In the arm, and he staggered back, tho blood spurting all over the road. But before I could flro at tho others, they knockod tho gun from my hand. Frightened, tho horso turned and bolted, bolt-ed, riderless. Together, thoy dragged mo off tho road and Into tho thicket, where I was tied and gagged and laid on tho ground, while ono of them bound up tho wounded arm of the man I had hit. It was not long before ono of them began be-gan searching mo. "Aha!" ho growled, pulling tho letter let-ter from my pocket and looking at It with satisfaction. "Hero it Is." Ho tore the letter open, throwing tho envelopo on tho ground, and read It. "Thore, confound you," ho muttered. "Tho government'll never get that. Come on, men. Bring him this way. Hurry up!" Ho shoved tho letter Into his pocket and led tho way through tho jinder-brush, jinder-brush, whllo tho others half dragged, halt pushed mo along. Wo had not gone very far before ono of tho three men, who appeared to be tho leader, paused. "Take him to the hang-out," he ordered or-dered gruffly. "I'll havo to report to tho chiof." Ho disappeared down toward tho shoro of tho harbor whllo tho others prodded mo along. Down near the Dodgo dock, along the shoro, walked a man wearing a broad-brimmed hat and a plain suit of duck. His prim collar and tlo comported com-ported well with his smoked glasses Instinctively ono would have called him "profcBBOr," though whether naturalist, na-turalist, geologist, or plain "bugolo-glst," "bugolo-glst," jono would havo had difficulty In determining. Ho seemed, as a matter of fact, to bo a naturalist, for ho was engrossed tn picking up specimens. But ho was not bo much engrossed as to fall to hear tho approach of footsteps down the gravel walk from Dodge hall to tho dock. Ho looked up in time to see Del Mar coming, and quietly concealed con-cealed himself in tho shrubbery up on tho shore. On tho dock, Del Mar stood for somo minutes, watting. Finally, Along the shoro camo another figure. It was tho emissary to whom Del Mar had telephoned tele-phoned nnd who had searched mo. Tho naturalist drew back into his hiding hid-ing place, peeping out keenly at tho two men. "Well?" demandod Del Mar. "What luck?" "We've got him," returned tho man with brief satisfaction. "Hero's tho lettor slip was sending to the Secret Service." Del Mar tselzcd the noto which tho man handed to him and read It eager., ly. "Good," ho exclaimed. "That would have put an end to the whole " " ' "' ' "' i i F "Hi i, operations about here. Como on. Get into tho boat." For Bomo reason best known to himself, tho naturalist seemed to havo lost all Interest In his specimens and to havo a sudden curiosity about Del Mat's affairs. As tho motor boat sped off, ho camo Blowly and curiously out of his hiding placo and gazed fixedly at Dol Mar. No sooner had Dol Mar's boat got a littlo dtstanco out Into tho harbor than tho naturalist hurried down tho Dodgo lock. Thero was tied Elalno's own fast littlo runabout. Ho Jumped Into It and startod tho onglno, following follow-ing quickly In Del Mar's wako. "Look," called tho emissary lo Dol Mar, spying tho Dodgo boat with tho naturalist In It, skimming rapidly after aft-er them. Del Mar strained his eyes back through his glass at tho pursuing boat. But tho naturalist, In splto of hla smoked glasses, seemed not to havo impaired his oycslght by his studies. Ho caught tho glint of tho sun on tho lens at Pol Mar's oyo and dropped down Into tho bottom of his own boat, wherohowas at least safo from scrutiny, scru-tiny, If his boat wero not. Del Mar lowered his glass. "That's tho Dodge boat," ho Bald thoughtfully. -I don't llko tho looks of that follow. Give her more speed." Del Mnr had not gone long beforo Elalno decided to tako a rldo herself. Sho ordered her horso around from tho stables whllo sho donned her neat littlo riding habit. A fow minutes lator, as tho groom held tho horso, Bho mounted and rodo away, choosing tho road by which I had gono, expecting to meet mo on tho return from town. Sho was galloping along at a good clip when suddenly her horso shied at something. "Whoa, BuBter," pacified Elalno. But It was of no ubo. Buster still reared up. "Why, what is tho matter?" Bho aBked. "What do you seo?" She, looked down at tho ground. Thero was a spot of blood In tho dust. Bustor was ono of thoso horses to whom tho sight of blood la terrifying. Elalno pulled up besido tho road. Thero was a revolver lying in the grass. Sho dismounted nnd picked it up. No sooner had sho looked at It than sho discovered tho initials "W. J." carved on tho butt. "Walter Jameson I" sho exclaimed, realizing suddenly that It was mine. "It's been fired, too!" Her eyo fell again on tho blood spots. "Blood and footprints Into tho brush!" sho gasped In horror, following fol-lowing tho trail. "What could havo happened to Waltor?" With tho revolver, Elalno followed where tho bushes wero trampled down until sho camo to tho place whero I had been bound. Thero sho spied somo pieces of paper lying on tho ground and picked them up. Sho put them together. They wero pieces of tho envelope of the letter which wo had decided to send to Washington. Wash-ington. "Which way did they tako him?" sho asked, looking all about but dls covering no trail. Sho was plainly at a loss what courso to pursue. "What would Craig do?" she asked herself. Finding no answer, sho stood thinking think-ing a moment, slowly tearing tho envelopo en-velopo to pieces. If she were to do anything at all, it must bo done qulqk-ly. qulqk-ly. Suddenly an idea seemed to occur to her. Sho throw tho ploccs of paper into tho air and let them blow nway. It was unscientific dctoctlon, perhaps, but tho wind actually took them and carried them in the direction in which the men had forced mo to walk, after they had robbed mo of tho letter. "That's It!" cried Elalno to herself. "I'll follow that direction." Meanwhile, tho men had hurried mo off along a trail that led to the foot of a cliff. Then tho trail wound up tho cliff. Wo climbed It until we reached the top, Thero In tho rock was a rudo stairway. stair-way. I drew back. But ono man drow a gun and tho other preceded mo down. Along tho steep stone steps cut in tho faco of tho rock thoy forced mo. Below, in a rift In tho very wall of tho cliff, was a cavo In which already were two moro of Dol Mar's men, talking talk-ing In low tones, in tho dim light. As wo mado our way down tho breakneck stairway, tho foremost of my captors stepped on a large flat rock. As he dl(l bo, It gave way slightly slight-ly under his foot. A light in tho cavo flashed up. Under Un-der tho rock was a secret electric connection which operated a lamp. "Someono coming," muttered tho two men, on guard instantly. It was a somewhat precarious footing foot-ing as wo descended nnd for tho moment mo-ment I was moro concerned for my safety from a fall than anything else. Onco my foot did slip and a shower of pobbles and small pieces of rock started start-ed down the faco of the cliff. As wo passed down, tho man behind be-hind mo, still keeping mo covered, raised tho flat stono on tho top step. Carefully ho reset tho connection of tho alarm rock, a scries of motal points that bent under the weight of a person and mado a contact which signaled down in tho cavorn fho approach ap-proach of anyono who did not,know tho secret. Ab ho did bo, tho light In tho cavern went out. "It's all sight," Bald ono of tho men down there, with a look of relief. Wo went down the perilous stairway stair-way until wo came to the cavo. "I've got a prisoner orders of the chief," growled one of my captors, 'thrusting mo In roughly. They forced me into a corner where thoy tied mo again, hand and foot. Then thoy began dobatlng In low, Bin-lator Bin-lator tones, what was to bo dono with mo noxt Onco in a whllo I could catch a word. Fear mado my scnacs hypersonBltlvo. Thoy wero arguing whothor thoy should make away with mo now or latorl Finally tho leader tobo. "It's threo to ono," I heard him mutter. "Ho dies now," Ho turned and took a menacing stop toward me. "Hands up!" It was a shrill, firm volco that rang out at tho mouth of tho cavo as a flguro cut off what littlo light thero was. Elalno passed along, hunting for tho trail. Suddenly n shower of pobbles camo falling down from a cliff above her. Somo of them hit her and she looked up quickly. Thero sho could seo mo being led along by my enptors. Sho hid In tho brush and watched. During nil tho operations of tho descent of thp rock stairway and tho resetting of tho alarm sho continued to watch, straining strain-ing her eyes to boo what thoy wero doing. As wo entered tho cavo, sho stepped out from her conccalmont and looked sharply up at us, as wo disappeared, Then Bho climbed tho path up tho cliff until sho camo to tho flight of stono steps leading downward again, Already sho had scon tho man bo-hind bo-hind mo doing something with tho Btono that formed tho top step. Sho Btooped down and examined tho stono. Carefully sho ralBod It and looked underneath un-derneath before stepping on It. Thoro sho could seo tho olcctrlo connection. Sho set tho stono asldo and looked again down tho dangerous stairway. It mado her shudder. "I must get him," sho murmured to herself. "Yes, I must. Evon now It may bo too lato." They had Just decided to make away with mo Immediately and tho leader had turned toward mo with tho throat still on his lips. It was now or never. Resolutely she took a stop forward and Into tho cavo. "HandB up!" sho domanded' with astonishing firmness. Tho thing was so unexpected In the security of their secret hiding place protected by tho rock alarm that, bo-foro bo-foro they know It, Elalno had them all lined up agalnBt tho wall. Keeping them carefully covered, she moved ovor toward mo. Sho picked up a knlfo that lay near by and start- -- ' ii i i - puf his coat' and hat on it and sot It on the scat which ho had occupied bo-foro bo-foro Just thon Dol Mar's boat ran around tho promontory whero Wu Fang had mot tho submarine that had brought Del Mar into tho country and landed him so strangely. Tho boat slowed down under shelter of tho rocks and Del Mar addod a pair of heavy lcad-solcd bIiocb to his outfit In order to weigh himself down. Finally Final-ly ho put on tho helmet, let himself over tho eklo of tho boat, nnd disappeared disap-peared into tho water. His aldo started tho motor and tho boat shot ahead again, with tho dummy dum-my still occupying Del Mar's scat. As tho boat swung out and mado a wldo sweeping curvo away from tho point at which Dol Mar had gonu overboard, tho naturalist In tho Dodgo boat camo around tho promontory and Baw It, changing his courso accordingly, and gaining somowhat. Del Mnr sank upright and rapidly, down In Iho shallow water to tho bottom. bot-tom. Onco having his feet on something some-thing approaching firm ground, ho gazed about through tho wlndow-llko oye of tho helmot until ho got his bearlngB. Then ho began to walk heavily along tho bottom of tho harbor, har-bor, over sand and rockB. It was n strange walk that ho took, halt Btumbllng, slowly and cumber-somoly cumber-somoly groping his way llko a quoor undcr-watcr animal. If anyone could havo seen htm, ho would havo noted that Dol Mar was going toward tho bnso of a hugo, rocky cliff thut Jutted far out into tho harbor, har-bor, whero tho water waB deep, a dangorous point, avoided by craft of all kinds. Far over his head tho waves beat on tho rocks angrily. But down thoro, concealed beneath tho surfeco of tho harbor, was a sort of hugo arch of stono, through which a comparatively rapid current ran as tho tldo ebbed and flowed. Del Mar let himself bo carried along with tho current, which was now running run-ning in and thus with comparative easo mado his way, still groping, through tho arch. Onco under It and n fow feet beyond, ho deliberately kicked off tho loadcn-solod shoes and, thuB lightened, tobo rapidly to tho sur faco of tho water. As ho bobbed up, a strango sight mot his oyes not strango, however, to Dol Mar. Abovo, tho rocks formed a hugo domo over tho wator which tho tides forced in and out through the secret entranco through which ho i Keeping Them Covered, We Made Our Way Up the Dangerous High Steps. cd to cut tho ropes with which I was bound. As sho did so, one of the men, with an oath, leaped forward to ruBh her. But Elalno was not to bo caught off her guard. Instantly sho fired. Tho man staggered back and fell. That cooled tho ardor of tho othor threo considerably, especially now as I was free, too. While she held them up still, with their bands In the air, I went through their pockets, taking out their weapons. Then, still keeping them covered, we backed out of tho cavo. Backward we mado our way up tho dangerous flight of stppB again with guns leveled at tho cavo entrance, Elalno going up first. Once a head stuck Itself out of tho cavo entrance. I fired Instantly and It Jerked Itself back In again Just In time. That was tho only trouble wo had, apparently. Cautiously and slowly we mado our way toward tho top of the cliff. Ono look backward from his motor-boat motor-boat was enough for Del Mar. Ho must evade that Inquisitive naturalist. He turned to his man. "Get out that apparatus," he ordered. or-dered. Tho man opened a locker and brought out tho curious submarine rescue helmet and suit. Del Mar took them up aud began to put the suit on, stooping down in tho shelter of tho boat bo that his actions could not bo seen by the naturalist in tho pursuing boat. Tho naturalUt was all this tlmo peering peer-ing ahead keenly at Del Mar's boat, trying to make it out Ho bent over and adjusted tho engine to got up moro speed and tho boat shot ahead faster. By this time, Del Mar had put on tho submarine apparatus, all oxcopt tho helmet, and was crouching low in tho boat. Hastily ho roiled a piece of Canvas Into tb jnblanc nf ji iftfty, . ' .. , camo. No other entrance, apparently, except that from tho waters of tho harbor led to this peculiar don. Lying quietly moored to tho rocky piers lay threo submarine boats. Further Fur-ther back, on a ledgo of rock, blasted out, stood a littlo building, a sort of offlco or headquarters. Near by was a shed whero wero kept gas and oil, supplies and ammunition; In fact, everything ev-erything that a submarine could possibly pos-sibly need. This wnB tho reason for Dol Mar'B presenco in tho neighborhood. It was tho secret submarine harbor of tho foreign agents who wero operating In Amerlcal Already a sentry, pacing up and down, had seen tho bubbles in tho water wa-ter that indicated that someono had come through the archway and was down "below," as Dol Mar and his men called it. Gazing down, tho sentry saw the queer hclmeted flguro float up from tho bottom of tho pool. He reached out and helped tho flguro clamber up out of tho water to tho ledgo on which ho stood. Del Mar saluted, and the sentry returned tho secret salute, holp-ing holp-ing him removo the dripping helmet and Bult. A moment later, in the queer little submarino offlco, Del Mar had evidently evident-ly planned to take up the nefarious Bccret work on which ho was engaged. Several men of a naval and military bearing were seated about a table already, al-ready, studying maps and plans and documents of all descriptions. They did not seem to belong to any nation in particular. In fact, their uniforms, if Buch they might bo called, wero of a character to dlsgulso their nationality. national-ity. But that they wero hostilo to tho country under which they literally had their hidden retreat, of that thero could bo no doubt How high Del Mar stood In their counsels could havo been Been at a glance from tho instant deference ex-JWUlUd.at ex-JWUlUd.at the mere mention of bis .. n .iiK u an n. . . s i ktt.imm M namo by tho sentry who entered with M tho submarino suit whllo Del Mar got M himself together after his remarkable Tho men at tho council tablo rose M and saluted as Dol Mar hlmsolf on- M tered. Ho returned tho saluto ana quietly mado his way to tho head of H tho tablo whero ho took a Beat, uatu- H rally. ,M "This is tho area In which wo must work first of all," ho began, drawing H toward him a book and opening it. fl "And wo must strlko quickly, for it H they heed tho ndvlco in this book. It jH may bo too lato for us to take advan- H tago of their foolish unpreprcdness." M It was a book entitled "Dofensclosa M Amorlcn," written by a great Amcri- M can Inventor, Hudson Maxim. M Dol Mar turned tho pages until he M camo to nnd pointed out a map. The M others gathor about him, leaning fop- H ward eagerly as ho talked to thorn. H Thero, on tho map, with a radius of fl somo ono hundred and soventy miles, H wbb drawn a big segment of a circle, H with Peoksklll, Now York, marking the H center. H "That Is tho heart or America," said H Del Mar, earnestly. "It embraces Now M York, Boston, Philadelphia. But that M Is not tho point Hero aro tho great M majority of tho gun and armor fao M torles, tho powder and cartridge works, M togothor with tho principal coal fields H of Pennsylvania." H Ho brought his fist down doclslvo M ly on tho tablo. "If wo hold this seo- M tlon," ho declared, "wo practically hold America!" H Eagerly tho othor emissaries ll M toned as Del Mar laid beforo thorn the H detailed facts which ho was collecting; H tho greater mission than the mora cap- H turo of Kennedy's wireless torpedo M which had brought him into tho coua- M try. Detail after detail of their plans H they discussed as thoy worked out M tho gigantic scheme. M It was a war council of a secret H advance guard of tho enomlea of M America! H o H Meanwhile, Del Mar's man in his fl boat, cutting a wide clrclo and avoid- M ing tho Dodgo boat carrying tho natnn M allot, mado his way across the harbot M until ho camo to tho shoro, H Thero ho landed and'Procceded nil M tho beach to tho foot of a rocky cliff, M whero ho turned and followed a trail M up it to tho top. It was tho Bamo pats H already traveled by my captors wit H mo and later followed by Elalno. H Ab ho c,amo stealthily out from ur M der cover, Dol Mar's man gazed dow M tho stairway. IIo drew back at what h M Baw. Slowly he pulled a gun from hfa M pockot, watching down tho steps with H tenso interest Thero ho could set M Elaine and myself wearily climbing to M ward tho top, our backs toward bin- H as wo covered tho men In tho cave. M So surprised was ho at what ho saw H that he forgot that his boat below had H been followed by tho mysterious naV M urallst, who, tho moment Del Mar's M man had landed, put on tho last burst M of speed and ran tho Dodgo boat close H to the spot whero tho aide had left H Dol Mar's. M A glanco Into tho boat sufficed tc H toll the naturalist that tho flguro In It H was only a dummy. Ho did not pause, H but followed tho trail up tho bill until 1 ho was close aftor tho emissary ahead, H going moro slowly. M Only a few feet further along th H cliff, the naturalist paused, too. keeping M well under cover, for the man waa H now Juat ahead of him. Ha looked H fixedly at him and saw him gaze down tt tho cliff. Then ho saw him slowly M draw a gun. H Who could bo below? Quickly the M naturalist's mind seemed to work. He ' H crouchod down, as if ready to spring. M Tho emissary slowly raised his ro M volver and took careful aim at th ( M backs of Elalno and myself, as w ' 1 camo up tho steps. H But before ho could null tho trigger, M tho naturalist, moro llko ono of the B wild animals which ho studied than H llko a human being, sprang from his H concealment In tho bushes and H pounced on tho man from behind, sola H ing him firmly. M Over and over they rolled, strug M gllng almost to tho brink of the prccV H pice. H Elalno and I had got almost to the H top of tho flight of stops, when suuV H denly wo heard a shout above as and M sounds of a terrific struggle. We H turned and saw two men. M Nearer and nearer tho edge of the H cliff they rolled. We crouched closer 1 to tho rocky wall, gazing up at tho H death grapplo of the two. Who thoy 1 were we did not know but that one M was fighting for and the other against H us wo could readily see. B The moro vicious of the two seemed WM to bo forcing the naturalist slowly JEfo, back, when, with a superhuman effort. fcj tho naturalist braced himself. Ills foot &s was actually on a small ledgeef rock directly at the edge of the clIK. $f Ho swung around quickly sad struck w$$ tho other man. Tho vicious looking u&i man pitched headlong over tee cllir. $& We shrank back closer to tfee rock BfiV as tho man hurtled tliroagb the air p-f; only a fow feet from us. Down below, i wo could hear aim lajwTwltke. stakes- "H& lng thud. ' ' ftFV Far over the edgo Elaine leaned fn n MJf, sort of fascination at the awful night a For a moment 1 thought the very imp WLl of the perverse ha got possession off flH her and that she aerself woald fall MjE over. Sho brushed her hand wastead- mJ- lly over her eyes aad aUgared. I Kj caught her Just In time. MM It was only an instant before the JB brave girl recovered control of ierself. B Wo reached the top of the ptmlrway H and gazed about, for the Tictatjla the H contest To our surprise he wa geae. H "Como," I urged, "we had better get M away, quickly," 'N Mk (TO SB CONTINUED.) m iBBBBl BSl 1 1 BBBBBBBEBBBBBBBBBsl |