The evening world. Newspaper, May 29, 1916, Page 8

: pT en IT eet oe rene THE SECRE OOD Sy ® ® Romanticstory ofan undersea boat designed to remain beneath the surface for weeks, with the beautiful daughter of the inventor figuring as the heroine in thrilling situa- tions. SECOND EPISODE. SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING INSTALMENT, (Coprright, 1916. by &, Aleander Powell.) Lieut. Jarvia Hope te detatied by the United States Naval Board to investigate ond feport bis findings on the invention of Dr. Raiph Burke, which eer tare of perfection. The Lieutenant arrives in V ewmarine to eomed by the inventor and hie daughter, te br via and 16 Cleo, On the trial trip ef the inventers the Beat @ Japanese helper ts surprised in the act of examining the mechaniem of the ventilating device. D ATH etared them in the face, Through the open hatchway the sea was pouring in @ torrent. For those in the submarine the end was but a matter of seconds. Already the water was at their knees, Again Hope attempted to close the hatch cover, but the force of the tnrushing water hurled him back. He might es well have tried to cap a geyser. The water was at their waist. The navigating Officer, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, frantically manipulated Qe horizontal rudders in the hope that the boat would rise, But it did aot sespond. Buddenly Cleo, plunging through the ewirling waters, reached the lever which controlled the cover of the hatch. She grasped it with both hands She drew herself up until her whole weight was upon it, as a ¢ymnast raises bimeecif upon @ horizontal bar. It yielded. The incoming stream of water leasened—stopped. Burke's automatic device had worked. The cover of the Batch was closed. The sudden silence which ensued was broken by a g@atior muttering a prayer. Cleo, her face drained of its color, relaxed her rasp on the lever, swayed, would have fallen, but Hope caught her in hie arms. Under the strain of those terrifying moments his coolness had never enerted him. “Get the pumpe working, men,” he erdered, assuming charge of the sit- wation. And to the navigator: “Keep your rudders depressed and see if you can get her to the surface.” Half carrying, half dragging Cleo, he waded through the water to the after compartment. Burke was bend- ing over his apparatus. “Anything wrong, doctor?” asked Hope. \Then he caught aight of the water in the glass tank. It had stopped bubbling. “The bullet from Satsuma’s pistol,” gasped the inventor. “It haa broker’ something in the mechanism. It will take me several hours to locate the trouble and repair it. We will have to rise.” “We can't rise,” eald Hope, a chill of horror running through him, “We've shipped eo much water that the boat won't respond to the rudders, And the engines are flodded. We'll have to pump her out by hand. I'm afraid it's all up with us, doctor, unless you oan repair the break and give us some etr. Our Ives are in your hands,” But already the inventor was at work, untwisting @ wire here, loosen- ing a screw there, his keen eyes and his deft fingers searching, searching, searching. Under the suction of the force-pumps the water in the sub- marine gradually subsided, but the supply of air diminished, too, Al- ready it had become noticeably foul. The corpse of the seaman whom Sat- @uma bad killed had been tossed into the forward compartment, where it floated, face downward, in water streaked with blood, The wounded man had been propped up on a locker #o that his head was above the water, He was badly hurt and constantly groaned. The men at the pumps, stripped to the waist, were gasping for air, Two of them fainted and would —_—______ breath coming in great tearing sobs, like fish which have been thrown out upon the bank to die. Hope, Hook and the navigating officer pumped in thelr turn. Soon their strength failed them and they stopped working. Cleo had again lapsed inte uncon- sciousness. Hope, feeling as though &@ pillow were being pressed against his mouth and nostrils by a relentless hand, held her limp figure in his arms in order to keep her head above the water, Burke alone seemed wu: fected by the lack of oxygen. He was still working feverishly, Suddenly he gave a hoarse croak of triumph, A stream of bubbles shot across the tank, A moment later a faint breath of life-giving oxygen floated through the submarine, Gradually it became more perceptible. Then a great wave of clean, fresh air swept the boat from stem to stern. The machine was again working, ee © e@ © e@ A rug vendor had hung about the entrance to the fashionable San Fran- cisco apartment house known as the Portola Arms throughout the morn- ing. He was shabbily dressed and very dark of skin. If asked to hazard & guess as to his nationality, one would probably have put him down asa nitive of eastern Europe—a Rou- manian. perha Draped over his shoulder were half a dozen imitation Turkish rugs which he perfanctorily offered to every one who entered or left the building. That he made no sales did not seem to discourage him; Ike all Easterners he possessed the virtue of patience, The noon whistles had just concluded thelr raucous chorus when a tall and strikingly handsome woman gowned in the height of fashion came out of the upartment house and started by the divi vintl it Mops git oe ae ak itis Le tt a ae Le ? THE STRUGGLE IN THE DARK BETWEEN THE TWO INTRUDERS WAS A SAVAGE ONE. foreign accent, waving him aside, “I wish no rugs. Go away.” “But thees ts ver fine cgrpet, mad- ame,” urged the man, proffering one of his rugs for ber inspection. “I bring heem all the way from Samar- kan “From Samarkand?" eald the wom- an, abruptly halting. “How can I be certain that it comes from Samar- kana?’ “Eet has the Samarkand mark,’ said the vendor, loudly enough for he door attendant and the taxi driver to hear him. “Madame may see for herself,” and he indicated a small lead seal which was attached to the rug. ‘The woman examined the characters imprinted on the weal. “It is indeed from Samarkand, as you eay,” she ac- knowledged. “You may bring it to my room. If it harmonizes with the furniture and your price te not too high I will buy it.” Ascending in the elevator to an up- per floor of the apartment house, she led the way into a handsomely fur- nished sitting room. No sooner were they Inside than the vendor, tossing his rugs on the floor, silently shot the brass bolt of the door. Then he crossed the room to where the woman Was standing. Lifting her hand, he preased it to his lips. “You don't seem overjoyed at seeing he complained, still hold- ing her hand, “I didn’t recognize you in those clothes and with your mustache shaved off, Sextus,” she answered, have to enter a waiting taxicab, At once throwing herself Into a chair. “I drowned had not Hope lashed them the vendor hurried forward, unfold- didn't even know that you wore tn Upright =gainst a stanchion, The others pumped but feebly now, their THE JAPANESE SPY ing @ rug for her inspection, “No, no," she suid, with a strong ESCAPES FROM THE SUBMARINE, San Francisao. I received word from the embassy in Washington to wait here for ‘the man from Samarkand.’ ‘They told me that he would prove his identity by showing me a seal with the imperial cipher. I have been wait- ing here for nearly a week. But why all this m; ry?” “It 1@ necessary, Olga,” was the answer, ‘We have reason to believe that the government's suspicions have been aroused and thet orders have been tasued to the secret service to keep me under surveillance. I didn't dare to Kk for you openly. The chances of being recognized were too great. And there was another roa- son: I have found that others than ourselves are after the secret of tho eubmarine.” “But what have you learned about the invention?” demanded Olga im- patiently. “I have just come from Val- davia,” sald Sextus. “Day before yesterday @ naval constructor named Hope reached there from Washington and immediately called on Burke, Yesterday Burke took Hope on a trial trip in the submarine. The test, #0 I learned from members of the crew, was entirely successful, They remained submerged for elght hours, Burke's invention supplying them with air, There was some sort of trouble on board, however, though I was unable to learn all the detatls. It seems that a Japanese named Sat- suma, whom Burke had been employ- ing, was caught examining the appar- atua and in the fracas that ensued he shot two of the seamen.” “A Japanese?” Olga efaculated “Did he escape “Yes, He opened the hatch and plunged into the sea, The police are after him, of course, but they have been unable to get any trace of him It was to him that I referred when T @aid Just now that we are not the only ones efter the secret,” “But the invention?” repeated the woman, “Can't it be bought?’ “I fear not,” said Sextus gloomily. “I understand that Burke has already given the American government an option on it and that Hope has wired to Washington urging that it be pur- chased at once.” “I learned it from a one-armed sea- man named Barnacle, who seems to be in Burke's confidence, I loosened his tongue with @ few drinks last Bight, and before we parted he had told me everything he knew, which, unfortunately, was not very much.” “My friend,” said Olga, rising, “we must get possession of that invention, by purchase if we can—by other means if we must. You know what {t means to me, Sextus, The ambas- sador has virtually promised me that if 1 can got it for our government my father will be released from Siberia, To got it I will do anything, take any chances, There must be no such word ae fail.” “And if I get It for you, Olga,” sald Sextus softly, “what is to be my re- ward?" “Tt will be time to talk of your re- ward when you have obtained me the wecret,” she answered. “You had best return to Valdavia and get to work at once—to-night.” “If the secret is to be had, Olga,” he watd, holding her hand in both of his, “I will get 1t for you—no matter what the cost.” ee © © © © 6 ‘Two days after the struggle In the submarine Gerald Morton reached Valdavia, He went immediately to see Burke, “Doctor Burke,” began Morton, when they were seated in the In- ventor’s study, “I have been sent here by my uncle, Calvin Montgomery.” “Calvin Montgomery!” ejaculated Burke, and Morton saw his face sud- denly blanch; “Calvin Montgomery ts an old friend, . . . I have not heard from him for many years, But —but what does he want of me?” “He wishes to obtain an option on your submarine Invention, Dr, Burke,” said Morton, on whom the inventor's expression of momentary alarm had not been lost. “Should tt pass the tests to which ‘he would naturally wish to put it, he desires me to say that he would be willing to pay you very handsomely for your righte— very handsomely, indeed.” “I appreciate your uncle's offer, Mr. Morton,” was the reply, "but I can- not accept tt, In fact, I have already promised my invention to the Govern- ment of the United States.” “We will pay you far more than the Government, Dr. Burke," urged Mor- ton, “and the Government is notort- ously slow pay.” “The Government already has my promise," said the inventor firmly. “Then we cannot obtain the op- tion?” It 1s out of the question, as I have already told you." “Before you make your decision final, Dr, Burke,” sald Morton, taking from his pocketbook the card which Calvin Montgomery had given Bim, “you had better read this.” Burko adjusted his spectacles. “Dear Ralph," he read, “T once gave you something that I valued as much as you value the secret of the aub- marin Now 1s your chance to repay vin Montgomery. For some minutes the inventor sat ment, lost in thought. It was evi- dent that the message on the curd had deeply stirred him, At last he spoke, “This message places me in mee | most dificult position, Mr. Morton,” he eald. “I must have time to think it over, You had better see me again in a few days.” As the inventor wns ushering his caller to the door, Cleo Burke came tripping down the stairs. The broad-brimmed oun hat that she wore accentuated the spun-gold quality of her hair and the roseleaf beauty of her complexion; the sim- ple gown of clinging muslin em- phasized her girlish slenderness. “By George!" said Morton to him- self, “what an exquisite creature.” “Mr, Morton,” said Burke, “this ts my daughter, Cleo,” ‘Tm delighted to meet you, Miss Burke,” was what Morton said, but he was thinking, “Cleo? Cleo? Now, where the devil have I heard thet name before? . . . By the living Jingo, I remember! It was the name used by Uncle Calvin when I over- heard him talking to himself the day I lett New York!” “If you're going to the town, Miss Burke,” said Morton, noting that she was evidently dressed for the street, “may I have the honor of walking with you? I am staying at the hotel.” “Of course you may come with me if you Mke,” said Cleo, obviously en- Joying the attention of the handsome stranger. “I'm going marketing.’ As they strolled down the street, laughing and chatting gayly, Morton unconsciously fell under the spell of her girlish charm. “Tell me, Miss Burke,” he said as he was leaving her, “do you know @ man named Calvin Montgomery?” “Why, no,” eaid Cleo; “I never heard the name before.” “Yet, I'l bet my last dollar that it’s more than @ coincidence,” mused Morton, as he entered bis hotel. “Uncle Calvin, talking to himself, speaks of a girl named Cleo. Then, almost in the same breath, he tells me to come out here and see his old friend Burke, And Burke intro- duces me to a girl named Cleo, And any one could see that Burke was disconcerted when I gave him that message from Unole Calvin. Burke has something on his mind besides the secret of the submarine,” Though the police started their search for Satsuma within an hour after the submarine returned to shore with the body of the murdered sea- man, they had failed to find the slightest trace of the Japanese. They had watched the outgoing trains and ferryboats. They had gone through the lower quarters of Valdavie with @ fine-tooth comb, Dey had wired a description of the murderer to every city and village for a hundred miles around, Yet they could get no trace of him. Satsuma had disappeared as completely as though the earth had opened and swallowed him, Late in the afternoon of the second day after the fight in the submarine, @ man might have been observed strolling aimlessly along the beach outside the town, He behaved like one who had no definite objective and was walking to kill time, for he stopped every now and then to toss pebbles into the water or with his cane to trace patterns in the sand, So slow was his progress that dark- ness was falling when he found him- self opposite a tumbledown and de- serted fisherman's hut which stood by ftself on the beach, five miles from the town, Glancing about to make certain that he was unobserved, he knocked sharply on the rickety door — four short rapa, then three, two, one, A moment later there was Novelized From a Thrilling Preotopliay Serie & wound as of « plank being lifted within the cabin. “It's all right, Satsuma,” said the man without. “It’s I—Mahiin.” The door opened and the visitor found himeelf tn « pitch black room. “It'a not wise to show a Meght,” eai4 Batsuma’s voice in the darkness. “It might possibly be noticed by @ome one passing on the beach.” “Here's some food for you,” sal the man called Mahlin, producing various packages from the pookets of bis coat. “The police have been @o busy that I didn't dare take the chance of coming here before. You certainly got yourself into one terri- ble scrape. What did you learn about the invention?’ “I bad @ good look at the appar- atus,” sald Satsuma. ‘In fact, the old man caught me examining it. That was when the shooting began. The mechanism is comparatively simple. The real secret is in some formula which Burke uses, but which, of course, I was unable to find.” Mablin uttered an oath. “We've Got to find it,” he exclaimed. “You bad better have @ look through Burke's house to-night. It's probably among the papers in his laboratory.” “It'a not safe for me to go out to- night,” said the Japanese sullenly. ‘T'll run into some of the detectives. I had better wait until the esearch for me has had time to die down.” “You'll go when I tell you to, my Oriental friend,” saié Mahlin sav- agely, “and that’s to-night. “I've got to have that formula and I've got to have it quick.” “It'a not safe to go out to-night,” Satsuma persisted stubbornly. “You'll go through Burke's house to-night,” snarled Mahlin, flying into ®@ mudden rage, “or I'll tell the detec- tives where they can find the Jap who killed that sailor.” Because he was accustomed to work far into the night and in order that he might not disturb Cleo, who elept upstairs, Doctor Burke occu- pied @ ground-floor bedroom which communicated with his laboratory. Despite his age, the faculties of the inventor were unimpaired, so that when, in the silent bourse that pre- code the dawn, a dim figure pried up the window opening on the veranda, Burke, always a light sleeper, was instantly awakened. For some min- utes he eat upright fn bed, intently Nstening, but as the sound was not repeated he decided that he had been mistaken, Just as he started to set- tle back, however, be heard distinct- ly, on the uncarpeted floor of the laboratory, the sound of cautious footsteps. Slipping nolseleasty out of bed, he wrapped himself in @ dressing gown and slipped his feet into a pair of slippers. Then, holding back the knob @o that the latch could not click, he etlently opened the door lead- ing into the laboratory, Bending over the desk stood a man holding an electric torch, The circle of Mght which ét cast showed that he was hastily but systematically going through the inventor’s papers. “What are you doing there?” called Burke, sharply. Instantly the light Was extinguished and the réom was plunged in sudden darkness, Burke, whose years had not sapped his cour- age, adivanced into the room, There was a patter of quick footsteps, the sound of a heavy blow, and the old man sank to the floor without a groan, For @ long moment the intruder gtood silent in the darkness, Standing out from the surrounding darkness, as in @ spot-light, was the face of Satsuma, He bent over the inert heap on the floor, It stirred ever 80 @lightly. Burke, though uncon- scious from the blow of the Japanese's Mfe-preserver, was Mving, Returning to the desk, Satsuma resumed his in- terrupted search, hastily examining Paper after paper and then tossing them aside impatiently, He was evi- dently unable to find that which he was after, Suddenly he again snapped out the light, His keen ears had heart. in the rear of the houas the Released Mutual Flim Co. tg The Famous “What are you doing tinkle of a key in a fock and the creak Of @ door cautiously opened. Then the eound of stealthy footsteps as the jatest intruder, evidently feeling bis way in the darkness, entered the eit- fing room. Sateuma’s retreat was cut off. Straight from the door of the labora- tory came the footfalls. Then a dim qhape, blacker even than the envelop- ing darkness, appeared in the open Goorway, within @ yard of where Satwuma crouched, waiting. The Jap- anese swung up bis revolver, but in the darkness his hand came in con- tact with @ shelf holding a row of test tubes and it came crashing to the floor. At that dnstant the man in the doorway sprang. Had his blow reached ite mark Satsuma would, for the time being, at least, have faded from this story, but as the Japanese was much shorter than his opponent # went harmlessly over his shoulder, and the next moment the two were locked in each other’s arms, The etruggie in the dark was a sav- age one. Each of the intruders eup- posed that he had been surprised by @ member of the household and fought desperately to get free. Round and round the laboratory swung the two figures, so intertwined that they ecamed like one. Each tried to get @t bis weapon, but bis move was in- stantly anticipated and thwarted by the other. It was no uneven strug- gle, for the Japanese made up for hie lack of stature in agility and khowl- edge of wrestling. They lunged against a table burdened with Burke’ experimental apparatus, and over it went with a crash of shattered glass. They swayed against a bookcase and that went over, too. Still clasped in their wild embrace, they reeled through the doorway into the eitting room. Sateuma was en- deavoring to gain the window through which he bad entered. All at once a shriek came through the darkened house. “Help! Help! Help! Police! Police!” Cleo, awakened by the up- roar, stood et the head of the stairs, @ lamp in her hand, screaming frantically for assistance. Attheeame moment Satsuma, put- ting into practice a Japanese wrest- ling trick, grasped one of his op- ponent’s wrists with both hands and brought tt downward with a terrific foroe, dislocating the shoulder, With @ groan of pain the other relaxed his grasp, and as he did go the Jap- nese leaped through the open win- dow. Ensued a sudden eilencea, It was broken by Cleo. “Daddy!” ehe called in terrified accents, “Daddy, what has hap- pened? Daddy, why don’t you an- ewer? Daddy, dearest, are you there?” A faint groan from Burke, who was beginning to recover con- eciousness, was her only answer, Sum- moning all her courage, Cleo, the lamp held high above her head, fear- fully descended, As, quaking with terror, she reached the door af the sitting room, @ figure, crouching in the shadows, crawled painfully but silently through the window by which Satsuma had made his escape and disappeared in the outer darkness, Passing into the laboratory Cleo stumbled over the outstretched form of her father, who was elowly re- covering from the blow dealt him by Satsuma, Though he quickty re- gained hie faculties under Cleo's tender care the old inventor was badly shaken. Assisting him to his bed, she bathed and bound his throb- bing head and, clinging to his hand, eat beside him untt! morning. Dating from the night of the at- tack, Burke became acutely nervous, but, despite Cleo's pleadings and the advice of Hope, ho steadfastly re- fused to have any one sleep in the house or to take any additional pre- cautions, “It is not me that they are after,” he argued, “What they want is the secret of the submarine, But they can ransack the house from the gar- ret to cellar and they will never find it.” Yet, notwithstanding his assumed indifference to danger, morbidness seized upon him. He insisted that he was being spied upon. Twice he ex- citedly summoned Cleo to the labora- tory, insisting that he had seen a face peering at him through the window, but when she arrived the face—if face there was—had disappeared, Morton, who had left Valdavia and was stay- ing in Zan Francisco, again came to see him, but Burke remained deaf to the younger man's importunities to eell him an option on the invention, “Tell your uncle,” said Burke dur- ing the interview, “that if I sold the secret to any individual it would be THE SECRET OF By E. Ales sharply. Instantly the light was extinguished and the room was plunged into darkness. There was a patter of quick footsteps, the sound of a heavy blow, and the old man sank to the floor without a groan. The Third Instalment of _ Will Be Published Monday, June 5 there?” called Burke, to him. But I have promised tt to the Government. I cannot go back on my word." “But we will give you far more fop it than you can hope to get out of the Government,” argued Morton. “You don't seem to understand,” eaid Burke, impatiently. “.t fan't thé ‘hope of the profit that actuates me It'a patriotism.” Even then Morton would not ae Cert defeat, but continued to pay fre quent calls at the home of the i» ntor. “Things move slowly at Washing- ton, Dr. Burke,” Hope remarked om one of his frequent visits. “There's @ vast deal of red tape to be unwound. You must have patience. The De Dartment has wired me, however, thet @ commission of naval officers hae been appointed to test your invention —probably noxt week. If their report io satisfactory—and I have not the Glightest doubt that it will be—the Government will unquestionably pur chase your rights. In the meantime I hope that you will keep the formula well guarded. There are persons, as you have already learned, who will let nothing stand in their way if they eee a chance of getting possession of 1t.” ‘They will never get {t,” até Burke. “T am taking no chances, b ig well hidden.” 4 That night Burke worked et the desk in his laboratory until after mid~ night, Cleo, as had been her custom, since the night of the attack, eat i the room, bent over her sewing, At last, with « sigh of weariness, Burke completed his writing. Leaniag back in his chair his gaze wandered about the room until it rested on « narrow shelf, just above his desk, which held @ emall and much thumbed Bible and & dozen ponderous volumes em vas lous scientific subjects, ‘Though the study was filled from floor to eeiling with his extensive tbrary, these dozen tattered, dog eared volumes were his most precious Possessions. They formed, as he hed often told Cleo, his earliest Mbrerys as & young man he had made many sacrifices in order to buy them, and, for old times’ sake, he always kept them by him. They possessed, more- over, because of their age and restty, @n instrinsio as well as sentimental value. Now Burke took one of the Worn volumes down and caressed i “I want you to remember, Cleo” he said, more solemnly than was oue- tomary with him, ‘that if anything should happen to me there te @ fom tune waiting for my little gist these old books.” “Hush, daddy, hush,” she ortel, ropping her work and perching fer. self on the arm of hie chair, “ I won't, have you talk eo. You give me the shivers, Why, daddy, dearest, you're going to live for years and yeare and years.” “But,” the old man continued, tale {ng from the end of the row the much used Bible, “this is the most precious of all, It was my mother’s parting gift when I left home as « doy to make my fortune. It has never left me. I want you to promise, my child, that you will keep it always.” “Of course I'll keep it always, daday darling," Cleo exclaimed, throwing her arms about the old man’s neck, ee @ «@ 6. ane Tt was late when Cleo awakened the next morning. The sun wes shin. ing as only a California sun can shine; birds warbled their meting in the garden; from the roses which clung to her wall outside her window came @ wave of fragrance, No won- der that she sang happily as, seated before the mirror, she brushed her spun gold hair and twisted it on her head into a golden crown, It was @ morning to make any one sing, 8up- Ping into the little gingham freck which she wore about the house, #hé@ sped lightly down the stair, still sing- ing. “Time to get up, daddy,” she called gayly, rapping at her father’s bed-S room door, “I'll have breakfast ready in a minute." But there was no answer, “Daddy i# sleeping soundly this morning,” she said to herself, and rapped again. Still there was no response. Chilled with sudden foreboding, she entered, The room was empty, The bed had not been slept in, The door leading into the laboratory was ajar, She opened it, Stretened on the floor, in @ pool of erimson, Dr, Rajph Burke, Buried in his heart was en ivory handled dagger, (End of Second Instalment,) THE SUBMARINE *