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^*1 V r SYNOPSIS. Jolm Davis and Hawk Morgan, executors of the estate of John Carr, miner, disagree over the disposition of the profits of the mine. Morgan, seeking the gold and Ethel. Carr's adopted daughter for himself, and unsuspected by Davis, whom Ethel really loves, makes several attempts upon the life of Davis. Suspicion is diverted to a mysterious hermit. They all go tc San Francisco to get machinery for ,the mine. Morgan seeks the assistance ?of Ram Chunder, an Indian fakir, who rplans to kill Davis by means of the [casket of death. Davis is rescued by T^o xt J p. {o 1iii*or) Tin Vistmo x/avio ao iui vu wv vnv uvmv of Ram Chunder, followed by Ethel and R&inface. Ethel is saved from death by Ralnface. \ * EPISODE 9. PRISONER OF THE DEEP, j Rainface having gott-^ on top of khe home of Bam Chunder and awed [the six Hindus into submission at the * 'point of his revolver, peeped through |the trap in the floor to the floor below. Seeing Ethel standing there white and swaying from terror, her, - dress torn from her bosom and the old. fakir approaching her with his i lancet, the Indian hesitated no longer, j Still keeping the Hindu gang at bay, j he drew a heavy hunting knife and shurled it through the aperture. The j point of the missile struck Ram in the throat and he reeled back into the arms of Shallum. Morgan and the Spider at that moment burst the grat-j ^ tag behind which they bad been stand? . Ing and rushed upon the scene. As they Sid so the Indian dropped through the trap and stood between the pair and Ethel, grin in hand and ready to drop ! .A , any one else as he had done Ram Chunder, should the other person have j the temerity to attempt to lay violent j hands upon her. But it so happened that the Hawk and the Spider had no Intention of harming the girl. Instead the former grasped her by the hand, crying as though greatly worried: i "We trailed you here. Are we in Itime?" ;y' i As the Spider bent over the form of jBam Chunder, now lying upon the floor tin the arms of Shallum, the girl within 'T - lout replying to Morgan's question tore jherself from him and ran to the quadIrant upon the wall. Throwing back the lever as she had seen the old fakir ite: do, the doors of the idol gradually swung open, disclosing John Davis imS ' prisoned within. Morgan, having decided that his game was up for the present and that he would still have to wear the mask of deception and pretended friendship, at once ran to the Idol, unscrewed the turn-buckles which held the neck, waist, arms and legs of Davis, thus releasing him. ; "Leaving at once, the party sought \ | Vy the -street where they hailed a taxi cab and entered. Rainface took his seat beside the chauffeur, his . weapon in readiness in case of trickery. Ordering that they be driven to their hotel they sought a quiet corner, and there the Hawk began his false explaw nation of the things that had happened. "I caught sight of that scoundrelly \-{. thermit at dawn near the shack in the ' mountains. The Spider, here, had just gotten up. Instantly we gave chase ? and pursued him for miles, but in * spite of all we could do he finally gave ns the slip. We then decided to come here to Frisco, expecting that you would follow, and we have been hunting you for the last two days, having heard that you were here somewhere. John's taxi driver told us where he had taken him, and as soon as we , Could get there we burst in. I guess you know all the rest, and if old Rainv v face hadn't been on the job and beaten us to It we'd have saved you in another second anyway. As it is, let |us hope that we have got free of them _ (at last" | So sincere did the man's speech [sound, and so friendly were his ac(tlons that they shook hands all around [In the best good fellowship?that Is, [all except the ancient Indian, who, sitting sullenly In his corner, refused to jeither eat or drink with them. Nor fwas Ethel entirely undeceived. Meanwhile as to the room in the [temple wherein had occurred the tragfedy. No sooner had the four white people and Rainface left the room than Shal}lum, arising from the floor where he (had been supporting the body of his (stricken master, struck a gong. Instantly Joost-Singh and the Qther AAVMA min^tltT 1 T> tA 4-"K A t*AATTl [I11UUUO tauic o?iiii_y iuiu iuc i vuuji fsome through the trap and others by [means of the secret doors. Carefully ^ [raising the body of the dying Yogi, /'' rthey laid him before the image of the tgod Siva, whom he had worshiped iso devotedly throughout the years. iAnd as though revived by the presence I of the idol, Ram Chunder opened his [eyes and then raising himself spasmodically, one last word burst from his graying lips, before they were sealed ;by the eternal silence of death: "REVENGE." 1 Then fcil back dead. For a moment there was an awful Jpause dui.ng which they all stared at r ^ r>Ji> - . : MPMMMBMBMriNMMMNUPBM NOV! \ \ v? wm wuu iu\WfiflVKWW ; che Iifoles form with horror. Shallnm raised his hands to the god. "By Holy Siva I swear," he said impressively. Heads bowed upon their breasts, all stood in silent prayer to the image. John and hi.: party in the hotel, having finished their refreshments, began debating a:, to what was next to be : dune. Morgan raised his hand fox silence. i ".Listen, rrienas. xne any is yvi young and Spider and I will look after the hiring of a gang of men. If you will go over to Caldwell, Brace & Co.'s I works on Water street and see about getting a lot of mining machinery I which they are advertising for sale? here is a list of what wc will need? Taking the newspaper clipping from the other's hand John glanced it over, j "They say to apply between the hours of 11:00 and 12:00 o'clock, while it is only 9:30 now. I will be there on | time, and if the stuff is O. K. Til buy i it and have it shipped at once." Morgan nodded. "Good. Bellas and I will start in now j hiring the men. We will meet you here ! this afternoon and have a little fur-1 ! ther conference." Wishing Davis good | luck in the purchasing of the macliin; -ery, they left the room. No sooner had ; the door closed behind them than the j girl turnad to her lover. "Their explanation was plausible j enough, but somehow it did not satisfy j | me," she said earnestly. "John, I fear | those men." ^ j "Me, too. Them bad medicine," grunt- j ed the old Indian.- John laughed light! ly. "Fniaco T ontrmiiv sap Mortrnn doinc I something dastardly and treacherous, I I am going to refuse to believe that he j j Is crooked. Remember that he has j been attacked as well as me. Now we | will take a little stroll around town \ and let you look in the windows, after j which I'll go over to Caldwell, Brace! & Co.'s for an hour IT so. Rninface I will stay around and keep watch over [ you, and tomorrow we will all heaW for the big hills again." "Where T would rather be than in any city on earth," laughed the girl. In a corner of the hotel bar the Hawk and Spider were talking together. Morgan was speaking. "We've got to make hay today, for we cannot bluff this thing much longer. In spite of her pleasant manner, I know Ethel suspects us and so does that old Indian devil. * Til go over to Alamac Island. and fix things there, j Davis will be sure to take a taxicab to Caldwell, Brace & Co.'s place, and j you see to' it that he gets one-eyed j Barney's cab. WeVe got the goods on ! I Barney, and he will do what we say j [ if we pay him for the cab and slip him a hundred on the side. And Sc^bi by Jake's truck will do the business for another hundred. If Davis escapes that combination, there is the lumberyard on the wharf and the motor boat besides. Join me as soon as you can at the Island. I've got a string on the firemen there. Old Ram Chunder failed, curse him, but we must not." With this understanding they parted, Morgan going in one direction and the Spider in search of one-eyed Barney, the rascally driver of the closed cab, in another. Presently finding his man sitting In his machine beside the curb, the Spider briefly outlined his plan. Fifteen minutes later the Spider had gone through the same transaction with Jake, the big truck driver of a heavy motor vehicle. This done he pursued his way. John and Ethel, having finished their stroll about the streets, returned to the hotel for a cup of tea before Davis started for the firm of Caldwell, Brace & Co. Rainface, sitting in a corner, watched the lovers drinking from the same cup, and a thin grin cracked his old face. "Waugh! Heap much love making," | he muttered. | With a laugh John arose and seizing I Rainface by the arms marched him to | a window and commanded him to keep his eyes fastened across the street until he was told to face about Then returning to the girl he took her In his arms and kissed her. In the midst of this a knock sounded at the door, and as John stepped quickly back the Indian turned about still grinnins: at his thought of love making. Davis, open- j Ing the door, found himself confronted I Vitt o Ho 11 hnv u vvu wj t "The cab ordered by Mr. Morgan for i yon is waiting, sir," said the youth. f John looked at his watch. It registered 11:00 o'clock, and with a nod to the messenger, he picked up his hat Quickly the girl was at his side, her hand upon his arm. Her eyes and voice were pleading, fear-filled. "Please do not take that cab, dear." His reply was a laugh, followed by another kiss. "Why not sweetheart? You should not be nervous." But she was not to be so easily consoled. "If you are not back in an hour, remember I am coming after you?" But with a wave of his hand he was gone. Entering the cab of one-eyed Bar ELIZED FROM V1TA< CopyriflfeL 1019. b ney, John consulted the list Morgan had given him, while the driver slyly locked the door of his vehicle. Then mounting the box he drove off. Meanwhile Jake was making ready to carry out his part of the infamous plan. Putting his pencil and paper in his pocket, John, his attention attracted by the sudden stopping of the taxi, looked about. They were standing at 1 the foot of a steep hill at a sharp bend, while coming down upon them and apparently beyond control, was a great truck of such ponderousness that should it strike them it would crush them even as a locomotive. The pas senger shot a glance at his chauffeur who was working desperately at the wheel. Believing from the actions of j the other that there was some engine trouble, and that to remain seated where he was would Involve his death j before the oncoming monster of the*' hill, John seized the door of the cab j and turned the knob. It was locked, j and whirling to the other side he tried s that way of exit also with the same re- j suit. | One glance showed him the truck j coming at terrific speed and almost up- j : on them. To delay longer meant oer- 1 tain disaster, and with no alternative left he raised his cane and smashing ! the glass window of his prison, leaped j head first through it just as the truck j struck the taA. Throwing himself flat ; Into the gutter, he raised his eyes to ; see the ponderous vehicle crash into j the light framework of the deserted j ! cab, roll it over and grind it to pieces j as though it had been crushed by a ; war tank.*" Getting upon his feet, j Davis found himself quickjy surround- | ed by a crowd. A policeman came In- I to their midst, leading the driver of i the truck by the arm, John's chauffeur ! following close in their steps. The | omcer stopped oerore .Davis, then taming upon Jake. ! "What is the meaning of this?" "My brakes wouldn't work," said i Jake with a defiant glare. "And my engine went dead on me and I was stalled," supplemented the one-eyed man. John laughed grimly as he faced the policeman. "Guess we'd better call It an accident, officer, and let it go at that." Arriving at the office of Caldwell* Brace & Co., the senior gentleman of that firm concluded his talk with John. \"That mining machinery was brought | from Alaska and unloaded at Alamac j Island. You will find a launch, the j Seabird, at our private dock. One of our men can take you over if necessary." John interrupted him. "I can run it myself if you like." "Good. Go an4 look the stuff over, then come back and we will talk business." With this understanding between them, the two parted. Down in the lumberyard the Spider, undismayed at the lucky escape of the intended victim, was seated upon a huge pile of boards so laid that the | top of the pile overhung the bottom by several feet. Barney and Jake, who I had reported to him the miscarriage . of their plans, were ordered by Bellas to remain in attendance, whereupon the latter left them. Securing a package marked "Dynamite" which he had secreted near by, he carried the explosive to a small boat which was tied to the wharf near the motorboat, Seabird. Placing the dynamite in the fore part of his skiff he covered it with a tarpaulin, then laid a fuse. The watchman of the lumber yard approached. "Hurry up," he warned. "The boys will be coming back from dinner soon." The Spider nodded with a pointing of Me finorar of irhot Via V>Qrl rlnno Then I U W fTUUV 11V A* CAVA uvuv* AMVM I sneaking away he secreted himself where he might be ready for the deciding moment. Driving tip to the place that he might inspect the machinery, John dismounted from his machine and stepped forward with the idea of Inspecting the stuff before he returned for his final consultation with Caldwell. Pursuing his way as directed by the latter, he Btepped directly beneath the middle of [ the lumber pile which overhung Its great weight some twenty-feet high In, the air, and at this the watching Spider gave the signal. At once the two scoundrels upon the top gave the overbalanced heap a powerful pry with the I lever they had improvised, and the j whole massive pile thus thrown from ( Its equilibrium, started down. Warned by some slight sound from j above, t*he threatened one below j glanced upward just in time to see the | mass start its descent. With the quick- j ness of a cat he made a leap, and as he | did so the descending boards, falling j about him in an avalanche of lumber, j I -1 . 1- i -CO -c * AnJ r,*. *Vl r> + | SI1UI I11II1 U1L iruiii niiu at uiai. | I same instant Barney and Jake, seeking | [ to leap and make their escape, were j ! caught in the downpouring slide. The ; one-eyed one, thrown aside by some j I plunging board, escaped instant death j and scampered from the scene. The i head of Jake was crushed as j though by a pile-driver and hig vil- j lainies were a thing of the past. Prom i where they had watched the.affair, the watchman and a helper came running up and lifting boards away from the | place where Davis had disappeared, feFTOWN^^S^ 3RAPH PHOTO PLAY p Vtajrsph * - * If ; ' : ' IS?-' ' ' - ' ' :: !?; '! : M ' ... '>/*> ' SM&&:YX i t . //' ! : : : ' V..:.. ! v- . ... ' .f C' /::: . .: $ '' PS$I$ i ' ' ' : ' s ^ v r"7."' ' . :%:: xw.vw . y.\;:.. jjfc, jJpT ^ ; ? YiLYAY - s Ox:"? --v voo*. *** t | ^ :.: *& '- * 4 : :? 11 - . V^?v:^->'- ' 1 * : ,: :\&:sg?p$$&MPS! i J There Was a Flare and a Roar From Behind. found that owing to the peculiar for- "Great heaven! Could that have been mation of the mass as it fell it tiad John?" With only a grunt for a reply bridged close above his head and left the Indian sent the light car spinning him unhurt. Quickly they dragged him on at redoubled speed, not lessening forth. . their pace until they had reached the | As John stood upon his feet the foot bridge indicated by Caldwell.; watchman pointed to the dead body Ethel hastening to the dock, saw the on the ground. , protruding arm of a crane extending "I always said that this pile would out over the tvater, the chain of which j comedown. You have played in great was ^ disappearing into the depths.! luck, stranger, but poor George is done Sensing danger and the presence of j for." Casting but a glance at the un- John but not knowing in what direcrecognizable face of the dead truck- tion the peril lay, the pair stood star-: man, John, breathing his thanks over ing at each other. Mechanically the j his own escape, went upon his way girl moved toward the plunger air while the foreman, with a command pumps connecting with the submerged j to his assistant to have the body re- object and placed the tube to her ear. moved, followed in the other's steps. Morgan had gone to the island. Ar-: Arriving at the Seabird, the foreman riving at the dock he began inspecting! spoke- a huge diving bell at the top of which "I understand they have knocked off was an enormous ring for attaching j work for -the afternoon on Alamac book or chain block at the end of a Island, but there's a skiff load of stuff travelling crane. Within the bell were j I promised to send over to the fore- j two chambers, upper and lower, access' man who will be there. Do you mind | to the chamber beneath being had towing it across?" % through a trap in the floor. From the "Glad to accommodate yon," return- upper chamber, by means of a valve,; ed the unsuspecting John. rubber tubes ran to an air machine on The Seabird was an open launch the dock. The superintendent of the' with no cabin, and Davis stepped Island Diving company drew near asj aboard and went over the engine. Puff- the Hawk finished his examination oi! ing at his cigar, the foreman fastened the underwater machine. The super-, the painter of the skiff to the launch, intendent spoke, and making sure that Davis" eyes wen; ^ he ts here n] haTe hIm Iocke<J j turned in an opposite direction tonch- ,n {he chamber o{ fhe ed the end of the fnse which the Spider theQ n, beat ,t Thc men haTe al] had laid with the glowing c gar. ,eft {be ls]and t ^ caretakeI bawling like a red serpent ont of and Us famlly at the other end. Take sight beneath the tarpaulin the spark tIme abont wbatever do n): disappeared up the tase on its way to To. j the .skiff's load of death, and at the same time the engine started beneath ? q ( j i _ . , , , ? ? named. A moment later the Spider,! John's manipulations. With farewell , . _ ' . , . , .. - , hurrying along the road in his auto, waves of their hands the foreman and the one In the launch, tqwlng his ten crossed the footway, rible burden, bade each other good ? " John in his motorboat was proceedAs the Spider came crawling from rapidly. Then as he made a sharp the place where he had hidden him- turn around a buoy the skiff behind: self, the foreman addressed him. ^im swung to windward, and a faint | "If you take my car and drive as smell of smoke came to his nose. He though the devil was after you, you glanced behind, saw a wreath of vapor can get to the foot bridge at the other arising from beneath the tarpaulin,: end of the Island and beat him to it in aD(^ wondering what could cause it he case he ever gets there with that in- 'hauled the lesser craft alongside. One, fernal machine behind him." With a glance beneath the oiled cloth was; nod of understanding, Bellas went hur- enough. The infernal machine with rying away. its blazing fuse lay fully revealed, Twelve-thirty having arrived, Ethel an(l cutting the skiff loose he started, 4-rtlArvV?Ano Ooiiinff I forward to seize the wheel of the WCIll H? 11CI IWII1U icicpuuut< VUll'UQ up Caldwell, Brace & Co., she learned Seabird. As he did so there was a that Davis had been there but had gone Aare an(^ roar from behind, and the to the island. Answering her inquiries nex* instant he was bombarded with as to how she, also, might reach the splinters and falling pieces of the island, she was told that the most prac- launch. By good luck he had discovticable way^or her from the hotel was ere(5 his danger in the nick of time to take the automobile road to the an^ had escaped destruction by a matfoot bridge at the south end. She turn- *er seconds. Soon he arrived at the ed to Rainface. island. "I cannot stand this. I am fearful "I guess I am doomed to die in bed: whenever he is absent. I am going to after all," he mused as he thought j find him." over his experience. "Me too." grunted the Indian. "Walt." The superintendent came forward to Passing to John's room he returned meet him, and to that worthy Johni with a small automatic gun which he showed his letter of introduction from \ gave her, saying: Mr. Caldwell. Together they began In"You need sometime, niebbyso." specting the mining machinery upon Securing a motor car they went driv- the list, and presently the superinten-; ing along the road which had been dent touched his visitor upon the arm. described to them. As they reached "I've got something new here, Mr.! the edge of the bay, far out upon its Davis?a little invention of my own( surface they saw the flash of an ex- which might interest you. I made use j plosion, and a few seconds later a of an old diving bell out of which to! dall boom burst upon their ears. The construct a quartz crusher. Ill let you i girl grasped her companion. have it at cost to try out, and If it' * iirv works both our fortunes are made." Interested in knowing what the other had invented. John signified his de- * sire to inspect the contrivance. Mounting a ladder which the superintendent placed in position, John began mounting it closely followed by the other. He arrived at the trap leading into the upper chamber of the bell, and at the suggestion of his companion climbed down into it. A moment later he was startled to hear the door closed behind him and find himself alone In the interior of the submarine plunger. Alarmed by the strange actions of ' the one who had lured him here, Davis hammered upon the trap. There was no response. Beneath his feet the floor of the bell was rlslm and he cast a glance from the window, but nothing but the barren sea met his gaze. For a moment the machine mounted, hung suspended and then began to sink. Slowly but steadily he went down and down, saw his prison beyond the glass. With all means of escape cut off from above, he opened the trap in the floor and looked into the chamber below. Held back by the compression of the air which filled it, the sea had been able to mount but a little ways into the lower room. The air which had filled the upper chamber already had begun to grow heavy, and finding that he breathed more freely with the influx of fresh oxygen from below, he seized a hammer, knocked open a valve and putting his mouth to the open began calling for help into the tube which ran to the free air above the surface. "Help! Help!" Still silence. He glanced about his prison. The inside of the bell had grown dark as he neared the bottom of the . , bay, and the atmosphere of the place was fast becoming unbreathable. It would be but a few minutes more before he would be asphyxiated, for already his brain was reeling, his sight failing and his breath coming in gasps. As helpless as though he had been sealed up in a tomb, he began reeling about the room striking upon the side of his prison with the hammer. With head about to burst and with faintness creeping over him, he again placed his mouth before the open valve and shoutVtn finnool fni* cnmAAf CU ma uc^yan Iiig appeal iui ouv.v.w?. Then giddiness swept over him and he sank upon the floor. On the dock above Ethel, her ear to the tube, heard the wild call from the depths of the ocean, and turned faint even as the man below. By a great effort she recovered herself and shouted back, but no answer came from the fainting man. Seizing the air hose she pulled it loose. "It Is he!" she cried. "Great God, is there no one who can help me?" Across the dock Rainface came stumbling, dragging an unwilling workman in his tow. Resisting, protesting, stuttering with Indignation, the captive was powerless in the hands of the Indian. The girl flew to them. "Do you understand this thing?" she cried to f him who was being hauled bodily to the scene. He stood staring at the place where the bell had disappeared. "Yes, but what does it all mean! How did it get down there, and what is happening?" Wildly her tongue flew on. "There Is a man in it down there, and he is dying. In the name of Heaven, hoist It as quickly as is within your power." Undecided as to whether the beautiful creature before him had lost her mind, or whether there was real danger to some unknown down in the green depths, he hesitated. "But I ain't the engineer or superintendent of this place. I, ain't got no orders to fool with machinery, and I ' dassen't do it, lady. Of course if I knew there was really somebody cashing in down there, I'd take the chance. TJ..4- " WIOi o r>fxr /v1 JL>Ul UII1C1 >V IOC irnu u v* j vx uvw^... she raised the tube. "Listen!" But no sound came to her ears, and with knees grown weak as putty she sank upon the dock. "Oh, God! It is too late," she sobbed. Then realizing that unless she forced this obstinate one into action the man she loved must certainly perish, she sprang to her feet and whipped out the small automatic that Rainface had thrust upon her as they left the hotel. Quailing before the weapon and the fierceness of her demeanor, the workman hastened across the dock and started the hoisting engine. Still covering him with the gun, the girl ever drove him to greater endeavors, and faster and more fast the heavy bell was dragged from the depths. A minute later it rose above the surface and was swung to the wharf and lowered upon it. In a second the ladder was placed against it, and Ethel, running up the rounds pulled aside the levers which fastened the trap and peered witnm. No one was there. "Too late," she gasped, and swooning would have fallen to the dock had not the workman who had followed her closely caught her limp form and eased her down. From the place where they had watched It all, the Hawk and the Spider ciiine running to the scene. (END OF NINTH EPISODE.) ' .