"MYSTERY ISLAND."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20272, 4 June 1929, Page 16

"MYSTERY ISLAND."

BY PALMER WHITE.

) CHAPTER XlX.—(Continued.) However, ifc was no good crying over spilt inilk, and, although only Cod knew the fears which were chasing each other through my heart, I daro not givo way to speculation about tho consequeuces of this latest development. Rita had to bo rescued. That much I determined, and, if I found her, I must as a natural sequenco, discover tho whereabouts of Karnoff. From tho brief particulars given mo Brodi before ho died I knew a little regarding tho location of tho plant which Karnoff had established, and now was the timo to put my knowledge to tho test.

I thought tho matter over swiftly. Maxwell seemed to bo incapable of offering any useful suggestions, and I felt that at tho present time, at any rato, I could not hopo for much help from that direction. What Maxwell apparently wanted was a job to keep him occupied until ho 'recovered his mental poiso. This I decided to givo him, and, taking a sheet from my notebook, I wrote a note to tho proprietor of tho boarding liouso in tho bay, giving him briefly an idea of tho threatened clanger and asking him to place the wireless at Maxwell's disposal. Fortunately I knew him well having stayed with him on several occasions. Then I wrote a message to the Superintendent of Polico at Auckland asking for as much assistance as lie could furnish. By this timo Maxwell seemed to have bucked up considerably and I placed the notes in his hand at "tho same timo explaining what I wanted him to do. I thought it, best that ho get, tho message off and return to mo at 5 a.m. on the beach where wo had left tho launch. It was now half-past three and I had just over art hour and a-half before the first grey' streaks of dawn would warii me that I must seek shelter before daylight, because I realised that whatever plan I conceived before daybreak broke, must of necessity, stand over till nightfall before I could hope to put it into execution./ So thinking, I saw Maxwell off down the f>lopo and turned my faco toward the higher ground again. I proceeded warily. I could not afford to foozle my end of the business at this stage. ' Maxwell's unfortunate slip had been bad'enough, for, besides not helping matters as far as Rita Remington was concerned, it had given the other side the information that someone was on the watch. The thought of Rita in Karnoff's hands was unbearable, and I yet I gained some small grain of comfort from the thought that Karnoff, busy with the big scheme which was just coming to fruition, was not iikelv to bother her until after the whole thing was over. It seemed to me that he would be more likely to keep her shut up meantime, and to carry her away* on the yacht with him. But it was small comfort to me, for the events of the past hours had made me fully realise just how dear to me was this wonderful girl whom I had known only for a few hours, and the very thought of "that foul brute being anywhere near her made* my blood boil. By this timo I had arrived at a point where I could see the outline of the three tall pines mentioned by Brodi as being one of the distinguishing marks of Karnoff's dug out. I could also discern the stretch of long tea-tree which he stated, screened the entrance. If what Brodi had said was/correct, the entrance must be some distance from the edge of the cliff. Karnoff's ingenuity intrigued me. The ; whole locality was so rough and uninteresting that no visitor to the would ever dream of roaming over it for the mere futr of the thing. I could not, of course, see tho face of the but I formed the opinion that Karnoff would in all probability have some kind of apertures arranged for through which he could direct his destructive ray. I did not know then that the ray was capable of passing through intervening materials and could be focussed, as it were, on tho point at which the damage was desired. This I found out afterwards. There /seemed to bo only one thing to do.- In tho brief time which was available to me betoro daybreak I had better get as closo as I could to tho entrance of tho cavern, and defer the making of any definite plan until I had seen just how the land lay and what obstacles there were to contend with. There seemed to bo two ways of getting to my objective. One was through a stretch of scrub about five feet high, which covered a shallow gully reaching from the point where I was to tho {tine trees which Brodi hatl mentioned. The other way was along a flat ridge covered with tall tea-tree. For tho reason that it offered much better cover, I chose the latter, but, beforo starting, I took Brodi's little flat automatic from my pocket and slipped it into a recess in the left side of my shirt under the arm. 'lliis was a trick I had learned from an old campaigner. Remington's revolver I left in my hip pocket. I could not afford to take any risks, and Brodi's automatic so concealed, seemed to be in tho nature of a secret reserve to bo called on in case of emergency. Then I dived into the tea-tree and worked'my way cautiously along the ridge. The manuka was thick and I inwardly cursed, it for the way it impeded my progress. It was awkward to handle in the half-light, and more than once I was nearly blinded by an errant branch which barred rny way. Every now and then I stopped and listened intently, but I heard no sound which coidd bo construed into meaning the presence of a human being. I did not relax my vigilance, however, and presently I reached the edge of what appeared to be a small clearing. The moon had gone down and it was difficult to see clearly in the darkness which was tho forerunner of dawn. There was sufficient light to discern the blurred shapes of the three pines mentioned by Brodi as being close to the entrance of Karnoff's®: underground cavern. It was apparently somewhere near at hand. Brodi had mentioned that it was situated in a clump of tea-tree not far fro ma the three pine trees. /I seemed to be getting pretty warm in the search, for the tea-treo which sheltered me answered to Brodi's description. I started to move cautiously around tho edge of the clearing. Halfway round I heard the sound of someone coughing as if to clear his throat. It seemed close to me, and yet I could not place the direction from which it came. It was distinctly queer and eerie. I felt I ought to niovo along, but some inward control urged me to keep still. Tlie/i a series of things happened. j A dim light appeared on the edge of the clearing, almost opposite mo. . It seemed to shine from behind the bush which screened the edge. Then ifc went out, and a second or so later a man appeared. He gave a look to the sky and called " Serge." A second later ho was joined/,by another dark figure. They proceeded to talk in Russian. I could not get all they said but I caught the words " Brodj " and " Cliff," and putting two and two together judged that the idea was to hnd Brodi's body and tip it over the cliff into the sea. Suddenly the light came on again and a third man appeared beside the other two. Things were getting interesting. Tho place from which the light emanated would probably be tho entrance mentioned by Brodi. The newcomer spoke to the other men. and, from the deference they appoSired to pay to him, I took it that ho was someone in authority. A second later I was suro, for tho ilarne from a cigar lighter showed mo his face. It was ono_ face in all the world which I don't think it would have been possible to forget, for as the flame flared up it throw into plain relief the gross bestial features of tho man I know as Karnoff. I suppose I am the average man who ates the idea of shooting a sitting bird, whero I stood I could have shot m cold blood, hut somo inward

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voice deterred mo from doing so. I had taken my revolver out and had it ready in my hand. Karnoff's big bulky form would have been an easy mark. I could not miss. Twica l raised the weapon and twice I lowered it without firing. What followed in tho next few minutes I will never be able to tell, for suddenly I felt a fainting sensation sweep quickly over me. In a dim fashion 1 saw tho dark figures of the three men in tho teatree swim before my vision and then—a buzzing in my ears—and then—oblivion. CHAPTER XX. WITH DISASTROUS RESULTS. My first sensation on recovering consciousness was one of extreme nausea. My mouth was as dry as a lime kiln and thero was a zone ot'*pain, roughly coinciding with the depth of my forehead, encircling my head. My eyes seemed to burn strangely, and I wondered in what outlandish manner I had been put out of action. Apart from the feelings I have described 1 seemed to bo sound enough, and whilst I realised I was coming rapidly back to normal, I did not open my eyes, or give any visible sign of returning consciousness.

My arms felt curiously numb and strangely twisted, and I realised that my hands had been tied behind my back at the wrists. Evidently my captor did not expect the drug they had used to be very prolonged in its effect. Although my eves were closed, I realised from a reddish glare that tho room was not in darkness. I could not hear anyono moving around and concluded that I must be alone. Thero was a peculiar humming sound like tho drone of a distant aeroplane, but it did not seem to be very closo to me. Certainly not in the same room.

After a while I took a chance and opened one eye slightly I appeared to bo in a small cqvern. Tho walls in places were shored up with timber, while the roof, which was supported by two beams of stout wood, looked as if it was composed of plates of iron bolted together. There was no door. Access to tho other portion of tho dugout was evidently attained by a rude breach in one of the walls, which opening was prevented from falling in by a rough-wooden doorway. A single electric lamp hung from one of the beams. I traced the flex which fed it along tho roof and through the doorway, wlienco my eyes, having taken in all of moment in my immediate surroundings, began to prospect. 1 could not seo much. My area of vision was considerably narrowed by the part of the cavo in which I had been flung, for most of my outlook was simply tho blankwall of a passage on which my prison abutted. There was, however, a small strip of light visible to me from where I lay, and, by craning my head into a more upright position, I was able to discern objects in the room from which the light emanated. '

I could see a switchboard of some kind. This seemed to be fixed to the wall. Then there was a round shining object which I took to be a species of motor or dynamo. Probably this was tho source from which the humming sound originated. Then there was a mirror like object with a bright light shining on the face of it. These objects were all I could discern in my limited field of vision, and having nearly ricked my neck by the strained position which of necessity I had perforce to assume in order to see at all, I dropped my head back on the cold earthern floor and* began to size up in my mind the serious position in which I now found myself. I ran over the events of tho previous night up to tho time I had been doped, for there was no doubt in my mind that I had been nut to sleep by somo terribly powerful anesthetic blown into my faco in some way, although it was not clear to me just how it had been done. I knew by the empty feel of my hip pocket and the holster under my arm that I had been relieved of both my weapons, which fact I greatly lamented. I had thought that Broth's pistol, placed as it was, would have been overlooked in a search for weapons, but apparently my opponents werp fully awake to every contingency. I wondered what time it was. I could feel my watch on my wrist but as mv hands were tied behind me I could not get at it to investigate. Assuming that three hours had passed since I was knocked out, it must now be about seven or eight in the morning of the 21st. I wondered what Maxwell would do when I did not turn up at the appointed place at five o'clock, and I groaned inwardly at the thought of the. unhappy series of events which had resulted in my capture. Karnoff now was two up on us, and having got Rita and me safely in tho bag, ho had *only Maxwell, who had already proved himself the least competent of the. trio, to contend with. Perhaps by this time Maxwell had been captured, too. The thought turned my heart cold. Curiously enough, although T realised to the full the seriousness of my own position, I never worried much about it. Not because I wasn't frightened. On tho contrary I was scared into a very real terror at the turn which events had taken. I knew sufficient of Karnoff to realise that what he had in store for mo would mean tho writing of ' finis' to a promising legal career, and T knew enough of his moral calibre to anticipate tho kind of treatment which Rita Remington would receive, if something did not happen to prevent this evil plan of Karnoff's from coming to fruition. It was a cheerless vista, but somehow I forced myself to ignore its blackness. Surely Maxwell had managed to get his message through to Auckland. In any case tho Superintendent of Police would start out with his detachment, independent of my advice. I hoped to God that he would come in time. Then again, Rita must be imprisoned somewhere near me. If only I could break my bonds and try to find her. I wrestled with the cord which bound my wrists, but the more I struggled the tighter the knots became, and I desisted after a short but strenous trial. There seemed to be nothing to do at the moment but to'husband my strength and hope for the best. Tho next" move appeared to me to lay with Karnoff. He was not long in mak-

ing it. About half an hour later, a man, whom I recognised as tho chauffeur with tho wart, who had driven Karnoff s car in Sydney, entered. lie yanked me to my feet with scant ceremony and grinned maliciously at my tottering attempts to stand upright, for my legs wore stiff with the cold, and the prolonged inaction. 110 took mo by (he shoulder and pushed *me ' roughly through the doorway into a passage or tunnel and propelled mo along the board floor in the direction of the light I had seen from my cave. As wo went I look note of my surroundings. Tho tunnel was cut roughly out of the earth. In places it glistened, where spring water had worked through. My prison seemed to be one of several dug-outs opening on to the passage, but it was the only one, without a door, for tho others had wooden doors with small slip bolts on the outside. The tunnel was not illuminated

by electric light, although I could seo a flex running along the roof, and assumed that there were lamps suspended further down. More, I had no time to see, for at this juncture I was pushed roughly through tho doorway into the room, part of which I had been able to see from my dugout. Thero was no one in possession. Tho motor, or whatever it was, droned on, and several other strange-looking machines with dials, clicked intermittently with a sound like the buzzing of locusts.

My captor propped mo up against tho wall opposito tho switchboard and stood by, seemingly waiting for someone. I saw now that this cavern was extremely long and contained many weird-looking machines and instruments which I am not electrician enough to describe, and at the use of which I could only guess. I knew that they would be used in tho production of Karnoff s confounded ray, and thero I stopped. I saw men in overalls moving silently about in tho farther chamber and presently someone came down the long cave to tho placo whore I was. Thero was 110 mistaking tho dark ovil face and the thick, brutal features. It. was Karnoff! He came up to within a foot of where I stood and gazed at mo intently. Ho must have looked at me for fully half-a-ininuto. Then ho stood back and I could see that ho was puzzled. lie turned from mo and walked over to tho switchboard. A touch, and tho cavo was immediately flooded with a brilliant light which to me, fresh from mv internment in tho semidarkened cavern, was well nigh blinding. Ho came back and scrutinised mo intently again, and my heart sank as I realised that his temporary doubt had been dispelled and that lie knew now who 1 was, and where he had previously seen me. He went back to tho switchboard and snapped off the blinding light, leaving only tho small electric globe burning. Then ho turned back to me, and, showing regular whito teeth in a sarcastic smile, ho said: "This is a pleasure for mo, Mr. Harstow." I did not reply for a few seconds. I was not quite suro what lino to take with him. Even had my hands not been bound behind me, I doubt whether I would have given an exhibition of heroics, mock or otherwise. This seemed to me to be an occasion when one could with propriety conciliate the Mammon of Unrighteousness. I was not, foolish enough to assume that it would profit mo greatly, but I thought that if I played up to him a bit he might bo tempted to relax his vigilance, which would undoubtedly be tightened lip if I showed fight. So, although I loathed him as I would a venomous serpent I summoned up a smilo which I hoped looked equally as sarcastic as his and replied laconically, " Doubtless, Mr. Karnoff." He gave a short unpleasant laugh. " Your beard disguises you well. For a moment I wasn't quite suro who was tho fish which had strayed into my net. Hardly strayed, however. Look!" Ho pressed a switch on tho board, and tho ceiling light went out leaving tho cavo in darkness. Another click, and the peculiar screen which I had taken to bo a mirror was brightly illuminated. Karnoff caught me and pulled mo toward it. " See!" I saw a picture on tho screen. It was a minute representation of the clearing outside. I understood now how I had been caught easily. Karnoff switched the lighting back to normal and then said, " You know that a cat sees in tho dark. So does that screen. If anyone approached within twenty yards of tho entrance I know it. So you walked very neatly into my hands. That makes two." I said nothing. I knew that a man of his type would sooner or later commence tq gloat over me, and I hoped when that happened to pick up some information which might be. helpful, so I preserved a discreet silence, lie had turned away from ((he screen and was walking up and down the floor. Suddenly he turned and I observed that his face was set, and his eyes burned with the strange wild light of the fanatic. " You fool!" lie rapped out. " You poor fool, to think you could put your feeble wits against the brain of Gregory Koranoff; the brain which has perfected tho ray which enables mo to see in the dark, and which invented the destroying wavo which could have reduced Auckland to ruins had I desired it. You

with your childish attempts to outwit me! Bah!" He sprit contemptuously .in the corner. Then ho came closo and I thought ho was going to strike mo in the face. " Listen to me," ho snarled. " I marked you down in Sydney. I tested you out with a Russian phrase which only a linguist would recognise, and you wero so what your English call ' green* that you replied. I knew Brodi arid Farneau let you go. Brodi is dead now and Farneau was disposed of in Sydney. So iare all who play double with me. So deal with those who oppose rno." He paused and glanced at his watch. " You, my clever friend, will be. dead also, dead as—what is the expression ? afi, yes—the doornail, inside twenty-four hours. Now you know." I felt pretty shaky at this piece of information lint I tried not to show it. Karnoff paced lip and down and went on : " Seeing that you will never leave here, alive I will tell you some of my plans. You see, I honour you with my confidence." Ifo laughed again, bis horrible hollow laugh, which grated on my ragged nerves until I felt I must cry out aloud to relieve my feelings. i 1 c looked at his watch again. " It's now 9.30 a.m. This is the 21st. February. At 4 a.m. to-morrow, if my calculations are correct, certain interest-•! ing happenings will take place. I will not, worry you with the details. They might upset you. But a certain ship will not reach Auckland, and [ will be. richer by a quarter of a million pounds. Not bad work before breakfast, eh?" Ho laughed immoderately at his own grisly humour. Personally I felt as if I could be sick. The full import of his awful intention was now clear to me. This was to be the start of a Communistic war ou our Empire shipping. I had heard it whispered as a possibility, but the -thing had appeared to me to be too blatantly impossible. I did not doubt it now. Karnoff's destructive ray was to be tried out here, and, if successful, woidd doubtless be used to carry out wholesale wreckage among our trade shipping all over the world. My face must, have gone very white. The vista of death and destruction which my mind had instantly conjured up, bad, for the moment, paralysed my senses. Karnoff noted it and continued. "Ah ! you blanch ! The prospect revolts you. Do not worry, Mr. Barstnw, for within half an hour after this affairtakes place you and all this," (he waved his hand around him), "will be sailing toward the heavens in such small pieces that T. doubt whether your executors will bo able to collect enough of your remains to make a show of burying you. All this place is mined," ho continued, "and there is a switch well secreted in

a tree down in the valley. One tone! on that switch as we pass on our ivaj to the Nitka will end your troubles my friend." Karnoff was obviously enjoying him self. There was no doubt in my mine that the man was now to all intent; and purposes, a lunatic. The vision o the power conferred on him by the pos session of his infernal ray, had turner his brain and destroyed his mental balance. I know now that T would gel no helpful information from his utter ances, so I resolved to put up a bold front. (To bo continued daily.)