n
experienced misgivings; but this time it was the faint hope still
lingering in her breast of seeing her good pal once more that kept her
in her seat.

The taxi paused before an old building which was enshrouded in darkness.
She was ushered out of the taxi and the next instant, before she had
time to cry out, she was bound and gagged. Her feet were tied as well as
her hands, and she was hastily carried into the building. Through rooms
and halls all dark as night she was half carried, half dragged, until
she found herself out over the swirling waters of the river.

Wild questions rushed through her brain. Was this murder? Bound and
gagged as she was, would she be thrown into the river to drown? Why? Who
were these men? She had not believed until that moment that she had an
enemy in the world. She knew no secrets that could inspire anyone to
kill her.

While all these thoughts were driving through her brain, she was being
slowly lowered toward the water. Down, down she sank until it seemed to
her she could feel the wash of the water on her skirts. At that instant,
when all seemed lost, strong arms seized her and she was carried down a
clanking iron stairway.

She caught her breath. She must now be far below the level of the water.
What place was this she was being taken into? And why?

She was finally flung down upon a leather covered lounge. The next
moment the whole place seemed to be sinking with her as if she were in
some slowly descending elevator.

Opening her eyes she looked about her. The place, a long and narrow
compartment, was dimly lighted by small incandescent bulbs. The
trapdoor, or whatever it had been, through which she had been carried,
was closed.

Eight or ten men were grouped about the room, while in one of the
darkest corners cowered a little Japanese girl. One of the men came
close to Mazie and untied her bonds, also removing the gag. She was now
free to move and talk. She realized the utter uselessness of either. The
walls of the room appeared to be of steel. There was a strange
stuffiness about the air of the place; they must be either underground
or under water. She did not know what was to be the next move, or why
she was here. She realized only that she could do nothing.

Instinctively she moved toward the girl in the corner. Before she had
gone half the distance, a man uttered a low growl of disapproval, and
motioned her to a chair. She sat down unsteadily and, as she did so, she
re