moved and stirred, but did not wake.

A few feet from the door the girl paused and faced the wall. She
manipulated a hidden lever and a panel swung open in the wall. She led
the way silently into the dark. As the panel closed behind her, a beam
of light from an electric torch stabbed the darkness. Down a sloping
tunnel they followed her for half a mile. The tunnel turned at right
angles and led upward. At length they paused before another door. The
girl opened it and they stepped out into the night. As they did so, a
dull booming struck their ears. The girl paused.

"The ship!" she cried. "Your ship! It is attacking Fort Novadwinskaja.
The factory will be awake in a moment! Run for your lives!"

Even as she spoke a pair of twinkling lights appeared far down the
tunnel through which they had come. She turned as if to return down the
tunnel. Dr. Bird caught her about the waist and clapped his hand over
her mouth.

"Quick, Carnes, your belt," he cried. "Tie her up. She meant to go down
that tunnel and give her life to delay them while we escaped. We'll save
her in spite of herself."

Carnes and McCready quickly bound the struggling girl with their belts.
They laid her on the ground beside the door and watched the oncoming
lights.

"You two hold them back for the present," said the doctor. "I'm going to
take Feodrovna away a bit and argue gently with her. If I can make her
see the light, we may accomplish our mission yet. If I can't, I'll come
back and help you."

* * * * *

He picked up the girl in his arms and disappeared into the darkness.
Pistol in hand, the two men watched the oncoming lights. The men behind
the lights could not be seen, but from the sound of their footsteps it
was evident that there were quite a few of them.

"Had we better let them emerge from the door and then get them?"
whispered Carnes.

"No. These heavy guns will drive a bullet through three men at short
range. Level your gun down the tunnel and fire when I give the word.
Remember, every one is apt to shoot high in the dark."

The lights approached slowly. When they were twenty-five yards away,
Lieutenant McCready spoke. The quiet was shattered by the roar of two
Luger pistols. Again and again the guns barked. A volley of fire came
from the tunnel, but Carnes and the lieutenant were standing well away
from the opening and they escaped unharmed. Their deadly fire poured
into the shambles until they were