whom Mazie had not before noticed, came forward. From his words and
gestures Mazie concluded that he was going through, in the Japanese
language, the same program which the Russian had just finished.

The results were apparently the same, for at the close the girl threw
the paper cm the floor and stamped upon it. At that the Russian's rage
knew no bounds. With an imprecation, he sprang at the Japanese girl. As
Mazie looked on in speechless horror, she fancied she caught the gleam
of a knife in the girl's hand.

But at that instant the attention of all was drawn to a man, who, after
peering through some form of a periscope for a moment, had uttered a
surprised exclamation. Instantly the Japanese man sprang to a strangely
built rifle which lay against the wall. This he fitted into a frame
beside the periscope and thrust its long barrel apparently through the
ceiling of the compartment and into the water above. Adjusting a lever
here, and another there, he appeared to sight through a hollow tube that
ran along the barrel.

"Now," said the Russian, a cruel gleam in his eye, "we shall kill your
two friends whom you so blindly refused to protect. Providence has
thrown them within our power. They are on the bridge at this moment. The
rifle, you see, protrudes quite through the water. Our friend's aim is
true."

The Japanese girl, seeming to grasp the import of this, sprang at her
fellow countryman. But she was too late. There came the report of two
explosions in quick succession. Through the periscope, Mazie caught a
glimpse of two bodies falling on the bridge. Then she closed her eyes.
Her senses reeled.