The Washington times., 1909-07-24
CHAPTER XVI.
THE MAN IN THE MASK.

EANWHILE, where was Tom
NH Moore, and what had been his
experiences through all that
long week during which his in
nocent name had been daily held up to
public obl0quy as that of a foul muir
derer. and a thousand seaUchers had
tirelessly sought him high and low?
With the sullen splash still rinsins
In his ears as the body of the muir
dered man was ruthlessly tumbled into
the murky waters of the sewer he had
no other idea than that the same fate
awaited him and his companion.
Indeed, the very Question, 'This-ee
one next?" showed mat the meTCiless
bGIs5 into whose hands he had fallen
expected no other disposition Of their
CaptiveS.
Regarding his doom as sealed. then,
he passed at that moment through all
the agony of death. Already he felt
in imagination the icy grip of the
water. InVoluntarily he strained at his
ahOnds until the stout cords stretched
under the pressure.
They stretched, but did not break
they were too strongly woven for that.
dis struggles were without other re-
suit than merely TO bring the blood At
bis wrists and ankles where the twisted
strands cut into the flesh
FOt the first time an awful chilling
fear swept over him-a fear not so much
at the imminent prospect Of death IT.
self, but of such a death.
Hard as it was TO face the king Of
terrors thus on the very threshold of
/ life and In the full VigOr of Ris pow
/ ers, he could have met the issue cour-
Z ageously, perhaps even have taken a
/ certain grim JOY In the unequal COM
I bat, If he had been given chance TO
/ fight.
90 IN On ia t1,i. ,r-,,- -r-f+f7-r7+ ..,-,,,
/ striking a blow ia his own defeuse-tO
drown ike a cat in 2 bag, gagged. muf-
fed. trusScd hand and foot, without
! show Of escaDe-that was something TO
make the stoutest heart quail, and the
/ blood freeze in ones veins
"This-ee one neXt?' the Chinaman's
/ phlegmatic question was put as placidly
as though he were referring TO a bundle
I Of rubbish. the hand with which ne
graSped MOOre's shoulder steady and
! undistuTbed. Such disposition Of Their
victims was evidently no new matter 10
them, mere incident OF the ordinary
routine
! Teeth cIenched, every muscle at ten
/ sion, Tom braceu himself for the lead
/ ers assent and the succeeding shock
I when he should be flung into the dis
/ mai stream.
/ For hours he seemed to wait. then
scarcely understood when he heard.
/ NO." said the leader thoughtfuliy
1 wen keep him awhile He's been
shopping around this locality a good
deal, and / want TO find out Just
what for. Put the cover on .he man
/ hole again, and leave him here with
me. You can take the girl to the
other hangout III attend TO her case
/ later"
/ 1t was a respite!
Nor much OF a respite. 20 be sure
and Offering bat little hope Of a full
/ release, TO judge from the grim, hard
/ tone OF the speaker. vet nevertheless
IA temporary repTieve. And youth is
( ever optimistic, prone 10 argue coming
I sunshine from even the faintest rift
in the lowering clouds.
In the burst Of almost increduIous
relief which broke over Tom nc
SWOOned away.
When he recovered consciousness
he was ia the same gloomy vault. still
bound, and a prisoner, but the cloth
which had Obscured his vision was
taken away, and all the members OF
the criminal band had disappeared ex-
Cept the leader.
His prison-house. Moore could see