The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-08-13
tCopyright, 1915, by Arthur Stringer. THIRTEENTH EPISODE.
 The Hidden Face.
The Unwelcome Suitor.

ne OnWelCOme SulCOT.
 NNOCH GOLDEN looked at
 @ the heavy shadows about his
 daughters eyes. Then he @ seated himself heavily in the armchair which she had so ab- stractedlly turned about for him.
 "Margory." he said with an effort at sternness, "are you still worrying about that young Manley?"
 For a moment or two the girl re- mained silent.
 T can't help 1t, father" murmured the girl with the shadowy eyes, turn ing away. The morose old man in the armchair reached out a hand and patted the flowerlike hand of his daughter Then he sighed again.
 There, there, my girl, everything's going to come out all right; you mark my words. And before the week Is out, If what the police tell me is true, we're going to have this man Legar safe behind the prison bars where he belongs. And then our troubles will be over. Moreover, there is no doubt in my mind about David's be- ing alive"
 But the girl refused to be com forted
 Mine will never be over, until know that David Manley Is alive and we'll until I can see him again with my own eyes!'
 Well, I've feeling that we're both going to see him, my dear, when the right moment comes. Whats troub- ling me more than David Manley, just now, is the problem of this Laughing Mask person. had nothing less than a deputy commissioner call me up this morning, for the authorities down in Center street are convinced of the fact this Laughing Mask would be a better haul than even Legar himself. They claim to have :: clear record against him, and in ten minutes I've got to face a delegation from the detective bureau and tell them for the twen- tieth time just how much, or rather, how little, know about that mysteri- GUS stranger!"
 The girl rose slowly to her feet. There was no longer any trace of tears in her eyes.
 ''Well, you can tell them for me that the Laughing Mask is not what they are trying to make of him. If they think they have a record of wicked things he has done, that record Is false one. know 1t is. For I have a record of my own, a record of what this Laughing Mask has done, and I know that every time he has acted on our behalf he has acted only to right wrong.
 The old man looked up, astonished by. the spirit in his daughters voice. He watched her from under his beet ling brows as she crossed to the door. Then for the second time he sighed audibly.
 well. I'm glad you feel that way about it, for God knows we need friend or two, in times like these!"
 "Pd prefer friends without the habit of disappearing the moment they were most needed" retorted the shadowy-eyed girl from the open door. And if there was any doubt as to the personal application of this somewhat impersonal remark, that doubt would not have remained long in her fathers mind had he followed his daughter to her room and there beheld her as she sat staring de- jectedly at her photograph of David Manley in its little oval frame of silver.
 It was not Enoch Golden, though, who stepped into that room and in- terrupted the unhappy girl as she stared down at the face in the oval frame. It was much lighter-footed intruder, who added to the primary mystery of his abrupt appearance by wearing a yellow mask which com pletely concealed his features. And Margory Golden, looking up, saw this figure silently and pensively regard tng her.
 She could even see the smile which fitted for moment about the fringe of the mask. Then the intruder's face grew serious again.
 You are unhappy" he quietly in- quired
 restored the photograph frame to her dresser.
 You seem to appear only on those occasions when I am.' she slowly and thoughtfully replied.
 ''Then there is a chance that I may be more successful than in the past in allaying that unhappiness."
 I'm afraid not, in this case" was her reply.
 Why not?" he inquired. with a glance toward the photograph on the dresser.
 Because it concerns person you are in no way in touch with"
 You mean your fathers secre- tary?"
 Once more the girl sat studying the masked face.
 'Yes." she finally replied.
 And you feel sure some harm has overtaken him?"
 "How do you know that?"
 T know more things than you imagine" was the others quiet toned yet confident reply. The girl watched him as he stepped to the door and closed 1t. And you are wondering at this very moment if young Manley will ever come back to you.''
 ''Yes, it is because l care for him . great deal," she found the courage to reply.
 Simply because of what he has done for your"
 "No, simply because-because he is what he is.''
 "But there were times when I. too, have tried to help yoh.''
 "I have not forgotten them"