Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-04-21


Fierce as that fight was. il was not
9 prolonged one. For the wbite-beard-
Cd man despite his age. with one final
effort, succeeded in lifting his op-
ponent clear OF the deck-boards ana
gInsing him headl1rcmost into tha
bla el- water Then he turned a.l
braced himself for the charge ol
second man. This second man he sac.
~ dropping quite fiat and unexpected
ly ca the deck itself He felt t.e
charging body 90 ever his own. caught
at ele ssh kicking lact as he twisted
quickly about. and before his opponent
could recover from shat fan tha Hs r.-
archal boat owner had assisted his uu-
welcome guest over the decE-hp after
his companion.
But. oddly enough En- that strcs he
the bewhiskored old boatman had ln-
ler-ere q sudden and startling change
Tine cgtching fingers OF his enemy
the second contest along the boetE *
hae buried themselves IN the ..ck
white beard decorating that launch
owners chin. And whom this enemy
went overheard that fringe OF wais-
kors went with MIN. leaving at the
-whe54 a somewhat altered and cousid-
erably younger looking man. And that
this unknown amender OF destnies
was still intent on nursing the secret
OF his identity was further evidenced
by the fact that before turning his
boat about and facing the ebb-tide cur
rent Of the North siyer, he carefully
adjusted over his nose a narrow band
OF yellow cloth with its little apron
OF an inverted crescent. Stiu later.
as ne closely watched the light-span-
gled shore line, he caught sight of
two small winging eyes Of green and
red Accepting this apparently as a
signal he swung in close under the
shadow of q coal barge and made fast
at the slip end where nigh above nam
a waiting taxicab stood close reside
the stringpiece. yet. hurried as the
man in the mask seemed to be. ne took
time TO sit under one OF the cabin
lamps ana indite a short epistle. Tnis
euistle, addressed 20 "Enoch Golden
and his friends, read as follows
The Funds Of the Third National
bank vault are now in my possess on
and will be duly returned to the ri 4ht-
fui owners. But that may enjoy the
luxury OF the game IS weI as the
name, am Withholding from those ee.
turnss funds the fifty thousand col as
in gold which was formerly the pror-
erty Of the man who, by Expressing
the poor. has compelled this action.
When that man locks into his 1un
heart and returns to th1 paths OF " g.
dom, this gold will be returned 20 him
by
THE LAUGHING MASK.
Still later that night while Dayio
Manley and NargoIy Golden ard hsr
father were arguing and wondering DIS
to the origin and fun meaning Of tus
strange message, Logar and bis mon,
emerging like water rats from the
riveg-front rendezvous close beside .Eo
Owls Nest. piled into a harbor .u.1
with a mudlcd kicker and silently
made their way for Oyster Joe's.
Crowding into the dimiy hit sail loft
CT Oyster joe they found themselves
confronted. not by the millions IN
stolen treasure, but by a stiTjontcd
and blasphemous old man IN white
whiskers, tied and dashed to one OF
his own shack beams
Don't yelp at me about your
damned gold" cried Oyster joe, with
sulphurous string of oaths, when
he was able TO speak. q never saw
envy gold All saw was that chain
lightning gnk in a mask the giuk
WHO'S double-crossed me twice at the
same game,"
Legar staggered back into a Sfoken
chair
So it's the Laughing Mask again!"
he sad with an oath
no Bis CONTINUED