The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-04

{ IF YOO MlSS II. on one cylinder went coughing inland along the narrow road threading those uncounted acres of sea marsh.
 4
 They were v4fllin fifty paces of a crossroads landmark known as Chimney Pot Corner when a below not unlike that of a branded range steer burst from the indignant throat of Old Eli. For that worthy had the unique experience of beholding not only his own purloined team and wagon, but disconcertingly lifelike replica of himself driving r. Scupulo, with the genius of true general, ar rested the progress of that wagon by promptly stopping his car directly in its track. This collision in no way improved the vehicle of ancient vint- age; but sterner issues were at hand. A moment later the belligerent trio from the broken car were trfum- phantly charging for MargorysGolden and her guardian.
 That guardian, fully realizing the meaning of the charge, tossed his reins to the frightened girl and com ma.nded her to drive, and drive for all she was worth. Then he himself prepared for invaders.
 We've got to get out of tfis!" ha called to the lurching girl at his Se, as he seized the reins and caugf up a whip. We've got 8 run of a ila and moro before we can reach Iic hawkin bridge and help!"
 The girl suddenly caught at HIS arm.
 Are you afraid?" he asked.
 "No," she answered, with set lips.
 ''Then get their tires, if you can, as they come nearer-their radiator or their engine, or anything! Drop low in the wagon. for they'll be firing themselves in a minute!"
 It was a black touring car, low and rakish and in 1t were five men. One of those men, the girl realized as she fired her last shot, was Legar himself.
 By the help of God, we can make it!" suddenly exulted the man at the reins, for already his tired team was plunging up the incline of the bridge approach. They were on the bridge now. laundering across the draw.
 A power-house attendant, framed in his griny doorway, stared at them in wonder
 Lift your draw!" frenziedly, conn., manded the strangT.@ "Stop thscart For Gods sake stop that cari''
 But the man in the jumper saw no reason for any such action. The other, brushing him aside, sleaped to the control lever. The outraged bridgetender at the same moment leaped for the intruder.
 But that intruder, for all this sud- den attack, was not to be turned from his purpose. The lever was thrown over and one end of the mas sive draw, responding to the impulse of the equally massive machinery, rose slowly from the lip of the dusty roadway.
 Legar's car was already thunder ing across it's span as that network of steel began to lift like the jaw of a yawning monster from the lip of the roadway.
 But the increasing incline of the draw, for all the cars momentum, sucked from that straining engine it's added strength, retarded aslittle and yet little moro the hurrying wheels
 It was not until then that the be- whiskered man at the control lever became fully conscious of the fact that the engineer in the oil-stained jumper was striking and clawing at his intent body. He endured that assault until the lever had been re- versed and the draw started back on it's descent Then, wheeling about with a catlike dexterity quite sur prising in one of his years, he deliv- cred himself of a chain-lightning blow which landed the astounded and customarily inoffensive bridgetender in an empty corner of his power house.
 Before that bridge tender recovered his feet the stranger had sped across the draw and leaped into the waiting wagon.
 Look" cried the girl. pointing to the river bed beneath them.
 There the strangers could see Legar and two or three of his men clinging to a row of broken piling like limpets about a river derelict.
 T was hoping," said the stranger as he caught up the reins, "that this would be the last of him!"
 "But who are you, that you should do all this for me?" asked the won- dering girl.
 Look back and make sure we're not being followed,'' was the strangers answer. .'Then I'll tell you!"
 What she saw when she turned again, though, was gray wig and fringe of yellowish-whit whiskers lying in the bottom of the wagon. And when she lifted her eyes to the stran- gers face she beheld on that face, suddenly rejuvenated, the narrow band of yellow mask, a yellow mask which covered the eyes and the upper part of the head. But below the mask, intimidating as it was in it's mystery, she could see that the mouth was smiling one.
 ITO BE CONTINUED