The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-06-24

ico aple was az us hetght.
are about to be shocked In a much
moro serious way. ON the stroke OF
twelve there Is 10 be an accident here.
perhaps something much graver than
an accident, in which II is my great
desire that you should not participated!
SO ! must ask each and every one OF
you TO leave this room, and this house.
as quietly yet as quickly as possible!
Every one repeated that authorita-
tiye-yoiced intruder as Ia Espares and
the tall man in the Arabian burnoose
rose to their feet, except these two
gentlemen here"
Out OF the silence that ensued on
that declaration arose small MUIR
muir Of wonder, stir of nervousness.
and one shrill laugh from a woman
holding a wine glass Then Enoch
Golden himself called out an angry ex-
/ postulation, followed by a sharp word
or two OF command. But the company
had already risen. For the masked
stranger, stepping still closer to Da
Espares and the figure in the flowing
burnoose, had coolly intercepted them
as they moved in unison towards a
side door. II
Get back. both OF you." the clear.
voice behind the yellow mask had
called out, "or before God Ill shoot
you down where you standr
That sudden threat OF violence was
the spring which released the ten
sion There were mingled shouts OF
resentment and fear, followed by a
quick and unreasoning rush for the
door, courtiers and nuns and peas
ants and Apaches and Geisha girls in
contending furry OF hnery and fright
ened faces.
For a minute or two the master of
the house struggled in vain to stop
them. Then his attention was directed
towards the Laughing Mask for the
latter, advancing with a quick stride
10 tho man in the burnoose, jerked
aside that flowing garment and re-
ycaled Legar himself. Legar with q
sinisterly scared face and an iron claw
at the end OF his right arm. And tho
same moment that this movement was
taking place, ia Espares himself. with
his eyes always on the Laughing Mask
stole quick step by step towards tho
door on his left Ie had reached that
door before His enemy detected him.
The man with tho revolver wheeled
about and fred as the Spanish knight
III silk and lace Owed through the OPEN
Ing. Legar seeing his chance in that
division OF interest. charged bodily
through the damaskladen table, scat.
teriug silver and glass and flowers as
he went. I'm another breath he had
reached the conservatory. where,
second or two later. his iron-shod arm
could be heard failing through the fra
gle barrier Of glass between him and
the outer world And by the tlme
Enoch Golden reached the spot his
enemy had vanished
Yet in almost the same breath tho
Laughing Mask had leaped in the OPP
posite direction, in pursuit OF the fee
ing Da Espares. But that fight. wher-
ever II led or might have led was In
terrupted by a sudden defamation that
shook the great house TO it's founda-
ton There was roar OF falling gir-
ders. the splintering OF wood, the rum
BILE Of a great avalanche. as a seven
ton steel vault. deprived Of its sup
ports, crashed down through the finn
/ sy flooring. carrying dust and debris
and tumbling pieces OF household fur
niture as II went Nor did that mas
sive thing OF metal stop until II bedded
itself in the broken cement flooring
- KN1 nNxl 10
rattle OF falling plaster and echoing
showers OF scattering bric-a.brac rose
the quick cry OF human voices calling
for help.
Golden, staring dazed at the great
room through which sudden ruin had
erupted. was scarcely conscious OF the
frightened girl clinging 80 forlornly
20 his arm He was scarcely conscious
OF the throng OF servants and watch.
men who ran back and forth through
the dusty rooms lie quaveringly
helped his daughter 20 a chair She
stared wide-eyed al Wilson as tho lat
ter led David Manley. limping a little
and much disordered as 10 apparel,
into the room.
rs anybody hurt?" asked the white
faced girl
The ever dependable old butler look
ed at Marley. who in turn looked
away.
I'm sorry. Miss Margery," Wilson
hositatingly explained. but II Is the
Count Ia Esparesl"
you mean he is
The old butler nodded.
I'm afraid so. Miss Margery. They
have Just found his body. crushed UNI
der tho vault"