The Raymer enterprise., 1916-12-14

Mother to Look After.
He will not" avowed the Laughing
Mask, with decision. He'll have
more than help before this night il
over, and better Job and a clear con.
science before another one comesl
But tell me first where you left this
girl you brought out from the city?"
Inside the door O. the sluiceroom
there"
Good God" gasped the man in the
mask. Then he caught the spindle
legged Peggy O'Mara by the hand and
started for the shadowy pile Of the fac
tory on the run. "Quick!" he said as
he ran, Show me the door!"
The half-breathless girl pointed Il
out to him. But as he ran up to 1t he
found 1t locked. He stopped and fran
tically caught up piece Of timber al
most as long and heavy as his own
body. Peggy O'Mara, seeing that its
weight seemed more than he could
manage, promptly ran to his assist.
ance.
Now. come together" he said, for
we've got to knock that door I'M"
Twice, three times. they charged the
door before 1t gave way. But the mo.
ment its panels crashed in the Laugh
ing Mask leaped through the opening.
AS he did so he caught sight Of tho
two struggling figures on the brink
OF the blackened runway. As he saw
the figure of the woman flung headlong
into the open sluiceway he leaped with
a shout towards the one-armed man
who stood on its brink. But that one
armed man, with lightninglike move
ment, whipped a revolver from his
pocket, swung round on the intruder,
and fired.
The Laughing Mask wheeled half
way about, staggered step or two,
and then fell forward on his face.
The wide-eyed Peggy oMara, fol.
lowing at his heels, saw both that fall
and the fact that the Iron Claw had al.
ready leaped towards the control
board OF the water mangle. Peggy
screamed aloud, shrilly and belligerent.
ly, as she leaped for the man already
before the control board. She caught
at him, clawing at his upraised arm,
fought him with every jot of her thin.
blooded girlish body.
But she was no match for that de-
termined and malignant opponent. The
most she could do was to distract and
harry him for precious moment or
Two. Then, realizing she was factor
to be eliminated without scruple, he
caught her bodily up from the floor,
raised her above his head, and with q
sickening thud, sent her body against
The solid masonry of the factory wall.
She lay there stunned, without NOV.
ing, moaning brokenly with pain, az
Legar darted back to the control lever
'f the mangle drums and shifted that
ever to the spot marked start" The
next moment he had thrown over the
switch Of the sluicegate control.
He ventured one triumphant glance
IN the direction of the whirring
nangle knives and the slowly ascend.
ng gate. Then, with grimace of sat.
lsfaction, he leaped over the inert
body OF the Laughing Mask, ran to tho
ioor, and disappeared in the darkness.
Had that flight been less hurried
Legar might have observed that the
'yes OF the Laughing Mask were open.
Ind the inert body, weak as II was
rom the loss of blood from a flesh
wound In the hip, was already pain.
ully gathering itself together for some
movement. That move.
nent. wavering and unsteady as II
vas. took the crawling man directly to
he control board Of the water mangle
There. by supreme effort, he raised
himself to his feet CROPPED about with
IN unsteady hand, and swung back
he lever.
The next moment the roar OF ths
machinery stopped, the threshing
Inives stood poised. But It had been
'nly in the nick Of time. For Mar
'ery Golden, who had clung to the
'luicegate until Its Withdrawing bars
lad compelled her to relaA he. last
desperate clutch on its bars and drop
Jack into the black It'd carrying her
loser and closer to those failing
'lades of death, now caught and clunr
o graphite-covered driving chain lit.
le more han a yard from the fore.
nost -nangle drum which lowered
bove her like an open law. And a
he clung there, q renewing wave Of
ope swept through her body, for from
he sluiceway wal. above her she could
lear q relssuring II somewhat un.
teady voice calling down to her. And
hat voice, she knew. was the voice
I the Laughing Maski
(To BE CONTINUnD.)