The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-04
FOURTEENTH
INSTALLMENT
rcoeyrtgh., 1915, by Arthur Str
The Octopus Bomb.

INSTALLMENT
The Octopus Bomb.
q ARGORY faced the supreme
M dilemma OF her life. Dangers,
mulufold. she had faced be-
fore. or been aided to overcome them
through the unfailtng help Of the
man In the yellow mask But now
more than mere bodily peril held her
in the thran of indecision. Yet a
decision had to be come at and that
quickly.
The sir! walked slowly to the still
open window and gaxed out, but the
mental problem that engrossed her
preoccupied her attention to the ex-
cluzaou OF everything else. Then a.
voice behind her spoke:
Can you see any OF them?'
Margary turned to the man In the
yellow mask, who stood close behind
her.
No." said Margory. in answer to
his question I'VE have a few min
utes' grace. Do you think it surely
AAtC " A1C5S LblAlS W Nv III SCA iitlAAn
it necessary beyond all doubt that 1
go away with you? / know you must
realize what that must mean to me
i cannot but think OF father"
Il have thought of everything you
have said-everything you have even
thought" said the Laughing Mask
gently But II Is no longer safe for
you to stay here. l must go away
1t is no longer safe for me, and IL I
am not here to shield you from
Legal"
Yes" murmured Margory, father
believes so implicitly now that these
crimes OF Legar were perpetrated by
you. That police captain has so thor
oughly convinced him! And this po-
liceman has said over and over again
that he will not rest until he has cap
tured you. Indeed. you are In terri
BILE danger now. Not half an hour
ago heard father telephoning to the
captain and planning to find you
You should not have come here"
81 had to come. I had to tell you
this. And i had to get from your
fathers vault the thing that will
clear me of some. at least. of the
crimes Legar has fastened upon me
Legar's confession"
Then. come. let Us hurry" said
Margory.
The two Of them then stole quietly
down through the shadowy house to
the library. She had gathered up q
heavy veil and stuffed hurriedly o
few things into a handbag-things
she might need in her flight with the
man in the yellow mask. The thought
Of this boldest of all the steps she
had taken to escape the Iron Claw OF
Legar and all that 1t symbolixed to
her. made her a bit paler than was
her won't. but her lips closed firmly In
resolution. And as the man At her
side hold up the heavy portiere at the
library door for her to pass. she
looked up into his eyes. shining
through his mask. and smiled CRATE
fully into them.
But the moment of reassurance
pAAscd. and in its stead there arose
In the depths OF her mind a vague
apprehension-at what, she hardly
knew. except. perhaps, at the i'm
pending return OF the police and her
father.
Tho Laughing Mask went swiftly
TO the vault and in a moment It's
minute. tingle OF alarm swept
through Margory's body, for the call
bell OF the telephone on the rosewood
deak suddenly rang out through the
room. By this time. the Laughing
Mask was within the vault, but the
shrill OF that bell brought him out
into the room.
Don't answer IT." warned the girl.
but Wilson. or another Of the serv-
ants. will surely come to answer It,"
explained the Laughing Mask, as he
moved toward the only door that he
had not locked on entering the H.
brary.
The commemorative you got It ?"
asked Margory. not needing what he
had said. so great was the tension of
her mind.
TT Is where II liz safe" quietly re-
piled the Laughing Mask
Then I'll shut the vault door," she
said.
he stood watching her as she
Crossed tho room 10 the vault and
swung TO the heavy safe door. He
saw her gloved hand go up to the
nieke!ed handle. TO throw on the lock
Then she did an unexpected and a
startling thing.
With an oddly birdlike movement of
the head the girl stopped and stared
intently at his figure. clearly out
lined against the dark folds of the
portieres behind him. Then, instead
OF locking the vault door. she took
four swift steps To the heavily carved
teakwood table to her right. In an
other moment she had caught I'D a
Roman lamp of solidly cast bron 70.
and. with all her strength, hurled II
at the swaytng portisre behind him.
Legar!" was her cry. And at the
same moment she uttered a shriu cry
OF warning.
II was time. From behind one of
the folds OF the portiore she had