The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-09-11

u As1,.ya s,s.ss.a.
Are we stalled?" he could hear tho
girl ask.
We'll be of again in q minute or
two, Miss Margery," was Trains pre-
occupied reply.
But I can't stand here helpless"
protested the girl. Il can't wait. I
must know what has happened to Da-
vid Manley."
Whatever 1t was. It's over and
done by this time"
But he may be dead. He may be
lying crushed under those fallen pill
lars. l must go on. Tell father /
couldn't wait, that 1've gone ahead
on FOOT"
Legar, crouching back in the shaw.
ows, heard these hurried words and
as hurriedly acted on them. Sinking
back through the bushes, he swung
about and followed the girl through
the darkness.
Yet 1t was not until the girl had
passed well out OF hailing distance
Of the headlighted car that Legar
circled even more hurriedly forward
and swung in again to intercept her.
She was trudging. little breath
lessly, up sandy slope, with her
straining eyes still fixed on the NOV.
ing lanterns about the ruined mauso-
leum.
- Then, swinging apparently out of
the empty air about her, q circle OF
steel, suddenly encompassing her arm.
brought her to an abrupt stop.
With one quick movement Legar
tore the motor veil from her head,
twisted it into coil, and flung it
about her neck. And all the while the
Iron Claw, graphing at her arm, held
her as steel trap might.
She was already dizzy with pain
when she heard the sharp crack Of q
revolver shot close over her shoulder.
This was followed by quick shout
and muttered oath. She felt herself
forcibly flung from Legar's arms into
the arms Of another man painting
breathlessly up the sandy slope. She
could see this man, even as he held
her from falling, stop to level his gun
at the fleeing figure OF Legar. She
could see him shoot again. and still
again. at the same moment that Train
and the plunging automobile came
throbbing and painting up to the scene.
the electric lamps throwing out their
wavering. long columns Of white light
as they came. Then the stranger, ar.
rested by certain gasping and CUR
Cling sounds from the throat OF the
half-garroted girl in his arms, stopped
down and tore the constructing veil
away from the slender. white column
Of her neck. And Margery, opening
her eyes. saw that it was the Laugh
ing Mask bending above her.
ut was Legar!" she gasped as
Train. followed by her father, came
painting up to where they stood.
And there he goes now" cried the
Laughing Mask, pointing down the
long lane of light columning out from
the cars lamps. Across that narrow
river of light they could catch
glimpse OF q tall figure skulking OF
into the darkness.
Follow that man with your cal"
the Laughing Mask suddenly cried out
to the chauffeur
mo car could travel through coun-
try like that" protested Train.
Then keep your lights on the main
road to the west here, so as to pick
him up if he tried to break through
on that side. I'll swing around by the
foundry yards and head him of in the
east!"
And the next moment the man in
the yellow mask had disappeared in
the darkness. Golden and his daugh-
ter stood staring after him.
Two minutes later the blackness
that had swallowed him up was
stabbed by series Of flame flashes,
followed by the repeated bark OF a
revolver From the gloom still nearer
tho shadowy piles of the Westingham
foundry came an answering series Of
shots.
THAT means he's making for the
sir!" cried the excited Train
as he swung his car about.
"Then, for Gods sake. get US there.
as quick as you can" commanded
Enoch Golden as the car lurched and
pulsed and crawled on between the
broken shrubbery. in perilous search
for some open pathway.
But both Legar and his pursuer
were by this time well beyond their
line Of vision. That desperate-minded
master criminal, in fact, realizing
that his enemy was pressing close at |
his heels, mounted Stag pile, dropped
fiat, and emptied his revolver into the
where the Laughing Mask
should have BEEN. .....--... -. 80 !