The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-09-23

still form as indifferently as though
1t had been fallen tree-trunk. Then.
as he was about to enter the shanty,
he paused for a moment on the thresh-
old and flung quick look over his
shoulder. What he saw brought a
snarling eXecration to his lips, for
tearing down the precipitous hill
side toward the quarry came an auto
mobile driven alta death-courting pace.
On the running-board of that madly
lurching car precariously chung man
wearing a yellow mask. AS In
swirling cloud of dust the car struck
the foot of the hill that masked fig
ure leaped wide to the side of the
road and, miraculously retaining his
footing, dashed into the quarry, shout
inG frantic warnings as he came.
Then 1t was that Legar realized his
prey would escape him unless he act
ed without the loss of second. He
swung about and darted through the
door Of the shanty toward the pump
like electrical contrivance from which
creeping wire tendrils extended to the
mined cliff But before his lean
fingers could jam down the handle
and make the connection which would
produce the jumping blue spark of
deadly power Margery Golden and
the astounded detectives had leaped
from their place of .concealment and
hastily advanced to meet the masked
fugitive for whom they had been
lying In wait.
"Legar" he painted brokenly.
"Legar is here-hes firing blast
half the cliff will fall-hurry-hurry-
In Gods name-hurry
His words and manner cnrried in
that startled group about him, mildly
plunging for safety, barely reached
the highway when a deafenlng, rever-
berating roar split the air and rocked
the very ground under their feet.
For a moment the little group stood
In spellbound silence, gripped by the
suddenness Of that mighty cOnvul-
sion. and shaken by their own near
approach to death. Then as the fine
dust clouds accompanying the chaotic
upheaval gradually settled II came to
the scattered sense of the ungrateful
police captain that the much-wnnted
Laughing Mask was standing close be-
side him. With quick movement he
clutched the wrist Of that elusive fugi-
tive In his strong stubby fingers.
"Tve got you this time" he yelled
out in triumphant tones.
But instead of replying to this
somewhat premature statement the
masked prisoner made quick and
dexterous tripping movement with his
foot, Mt the same time giving his
red-faced captor violent shove that
sent him ludicrously sprawling on his
back. Then he darted into the quarry,
threading his way amid the great piles
of rock. with the police captain. who
had now recovered his equilibrium
and the two detectives in full cry nj
his heels.
Margery Golden breathlessly await
ed the outcome Of that chase, for she
realized that II this man. who had
just saved her from terrible death
was captured she would be respon.
sible In large measure. The running
figures were lost to sight, but pres
emily the Laughing Mask broke from
the cover of great rectangular rock
and. dashing past her to the opposite
side of the road, threw himself face
downward among the shclterIne
bushes. The next moment his pursucrs
emerged from behind the rock and
came pounding toward Margery
Golden.
(Which way did ne go?" the gasp
Ing police officer demanded of the girl
J who held the fate of the Laughing
Mask in her hands. After an almost
lmperceptible hesitation, she pointed
silently toward the bend of the road
Eardly had the detectives, trailing
|. this fake scent Mt top speed. dIsap-
peared around the turn than there
slipped out of the bushes n masked
figure bearing evident traces of cx'
hnustion. Slowly he approached the
girl. into Whose eyes crcpt a look Of
stern reproach. Taking her hand be
raised It tenderiy to his lips.
"won't you try to believe IN me
just a little while longerf" he nskcd
i q low, pleading tone.
| Then without waiting for her an
swer he relinquished that soft. white
hand and ran up the road IN the op.
j posite direction from that tnkcn ~
his pursucrs. n