Tensas gazette., 1916-11-24

creep out along tne lOusn-SnOTeu pas
sageway, to where the tunnel opened
on a shelf of rock and gravel half way
up the hillside. Screened as 1t was
with shrubbery she could see little Of
the valley before her. The only point
of life that met her gaze was black
touring car crawling along the valley
road. When that g turned OF the
road and twisted and rocked in be-
tween the bushes below her she
thought, at first, that 1t was her un-
known guardian returning to her. But
when. she saw five men cautiously
emerge from that half-hidden car and
creep still closer through the under
brush, she felt sure that they were
not approaching as friends. For a mo-
ment her heart leaped up into her
mouth. Then she breathed again. for
she saw that they were not approach
ing her hiding place. but apparently
seeking one of their own. And as they
foregatbered behind screen of scrub
oak not more than thirty feet below
her she knew both by their guarded
tones and their general conspiratorial
aspect that they stood intent on their
own ends, quite oblivious of her and
her hiding place.
Her face paled, however, as she
heard the clearer and more authorita'
tive tones of one of those speakers.
For that voice, she knew. belonged -
Legar, and only to Legar.
so. II Oyster Joe wants to wipe out
that score, tell him to have his launch
night. At seven sharp. remember. for
II we want to get away with that
money. every move has to go like
clockwork!"
The girl, pushing her cautious way
through the bushes, leaned even closer
over. the ledge. Then she held her
breath, for she saw that her move
ments had loosened the gravel at her
feet and sent a covey of powders
careening down the hillside. The
voices below at the same time came
to q sudden stop. In another moment
she could hear the crash of hurrying
feet through the tangled shrubbery.
Before she could turn and fly lie
gar and his four evil-faced followers
were charging up the slope. They
were upon her. cutting OF her retreat
before she could dodge back into the
passageway. Yet she did not surren
der without a struggle. She fought
them back as best she could. standing
at bay with her back against the rocky
hillside. 1t was not until Legar's hand
clamped like q wise OF her arm that
she screamed. and screamed again.
A masked figure picking his eau
tious way along the crest of the bill
above them heard that cry and seemed
to understand its meaning. For. or
hearing that repeated scream, he ne
longer picked his way, but RAN fran
tically. and with all his speed. So pre-
cipitately did he scurry down tha,
rocky hillside. In fact, that he de
scended in a flying leap in the very
midst of Legar's followers clustered
about the girl. lie landed like {
fallen plumb bob. heels down, knock
ing one of the conspirators sprawl
ing over the cliff edge as he came. An
other he sent with a well-aimed blow
in the same direction. The third wal
not disposed Of so easily. But al
adept jiu-jitsu twist of the body soor
sent this opponent diving headfore
most into the loose gravel. 1t wal
then that Legar, seeing his men goinl
down about him like ninepins. re
leased his clutch on the girls arm t,
draw his revolver.
| At the same moment that he dit
so the man in the mask, swinging tn,
girl sharply about. darted for the tun
nelmouth. He was through 1t befor,
Legar could level his gun and fire. H,
was half-leading, half-dragging tn
painting girl down the narrow passag
before any of the band could follow
But before he lodged for the hiddel
powder house he threw up his fire.
hand and caught at the loop whicl
hung there at the end of his line. An,
he pulled it vigorously as he ran.
The result of that simple movemen
was both prompt and appalling. Tn
thunder of a great detonation shoo
the earth. The rocky hillside erupl
ed into a sudden volcano Of flyin
earth and gravel. fiinging its tons Q
debris into the echoing valley. An
under the debris could be seen tn
still struggling limbs of Legar and hi
men.
But the man in the mask did nc
linger to witness those struggles. H
darted with the white-faced girl ou
of the broken tunnel mouth, dragge
her hurriedly up the slope and circle
down through rock and underbrush {
where his hidden car awaited him.
was not until they were in that ca
and once more fastening citywar
that Margory confided to her unknow
rescuer what she had overheard b,
tween Legar and his men.
And whatever this plot of their
may be-" she explained, they inten
to fasten 1t on you. | couldn't quit
understand, but it had something {
do with a postscript to a letter whic
you had left somewhere"
That letter." announced the ma
in the mask, was left in Enoch Coli
ems home. So this must mean som
new blow at Golden. And the sool
er we get to him, accordingly. the be
ter for everybody"
| The SAcret Attach