The Elbert County tribune., 1916-08-18

weapon of defense, for it consisted
of craftily constructed cape which,
for purposes of disguise, could be
promptly converted into a womans
skirt.
So sure was Mauh of his defensive
arrangements that when he caught
sight of Peggy O'Mara and her father
at the window he promptly reached
for his rife. adjusted the barrel be-
tween the shutter stats, and took aim.
Then he pulled the trigger,
The next moment a bullet went
crashing through the window of the
O'Mara home.
Instinctively the two startled fig
ures leaped away from the window.
AS they did SO they realized that a
third person had entered the room.
And second glance showed them
that 1t was the Laughing Mask him
self.
He stood for a moment or two. star
ing down at the spotted warning that
| lay face upward on the floor Then
he stared at the shattered window.
| The next moment he was pushing
Peggy and Dan O'Mara bodily back
| from that square of light.
But what's the meanin' of all this,
| anyway" demanded the astonished
householder.
"It means that bullet came through
that window" the Laughing Mask ex-
planned. "And know that bullet was
intended for your daughter here"
The next moment the Laughing
Mask had caught broom from the
corner and about 1t was draping one Of
Peggy O'Mara's well-worn waists.
Above this he placed the girls hat,
| tying 1t in place with q scarf. Then
dropping to his knees well out of sight
on one side of the window. he slowly
advanced his improvised dummy into
the square of light.
That rough outline of human fig
ure was scarcely in position at the
window before a second pane crashed
in and the broom was knocked from
the hand of the masked man hold
ing it.
That shot could have come only
from one of those three houses across
the way And it's ten to one it's from
that empty house on the right"
| He drew away from the window and
stood for a moment deep in thought
| "O'Mara, want you to slip out by
your back door and get help. Call on
any neighbors you can trust in n case
like this. Then hurry back here, for
l don't want that scoundrel to suspect
his plans haven't worked out exactly
as he imagines!"
well get the divil!" announced
O'Mara as he slipped away. And while
waiting for his return the Laughing
Mask sent Peggy for cupful of flour.
With this he powdered her hands and
blanched her thin young face. Dan
O'Mara had stepped back into the
house before the masked visitor had
completed his task.
Now, I want that sniper to think
he's done his work, / don't want him
to break from cover until your friends
have surrounded that house. So take
your daughter and carry her out. just
as though she were dead girl"
| Dan O'Mara, doing as he was d.
rected. stepped from the doorway with
his own white-faced daughter hanging
limp in his arms. He acted his part
with sincerity that was not without
conviction. For, two minutes after he
had staggered into the open with that
apparently sad burden, the sniper from
the shuttered house was detected slip
ping out Of cellar window and sour
rying along broken fence.
That escape, however. came before
Dan O'Mara's friends could completely
take up their position about the sus-
caught sight of the fugitive in the
strengthening cape, the alarm was
given, and the pursuit began.
It was not long chase, but 1t was
stern one. Determined as those in
dignant factory-toilers were to run
down the mysterious gunman SO wan
tonly threatening their homes, tho
fleeing Mauh proved himself starting
ly fleet of foot. He gained sufficiently
on his pursuers to round corner,
dodge into an empty coalshed, and
emerge a moment later as stopped
old woman in amber-colored spectacles
and rusty gray wig. Being obviously
hard of hearing, this same old woman
could not give much information to
the group of excited men suddenly ac-
costing her as she hobbled across the
street.
Five minutes later swarthy-skinned
man with wiry black hair was hurry
ing across country to one of the we'll
concealed dens of Jules Legar, where
he duly reported to the Iron Claw the
news of his enemy's ruse and his own
narrow escape.
Before the second day had passed
Legar had evolved yet another plan
for the subjugation Of his enemies.
This took the form of decoy mes