The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-04

pearing. Then, Stealthily from the
pocket into which he had jammed
It a. he had seized It IN the Golden
library, he drew forth the confession
that no had sought 20 long. He held
Il to tho light 10 that he could Tead
It and then, with his claw, he tore the
paper to shreds.
Tho Laughing Maak, toa had
beaten the detectives. He ran With
all tho fieetness Of foot that his akh-
letic build and slim strength could
muster. out beyond the 0oldsn
grounds and down the nearest 0t1est
to tho trolley line. A. he reached
came to . stop and the Laughing
Mask boarded It At . leap. TIE con-
ductor Of the car had gone 10 tho
signal box near BY. A. <he man
finished setting the signal. ths Laugh
Ing Mask saw the group OF dsteekavsa
at tho head Of the street a4 hight
angles to tho traclxa dashing toward
him. In another minute they Wuuld
reach the car. Before that they wuuld
be able to attract the attention q xha
motorman and conductor with Q Se-
volver shot. It was q matter Of &c.
onds for the Laughing Max and
every second must be made to count.
He slipped his revolver from his
coat pocket and ran through ths car.
With q bound he was upon the nunt
platform and slipped tho catch Of
tho door behind him Al the motor
man faced about the Laughing
Masks revolver was thrust into hia
face.
start the car-nowi" cried xha
Laughing Mask.
Instead the motorrnan rftsd the
controller handle from the box and
would have struck the Laughing
Masks revolver hand. but the latter
stepped back and thrust the motor
man off the platform with q terrific
shove of his foot The motorman
tumbled over In the dust Of the road
way and before he could regain his
feet the Laughing Mask had the
spare controller handle out Of the
tool box and had started the car at
full speed.
Leaving the controller box for an
instant. he gazed backward. The de-
tectives had stopped a passing auto
mobile and were piling into 1t. The
car gained momentum, and soon II
careened along the rails, swinging
around curves with two wheels in
air and ever lettering its speed.
Nevertheless. the automobile, now
driven by one Of the detectives. could
IN of I'D TTT,n n
Mask had the trolley car going like
o runaway, dashing down grades with
every kuowatt OF power turned on and
thus increasing its momentum. But
the slight upgrades were killing In
their theft OF what speed was being
gained. The automobile steadily grew
larger to the Laughing Masks vision
as he now and then glanced back.
ward
The automobile was now Scarcely
moro than a hundred yards behind
The car was approaching another
slight upgrade, preparatory to DASH
ing across the highest bridge on the
road. AS the car struck tho level
stretch of track at tho entrance to
the bridge abutment. again tn mo-
1t was gaining on tho automobile as
the car full Of detectives. In its turn.
struck the up grade. A new plan
flashed through tho Laughing Masks
mind. He looked back to measure
the distance between the car and the
automobile. The car gave q lurch
as 1t struck the bridge switch frog, in
another moment It had left the rails
and then 1t hurtled against the guard
roll, smashed 1t and plunged down.
ward.
AS the car disappeared from the
sight Of the detectives in the pursuina
automobile. Golden gave an involun-
tary cry. Another minute and they
were at the thither end Of the bridge
near which the trolley had leaped
the tracks. They stopped, and all
seven Of the men peered over the ode
OF the bridge. but they could - no
trace either Of tho trolley car or Of the
Laughing Mask.
Tho searchers went down the de-
clivity to the waterside and there
lay the wrecked trolley car, smashed
to splinters. The detectives scat
tered along the bank Of the river.
hunting for some sign Of the IAaugh-
ing Mask. but there was none.
I'VE have hunted all along the
Shore" reported one Of the detectives
to the captain, but there IL no sten
OF the Laughing Masks body. 1t
must have been carried on down the
river and over the falls"
For the policemen and Golden the
quest was ended. They drove back
to the Golden mansion and then tho
captain and his men took their leave.
Golden, still somewhat unnerved at
the fate that he believed had at last
overtaken the Laughing Mask-for
the eyes make the brain an appalling
witness of what the cara would re.
cord only q meager impression
Golden mounted the stairs of hin
home.
Margory. wide-eyed. stood at the
etairhead. What Golden had Just
seen was still pictured, in some sort.
on his face.
Father" she cried. what II t.
what has happened?"
1.-THE Laughing Mask" he said.
has met a terrible DEATH"
And then he told her what he had
seen. She looked into his face. in
credulous. amazed. horror-stricken.
mo! No! It can't bel" she xasped
out, like ono in q frenzy.
II saw II with my own eyes." said
her father.
She gaxed at him vacantly and
then fell into his arms, her limp ng-
Zn - - a.