The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-23
(The Marvellous Story, Hitherto Unpublished
From, Which the Pathe Photoplay of
the Same Name Was Made)

tam lbTaCKett y men, VINO ndd he0rd
the sounds OF that unequal combat,
came hurrying upon the scene. The
sight of these enemy reinforce
ments acted upon the nearly ex-
hausted Davy like rowelled spur
upon the TANKS of a faded horse.
With n supreme effort, he wrenched
loose from the grasp Of his heavy
handed captor and dartnd across the
stretch Of velvety lawn toward tho
spacious country house, with the de-
tcrmined officers close at his heels
Up the steps and through the open
door he scurried and, gaining the
gunroom at he end of the hall,
slammed and bottled the heavy door
Of that sanctuary In tho very face OF
his pursuers.
The baffled and exa7nerated Cap
tain Bracket, casting about for sone
method of overcoming that stout
barrier between himself and the OBJ
1ect OF his wrath. seized upon @ mas
sive chair OF carved oak AS he
swung this improvised battering ram
over his head. the perturbed master
or the house entered the doorway and
took band in the proceedings.
Waltz" was his terso command TO
the enraged officer. Before you re-
sort u. such extreme measures. let
me gay word to Davy I am sure
ne will listen 10 reason"
When CAPTAIN Bracket had
stepped aside In somewhat s1,rlv
obedience, Enoch Golden placed his
lips close to the solid door-panel and
endeavored to make himself heard
by his former secretary.
Don't he foolish, Davv." he called
our SHARPLY You are making a grave
mistake in resisting the law and you
VIII have 10 suffer the consequences
unless you open this door i'm
mediately."
rs though in compliance with this
stern warning, the key grated in
the lock and tho door swung slowly
inward With quick rush the be-
Heging forces catapulted into The
Funroom, only TO find il apparentIv
empty. Then. with a gasp Of amazed
CONSERVATION, they beheld a figure
which silently emerged from the
space between the swung back door
and the wall, For that figure wore
an enshroudinE mask of yellow
cambria and gripped in one hand
heavy caliber revolver, which wa-
vered in disconcerting fashion over
that startled group.
II think Davy must be well beyond
recall by this time" he said as he
slowly backed toward the door, and
l will now leave you to your own
devices"
As he spoke tho last word no
stopped into tho hallway, and with
almost simultaneous movements
pulled the door shut after him and
locked 1t from the outside. Then
came a Clamor of wrathful voices as
The Gagged detectives. smarting under
the indignities to which they had
been subjected, hurled themselves in
nnavailing fury against that stout
Instruction which barred their pur-
salt Of the boldly impudent masker.
But with the exception of a fair
haired girl waiting anxiously in the
rose-G garden there was no one in
sight about the well-kept grounds.
AS in response to her eager inquiries,
her father told her of their humiliat-
ing encounter with the masked in
terferer. who. had miraculously taken
the place of the harrled Manley
Margery became conscious OF the
openly suspicious gaze OF the russell
faced police captain.
II don't know what your motive
ia. Miss Golden" he said resentfully,
but for some reason you have tried
all along to discredit my theory
nj ny,Ia ha oh trr
Mask being the same person. What
has just happened proves / am
right, for no two people could have
changed places between the time we
chased Manley into the gunroom and
that masked criminal opened the
door. No one came out OF that win
dow and you know it as well as 1
do"
For a moment the puzzled girl took
rapid counsel with herself. She
knew that David Manley had not
come out Of the gunroom window for
she had kept 1t steadily in view and
would have seen him IL he had. Per-
haps the captain was right and Davy
was the Laughing Mask after all.
But even II this were true she did
not propose turning him over TO the
tender mercies of his memorable
enemies,
II am afraid ! shall have to dis
credit your theory again. Captain
Bracket" she said in unequivocat-
ing tones, flor David Manley did
come through that window and
saw him with my own eyes,
For moment the heavy-featured
police officer stared at her in appar-
ent disbelief, but Margory felt she
had twisted the truth in good cause,
and presently he turned from her
clear. level gaze with the attitude
OF man who has completely lost
his bearings.
Although she had so vigorously
ridiculed the captains pet theory con-
corning the identity of the mysterious
Fighter of wrongs. Margory now ex-
perienced a decided uncertainty as
to whether he might not be right
after ALL
She realized the only way TO go
about this battling task was 10 keep
n close and incessant watch over the
movements of David Manley, who
had taken up his abode under the
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