Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1916-10-05

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q folded square of note paper.
II had almost forgotten to give this
to you" he said, extending the paper
to the wondering girl. Il found ii
fastened on the thorn bush near the
great bowlder on Seven Oaks hill. 1t
is addressed to you and l think it must
be from the Laughing Mask, for he
has been seen around there a number
of times"
AS Margery hastily glanced at the
penciled note she saw that Davy was
right In his conjecture, and he re-
! gained much that he had lost in her
affections as she realized what a
as message bearer for his masked
rival.
"Pll trouble you to hand over that
letter, Miss Golden" demanded Cap
tain Bracket in, authoritative tones
as he stepped from his place of con-
cealment. 1--WE had my doubts about
your wantin to land that masked
criminal In the cell where he belongs
ever since you steered us wrong the
time he made his last getaway, an
perhaps this little dockyment will help
throw some light on the subject"
His beefy paw suddenly shot out
and firmly clutchSd her slender wrist.
But the resisting girl found timely
ally in the person OF David Manley,
who perceived that for reasons of her
To Il xufCh tn
der the note, and, with a quick move
ment snatched that object of conten-
ton from her fingers and stuffed it in
his pocket.
The belligerent captain now adj
vanced threateningly upon the new
factor Of this unexpected resistance to
the majesty of the law.
"Come across with that paper, young
man." he beloved furiously, cor I'll
show you what it means to interfere
with an officer performin' his duty"
Then as the calm-faced Davy ex-
hibited no indications of complying
with this demand, the irate policeman
attempted to decide the issue by physi-
cal force. Roughly throwing pin
ioning arm about the defiant Manley
he made vigorous effort to extract
the much-coveted paper from his pris-
Oner's pocket.
AS the struggling figures thrashed
and tramped over the orderly flower
beds, Enoch Golden and two of Cap
tain BraclSett's men, who had heard
the sounds of the 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 jaded horse.
With a supreme effort, he wrenched
loose from the grasp of his heavy
handed eaptor and darted across the
stretch of velvet lawn toward the
spacious countryhouse, with the de-
termined officers close at his heels.
door he scurried, and, gaining the
gunroom at the end of the hail,
slammed and bolted the heavy door
of that sanctuary in the very face of
his pursuers.
'Don't be foolish, Davy," called out
Golden sharply. "you are making u
grave mistake in resisting the law and
you will have to suffer the consequent
ces unless you open this door imme-
diately."
As though in compliance with this
stern warning. the key grated in
the lock and the door swung slowly
inward. With quick rush the be-
sieging forces catapulted into the
gunroom, only to find it apparently
empty. Then, with a gasp of amazed
they beheld figure
which silently emerged from the
space between the swung-back door
and the wall. For that figure wore
an enshrouding mask of yellow
and gripped in one hand
n heavy caliber revolver, which wa
vered in disconcertlng fashion over
that startled group.
81 think Davy must be well beyond |
recall by this time" he said as he |
slowly backed toward the door, "and |
will now leave you to your own de-
vices"
AS he spoke the last word he
stepped into the 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 I'M
availing fury against that sout OBJ
struction which barred their pursuit of
the boldly impudent masker.
But with the exception of a fair
hatred girl waiting anxiously IL the
rose garden rere was lao one in
sight about tke we.l-kep. grounds.
AS in response to her eager inquiries,
her father told her Of their husniliat-
Ing encounter with the masked inter-
loper, who had miraculously taken the
place of the harried Manley, Mar