The Elbert County tribune., 1916-09-01
were what seemed to be tiny tentacles

ment the great vault door would swing
open-to what?
Quick, Margery." he whispered,
what have just given you is what
I have called the octopus bomb. 1t will
save us, If the need should be dire, II
there should be no other manner OF
escape"
AS the man in the mask finished the
rapidly spoken words the door OF the
vault swung outward. Margery stepped
forward.
The detectives, with whom the room
swarmed, paid no heed to Margery.
Their quarry emerged from the gloom
of the vault a moment after her. He
glanced about-from revolver muzzle
to revolver muzzle, all leveled at him.
Margery glanced back at the Laughing
Mask as he stood thus, facing this des-
perate denouement. Then she cried
out involuntarily, for one of the detec-
tives had approached the Laughing
Mask, raised his hand to the mask it
self and was about to tear it off. But
the Laughing Mask stepped backward
and with a gesture commandingly
stopped him.
Zone moment, if you please, gentle
men. There is no need for this. My
mask stays where it is. AS for the
crimes which you seem to think are
matter for these revolvers-I believe
this confession of the Iron Claw ac-
counts for the chief of them and,
therefore, for the rest"
The captain was about to glance at
it, but turned to Golden for a word of
instruction. The next moment there
was a crash at the other side of the
room. Legar had heard every word
from his hiding place behind the an
tique screen and he knew that this was
the most desperate case for his for
tunes that had yet befallen. AS the
captain stretched forth his hand, ex-
tending the confession to Golden, Le-
gar. with a rush, dashed past him,
grasped the confession from his fingers
and made for the window. Snatching
his cap down over his eyes, he
plunged head first through the glass,
shattering it to splinters.
Legar had flashed across the room
like missile from catapult. Three
of the detectives were knocked from
their feet. The others gaped at the
shattered window. The captain was
the first to recover his wits. He
shouted an angry command, one of his
men threw up the battered sash and
the rest leaped out.
Inside the Golden library, the detec-
tive who had tried to disclose the iden-
tity of the Laughing Mask was again
intent upon solving this mystery. That
is why he had remained behind.
Its no use, your times come. Off
with the mask, tell you."
The Laughing Mask looked straight
into the beady eyes before him and he
saw that their gaze was not of the
sort that is open to argument or per-
suasion. Then he looked steadily on
beyond to where Margery stood, be-
hind the detective.
Margery understood his glance and
interpreted his gesture Alright. She
deftly slipped the octopus bomb from
her handkerchief, in which she had
held it, clutched tightly within her
fingers, ever since she and the Laugh
ing Mask had left the vault. AS the
detective strobe forward to peer the
more closely. at what he expected to
see revealed Margery hurled the bomb
to the floor.
The next moment the room was
filled with an impenetrable cloud of
black smoke. Completely it enveloped
everyone and everything in the library
Gradually the black, sootlike pail
rose to the high ceiling of the library
disclosing Margery, her father and the
detective to one another. But the
Laughing Mask had vanished. The de-
tective dashed to the door leading to
the adjoining reception hall and flung
it open. Golden followed and both ran
through this spacious chamber and on
to the stairs. Margery, still apprehen-
sive for the safety of the man in the
yellow mask, ran after the searchers,
who were fairly baf1led.
AS soon as all three were clear of
the reception hall the Laughing
Masks head emerged from large
ancient Roman vase; swiftly, he
climbed from out its great sheltering
bowl and stepped noiselessly back to
the library.
Silently the Laughing Mask lifted
the window and climbed over the sill.
In another moment he had leaped to
the ground below. But he had not
reckoned upon the quick discourage
ment that overtakes that limp arm of
the law known as a central office de-
tective. The half dozen of the type,
with their chief, who had pursued Le-
gar when their revolvers failed to stop
him, had quickly given up the chase.
They were walking briskly when the
captain quickly motioned to his men
to hug the wall of the house. Some