The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-10
(The Marvellous Story, Hitherto Unpublished
From Which the Pathe Photoplay of
the Same Name Was Made)

to press the trigger of that menacing
revolver a liveried chauffeur had
emerged from the garage pushing a
clumsy-looking motorcycle. She saw
Davy, still in ignorance OF his near
approach to death, jump into the sad
die Of that cumbersome affair, which
developed a surprising burst of speed
as it flashed down the drive and
veered sharply onto the macadam
highway.
Certain that the unrelenting mas
ter criminal would not so readily re-
linquish his savage purpose Of ex-
terminating the young secretary, and
more anxious for Davy's safety than
she would admit even to herself, Mar
CORY ran lightly to the broad ver-
anda of the manor house and caught
UP the field glasses which were kept
hanging against the wall. Sweeping
the long stretch of highway with the
powerful lenses, she quickly picked
up the straight young figure guiding
the racing motorcycle. With sigh
Of relief she saw him nearing the
crest of that ridgelike elevation called
Seven Oaks Hill. -
But as she was about to lower the
glasses she gave sudden exclama-
ton of dismay, for the motorcycle
slowed down and came to a stop just
on the brow of the hill The khaki
clad rider dismounted, and after a
searching glance about him, pro-
ceeded with some difficulty to drag
the heavy machine over the stone
wall, where it was effectually con-
cealed from the view of any chance
passerby. Then he struck off along
the top Of the ridge in the direction
of the row of stately trees standing
like sentinels guarding the valley.
Even as Margory stood puzzling
over the meaning of these strange
maneuvers, a look of startled APP
prehension came into her eyes as she
saw group of sinister figures stink
ing along the side of the road a short
distance below the house. She studied
them for moment through the
glasses, and it was apparent these
skulkers were no honest tillers Of the
soil, for their leaders, left arm
dangled straight at his side, and ter
minated in an ingeniousIy fashioned
iron hook.
As she glanced hurriedly about the
place she saw the only man available
was old Tim, the head gardener, who
was engaged in languidly spraying
rose bush. but that rheumatic old
servitor could be of little use in sllcn
an emergency. Something must be
done. and done quickly. If Davy was
not to be struck down unawares. To
the establishment of old Tim, Mar
gory's girlish figure went suddenly
racing across the lawn, and with a
fiutter Of white, lightly scaled the
fence into the adjoining fields.
She knew she must run as she had
never run before, if by taking adj
vantage Of this shortcut she hoped
to reach Davy before that evil band
of gunner, bent on his destruction.
She became conscious Of something
persistently humping against her
knee. and then remembered she had
slipped the circular mirror into the
outside pocket of her serge outing
skirt. The distance was not great,
but this desperate cross-country
chase exacted heavy toll on Mar
gory's strength, and it was with la
bored breath she finally reached the
highway at the crest of Seven Oaks
Hill.
But even as she was about to burst
through the bushes fringing the
highway she heard the low murmur
of approaching voices and realized
her resolute efforts had been in vain.
Legar and his fulsome crew Of jail
birds had outstripped her in that
arduous race. AS she crouched low
in the bushes, painting like a hound-
harried rabbit, Margory saw the one
armed criminal ringed about by his
henchmen holding a hurried council
of war.
"He must be in back of those
rocks" she heard Legar say in posi-
tive tones, land If we go out along
the ridge he is going to plug couple
of us before we get him. The best
way is to go down the hill and circle
around back of him."
This cold blooded~ plan Of assassina-
ton apparently met with general APP
prevail, for the group stealthily
moved off down the road leading to
the foot of the ridge. 1t flashed into
the mind of the hidden eavesdropper
that one chance yet remained to save
her fathers secretary from shower
of bullets fired from a cowardly
ambush. BY running directly along
the crest Of the ridge she might still
reach Davy before that band Of saw
age marauders, who were seeking to
creep UP on him by a more circuitous
route.
But at that moment the straggly
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