The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-30

the conclusion that Margory had
been so extremely angered by her
temporary Imprisonment as to at
tempt an escape by this foolhardy
method. With visions OF his idolized
daughter lying crushed amid the
shrubbery under the window, the old
banker, half beside himself with
anxiety, rushed frantically down the
stairs and out around the house. with
the astonished detectives close be-
hind him.
At the moment when all her iailers
were wildly searching for her bat
tered remains. a demure-faced girl
slipped quietly out of her bedroom
closet, and making her way out of
the house by the back door. ran light
ly toward the garage, In front of
which her high powered roadster was
standing. The puzzled group under
Margorys window had found no trace
of her lifeless body. but they sud
denly saw a decidedly animated girl
driving a gray roadster, tearing past
them down the gravcled drive. And
when the car swerved into the high
way that girl even had the effront-
cry to send them little derisive fare
well flutter of her slender white
hand.
When Margory finally threaded her
way through the cross-town streets
and brought her car to a stop close
to the entrance OF the blind alley
on the south side of Washington
Square, the great moon was just ris-
ing over the battlement Of sky
scrapers, and by its mellow luster
she could discern the outlines of a
rninons old dwelling standing at the
foot of that gloomy and forbidding
alley. With the exception of a single
light family elimmering in one of
the upper stores. the house was in
total darkness.
AS Margory paused in front of the
dismal old rookery she suddenly per-
ceived in the moonlight a shadowy
form mounting steadily upward on
the narrow fire-escape ladder When
that stealthy prowler stepped onto
the iron platform just outside the
lighted window she saw it was the
daring masker and realized she was
too late to warn him. Before she
could attract his attention no eau
tiously raised the window and van
ished into that house of mystery.
But she quietly determined he should
not be taken unawares by his enc
mics. Under the fire escape she
found a dilapidated ash barrel, and
by standing on this shaky pedestal
she gained foothoId on the lowest
runE of the rusty metal ladder When
she had eroped her way to the land
ing she saw an empty dimly lighted
chamber. But through a doorway
leading from that room came a white
food of Illumination and the sound
of angry voices.
She slipped into the empty bedroom
and warily crossing the floor. stood
, In spellbound wonder gazing through
the open doorway. That heavily shut
tered room into which she Was peer
=. ing was fitted up like the we'll
equipped laboratory of scientist A
!, powerful light cast it's rays over q
long work bench Uttered with micro
. SCOPE slides, fermentation tubes and
culture mediums and the various
=, other tools used by the intercollegiate
for research purposes. Backed up
= against this bench stood the tense fig
ure of middle-aEed man with droop-
, ing eyelids and the pasty gray com
, plexion that betrayed the habitual
Use of some noXious drug.
He had apparently been interrupted
i, in the midst of his Investigations. for
, on the bench. just behind him. was
some object protected from the light
by strip of thin towelng, a long
, platinum needle used in extracting
: compound microscope and an open
! note book for recording the result OF
his labors. Facing the intimidated
= drug fiend stood the Laughing Mask
the black muzzle of his revolver a
, few inches distant from the pallid
forehead OF that once distinguished
scientist, who was apparently play
r ing for time. Presently the masked
wrong-righter spoke in a stern and
+ determined manner.
4 = =
My patience is about exhausted
Skidmon," he said to the man shrink
ing back against the bench, and un'
less you write that confession clear
Ing me Of those crimes committed BY
1 Legar with your devilish assistance
l am going to shoot you through tht
: head with as little conjunction a.
though you were a mad dog. YOU
terrible poisons have been responsible
for more than one unsolved murder
and society will be well rid of you.
This convincing threat had the de-
sired effect, for the stoop-shoulderee
biologist moved sullenly toward
small writing desk standing near thu
window. AS his reluctant pen travelled
s slowly over the sheet OF foolscap
o the Laughing Mask stood looking
Q over his shoulder. prompting tn
. others delinquent memory with ar
, occasional quiet word and the in
3 sistent menace of that ever ready
4 revolver. The details of those alb
t horrent crimes, committed in colo
: blood by Legar for the sole purpos'
t of setting the police upon his enemy
. had practically been completed wher
O. shrill and penetrating whistle
l sounded from the alley.
t The Laughing Mask turned quickly
, to the nearby window and, throw
r ing back the shutters, leaned out
, and strove to ascertain the meaning
: of that forboding signal. For q mo
t ment only he relaxed his guard oyel
, the crafty poisoner, but that momen
: gave to Skidmon the chance he hac
been seeking. Before the startled