The Elbert County tribune., 1916-09-08

man clutches noating bit or wreck
age.
The interlocked antagonists nurtled
| headlong down the shaft into the
fireplace of the gunroom. 1t was due
to the fact that Legar's picked assas-
sin had landed underneath, and brok-
en- the force of Davy's fall, that the
badly shaken secretary owed his life.
AT that instant a voIley of staccato
reports. like those of a gatling gun
going into action smote their ears.
They've stolen the Mercury" cried
the frantic millionaire. "and IL they've
stopped to put the Arrow out of COM
mission they can show clean pair of
heels to anything on the lake"
To Enoch Golden's intense relief. the
machinery OF the high-powered Ar
row had not been tampered with and
soon the chase was on.
The delicate mechanism of the Mer-
curry revolted at the unskilled han
ding of her clumsy-fingered engineer.
She began to miss badly. while her
speed perceptibly diminished. Legar
caught up his glasses and for mo-
ment intently studied the on-coming
Arrow, which was evidently gaining.
Then. with a quick twist of the
steering wheel. he sent the racing
power boat heading directly for the
nearest shore. Even as her sharp
PROV grated over the shelving beach
Legar and his villainous crew swarmed
over the side. carrying the fettered
girl and the burlap sack with them.
They scrambled hastily up the en-
bankment of the railroad track skirt
ing the lake, just as the enraged
father of the abducted girl beached
the pulsating Arrow and sprang has
tily ashore.
Hampered by his captive and the
heavy sack of loot, the master schem-
er- realized he could not hope to out
strip his opponents by ordinary meth
DDS of fight. But the evil genius
of the man was equal to the occasion.
At little distance down the track a
dozen Italian laborers were busy re-
pairing the roadbed, under the super
vision of burly Irish foreman. The
handcar on which these men went to
and from their work had been set on
to one side of the track near where
Legar was standing
Get that handcar back on the rails
and be quick about it, came his sharp
command to the men. With his bur.
den he leaped aboard and was laugh.
ing at his pursuers as he raced away.
Just then an automobile of ancient
vintage. driven by a stupid rustic,
came wheeling up the highway. which
paralleled the railroad.
I'VE want to catch handcar that
just went up the track" shouted Col
den. 81 Will pay you 800 to help US"
Legar had congratulated himself
too soon on the ease of his escape.
AS the handcar started toiling up a
long, gradual grade. he looked back
and saw the automobile loaded with
armed men in hot pursuit. But he
checked his muttered oath as the
sputtering car struck the hill. slowed
down and finally came to dead stop.
The heavy load had proved too much
for the time-worn engine. Legar
could see his opponents getting out
of the balky automobile, which, re-
lieved of its burden. started crawl
ing up the hill, with its passengers
hurrying behind it.
Then the handcar reached the crest
of the rise and went rapidly coasting
down the incline on the other side
But Legar knew that eventually he
must be overtaken. Human sinews
could not prevail against the power
driven vehicles of his enemies.
AT that moment there beat in upon
his ears the long-drawn screech of
locomotive whistling for a crossing
With look of fiendish hate, Legar
stopped and lifted Margery Golden
from the rough flooring of the iolting
handcar and dropped her between the
glistening rails.
In a breathing space his victim
would be ground to death beneath the
ponderous driving wheels of the en-
gine rushing down upon her. But In
that breathing space an Incompetent
sible thing took place.
At some distance beyond the foot OF
the incline the rails, sweeping in a
wide curve. around bend in the road
were lost to sight. 1t so happened
that just around this bend the switch
ing apparatus used to throw freight
trains on to siding was undergoing
certain repairs at the hands of blue
jeaned track walker. This man, all
unconscious of threatening tragedy
had finished his labors and was wip-
ing his grimy hands on piece OF
cotton waste. Suddenly he became
conscious of motionless figure stand.
ing beside him.
AS he glanced up he saw the stran.
gers face was covered by a mask.
slit by grotesquely laughing mouth.