The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-08-20

bearing. Then, Btealthily from the pocket into which he had damned 1t as he had seized 1t in the Goldent library, he drew forth the confession that he had sought so long. He held 1t to the light so that he could readx 1t and then, with his claw, he tore the paper to shreds.
 The Laughing Mask, too, had beaten the detectives. He ran with all the f1eetness of foot that his ath letic build and slim strength could muster. out beyond the Golden grounds and down the nearest street to the trolley line. AS he reached the tracks car, just from the barns. came to stop and the Laughing Mask boarded it at leap. The con- ductor of the car had gone to the signal box near by. AS the man finished setting the signal, the Laugh ing Mask saw the group of detectives at the head of the street at right angles to the tracks dashing toward him. In another minute they would reach the car. Before that they would be able to attract the attention of the motorman and conductor with re- volver shot, It was matter of sec onds for the Laughing Mask and. every second must be made to count.
 He slipped his revolver from his coat pocket and ran through the car. With bound he was upon the front platform and slipped the catch of the door behind him. AS the motor, man faced about the Laughing Masks revolver was thrust into his face.
 Start the car-now!" cried the Laughing Mask.
 Instead the motorman lifted the controller handle from the box and would have struck the Laughing, Masks revolver hand, but the latter stepped back and thrust the motor man off the platform with a terrific
 shove of his foot. The motorman turnbled over in the dust of the road way and before he could regain his
 feet the Laughing Mask had the spare controller handle out of the tool box and had started the car at
 full speed
 Leaving the controller box for an
 instant, he gazed backward. The de-
 tectives had stopped a passing auto
 mobile and were piling into it. The.
 car gained momentum, and soon it
 careened along the rails, swinging
 around curves with two wheels in
 air and ever bettering it's speed.
 Nevertheless, the automobile, now
 driven by one of the detectives, could
 not be outdistanced. The Laughing
 Mask had the trolley car going like a runaway, dashing down grades with
 every kilowatt of power turned on and
 thus increasing it's momentum. But
 the slight upgrades were killing in
 their theft of what speed was being
 gained. The automobile steadily grew
 larger to the Laughing Masks vision
 as he now and then glanced back
 ward.
 The automobile was now scarcely
 more than a hundred yards behind.
 The car was approaching another
 slight upgrade, preparatory to dash
 ing across the highest bridge on the
 road AS the car struck the level
 stretch of track at the entrance to
 the bridge abutment, again it's mo-
 mentum drove it at fresh speed. Now
 it was gaining on the automobile as
 the car full of detectives, in it's turn,
 struck the up grade. A new plan
 IldSllcQ LIIOuSH ll0 hdSA .
 mind. He looked back to measure
 the distance between the car and the
 automobile. The car gave a lurch [ as it struck the bridge switch frog, in another moment it had left the rails and then it hurtled against the guard
 rail, smashed it and plunged down.
 ward. As the car disappeared from the , sight of the detectives in the pursuing automobile, Golden gave an involun- tary cry. Another minute and they were at the thither end of the bridge near which the trolley had leaped , the tracks. They stopped, and all seven of the men peered over the side . of the bridge, but they could see not , trace either of the trolley car or of the } Laughing Mask. } The searchers went down the de- clivity to the waterside and there lay the wrecked trolley car, smashed
 to splinters. The detectives scat : tered along the bank of the river.l
 hunting for some sign of the Laugh
 ing Mask, but there was none. , we have hunted all along thei
 shore," reported one of the detectives to the captain, "but there is no sign , of the Laughing Masks body. It must have been carried on down the x river and over the falls" } For the policemen and Golden the quest was ended. They drove back 7 to the Golden mansion and then the 5 captain and his men took their leave. l Golden, still somewhat unnerved at , the fate that he believed had at last s overtakep the Laughing Mask--for ] the eyes make the brain an appalling 8 witness of what the ears would re-.
 cord only a meager impression ] Golden mounted the stairs of his 9 home.
 g Margory, wide-eyed, stood at the , stairhead. What Golden had just } seen was still pictured. in some sort. f on his face.
 . Father" she cried. what is it.
 what has happened?"
 I "The Laughing Mask" he said, v "has met a terrible death" Q And then he told her what he had 0 seen. She looked into his face. in t credulous. amazed. horror stricken. @ ''No! No! It can't bel" she gasped @ out, like one in a frenzy. e "I saw it with my own eyes," said
 her father.
 @ She gazed at him vacantly and l then fell into his arms, her limp flg- f ure shaken by convulsive sobs. : CTo be continued next weekly