The Elbert County tribune., 1916-07-28


tions of the boards. and crawled on
again, in search of some avenue of es-
cape. And he watched 1t as it moved,
| f-r on its sinuous back, he remem-
| bered, it carried his message of deliv-
erance, his hope of life. Finding an
unused ventilator fiue, the water foun-
| tanned joyously down ON the head of
long-haired artist hard at work on a
canvas.
That artist, after speechlessly con-
templating the deluge, ran shouting to
the hallway, where he was Joined by
his model and by fellow artists from
neighboring studios.
| When they found their investiga-
tions barred by locked door, they
| broke 1t in. While they were shifting
| suspiciously about the outer room,
| however, their efforts to reach the
source of that deluge were being an
| ticipated by more stealthy figure,
which, clambering monkeylike up the
narrow iron fire escape, climbed still
higher to the small window and
promptly broke 1t in.
Manley. rousing himself at the
sharp sound of the breaking glass,
turned about to behold the face of
narrow-eyed and dark-skinned stranger
in the square of light about him. Even
as he stared up at this exotic face
with its uncanny fringe of jet black
hair he saw the unknown intruder
draw a slender tube from under his
coat. To this tube the stranger fitted
a small arrow scarcely longer than
darning needle. Then. placing the tube
to his mouth, he sent the slender dart
whistling down through the air. where
it fixed itself in the wooden flooring
not three inches from Margery Gold
ems head
Instinctively. as Manley witnessed
that incomprehensible attack, as he
vaguely awoke to the meaning of the
strange performance, he crawled to
the girls side. There he tried to
shield her helpless body with his own
But after that he remembered little.
He awakened later to the sound of
a womans soft sobs close beside his
aching head. And he knew, even be-
fore she spoke, that it was Margery
Golden.
Its no use. doctor" she was for
| lornly crying out to the figure nearer
the foot of the bed. 'T saw that man,
and l know it was Mauki. And as
| soon as l saw him I knew Legar had
| sent him. had sent him with the same
poisoned arrows that once killed an
informer in the Owls Nest!"
But this man isn't dead" protest
ed the doctor.
mo. but he will die"
Now. young lady. this won't do. you
know" the man of medicine tried to
reassure the quietly weeping girl
And IL you leave me with him for
few minutes I'll make another exam.
nation. And then wen know the
worst!"
I'D rather stay with him-to the
last" said the white-faced girl.
But II you'll come back. in ten min.
utes!" quietly announced the man who
was not used to having his sugges
tions crossed. And he held the door
for the unhappy girl as she passed un.
steadily out.
Manley. the next minute, lifted hie
head from the pillow
Say. doctor. what's this about me
dying?" he demanded.
THAT all depends on one point"
was the doctors reply as he gingerly
took up one of the slender arrows, no
longer than a darning needle. And
the point is whether or not we can
find an antidote for the poison that
was smeared on those outlandish blow
gun darts. But the next point is, how
do you feel?"
'T might feel worse!"
The man of medicine looked puz-
zled
well, that seems to be the strange
part of this case. The infection must
be very insidious one. Even the
wounds themselves show no signs of
toxication. So you wait here a min
ut until get my instrument bag!"
When that somewhat bewildered
man of medicine returned with his bag
he found David Manley sitting up in
bed. poring frowningly over a sheet
of paper which he held in his hand.
Who threw this note on my bed?"
demanded his patient, with vigor
that was unlocked for in the dying
1t was the doctors turn to frown as
he took the sheet of paper from the
others hand.
Il drew the fangs from Mauk's
blow gum" read the message there IN
scribed. "his arrows held no poison.
and you are safe. The Laugh
ing Mask"