The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-08-27


 with. With the awakening throb of her engine that slender craft quivered from stem to stern, and then, like a true prototype of her name, shot out into the lake, end the chase was on.
 From the scar-marked man who stood with his field glasses focused on the pursuing Arrow came low laugh of derision.
 They can never cut down our lead," he announced with evident sat isfaction, as he lowered his glasses. He leered evilly at the listening girl lying bound and gagged on the she'll like flooring of tho narrow craft. But the next instant his look changed to one of savage concern. The delicate mechanism of the Mercury had re- volted at the unskilled handling of her clumsy- fingered engineer. She began to miss badly, while her speed perceptibly diminished. Legar caught up his glasses and for a moment in- tently studied the on-coming Arrow, which was evidently gaining.
 Then, with quick twist of the steering wheel, he sent the racing power boat heading directly for the nearest shore. Even as her sharp brow 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 embankment of the railroad track skirting the lake, just as the stern-faced father of the abducted girl beached the pplsating Arrow and sprang hastily ashore.
 Hampered by his captive and the heavy sack of loot, the master schemer realized he could not hope to outstrip his opponents by ordinary methods of flight. But the evil genius of the man was equal to the occasion. At a little distance down the track 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.
 An automobile of ancient vintage, driven by a stupid rustic, came Wheezing up the highway. which par alleled the railroad. Almost before he knew what had happened the sur prised driver of that decrepid jitney had a double load of clamorous pas sengers. In the general confusion Of voices, Enoch Golden managed to make himself heard by putting his mouth close to the ear of the deaf countryman.
 we want to catch a handcar that just went up the track" he shouted. q will pay you $100 to help us."
 Legar had congratulated himself too soon on the ease of his escape. As the handcar started toiling up 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 a 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 it's burden, started crawl ing up the hill, with it's passengers hurrying behind it.
 A his ears the long drawn screech of a locomotive whistling for crossing. With a look of fiendish hate, Legar stopped and lifted Margorv Golden from the rough flooring of the jolting handcar.
 For a moment Legar balanced the fettered girl in his arms, then with a parting malediction, he dropped l,ot re1U hafwppn the glistening rails.
 At some distance beyond the foot Of the incline the rails, sweeping in wide curve around bend in the road, were lost to sight. It so hap pened that just around this bend the switching apparatus used to throw freight trains onto siding was un- dergoing certain repairs at the hands of a blue teamed track-walker. This man, all unconscious of threatening tragedy, had finished his labors and was wiping his grimy hands on piece of cotton waste. Suddenly he became conscious of a motionless fig ue standing beside hin.
 As he glanced up he saw the stran- gers face was covered by a mask. slit by a grotesquely laughing mouth. Without a word this strange figure Lent and grasped the long lever con- trolling the switch. The railroad en- ploye, resenting this unwarranted intrusion. attempted to shove the masked intruder aside, but a heavy How on the jaw sent him staggering down the embankment, while his op- ponent frantically threw over the switch lever. So it was that when that fire-breathing avalanche of metal had thundered down within few feet of the huddled white figure it suddenly swerved, with its wheel fanges screaming against the switch curve, onto the long siding parallel ing the main line.
 The half-conscious girl felt herself lifted by tender arms and laid on a soft bed of grass. A hay figure bent over her, cutting away the cruelty biting thongs and gently chafing her wrists. Then she fe.t a kiss Imprint Cd on her aching hand. but when she opened her eyes the stranger was gone. In his place came the figures ,f her tortured father, the anxious Davy and the solemn faced police captain.
 What you say is impossible" Enoch Golden said soothingly. "The man is dead"
 But it was the Laughing Mask, tell you," Margory wearily answered. "I saw him plainly, and besides, he kissed my hand before he went away.
 tTo be continued next week)  Ty