The Yale expositor., 1916-11-02

are about to be shocked in a much
more serious way. On the stroke OF
twelve there is to be an accident here.
perhaps something much graver than
an accident, in which ii is my great
desire that you should not participate!
So | must ask each and every one of
you to leave this room, and this house,
as quietly yet as quickly as possible!
Every one" repeated that authorize.
tive-voiced intruder as Da Espares and
the tall man in the Arabian burnoose
rose to their feet, except these two
gentlemen here"
Out of the silence that ensued on
that declaration arose a small muir.
muir of wonder, a stir Of nervousness,
and one shrill laugh from a woman
holding a wine glass. Then Enoch
Golden himself called out an angry ex.
postulation, followed by sharp word
or two Of command. But the company
had already risen For the masked
stranger, stepping still closer to Da
Espares and the figure in the flowing
burnoose, had coolly intercepted them
as they moved in unison towards
side door.
Get back. both of you" the clear
voice behind the yellow mask had
called out, cor before God I'll shoot
you down where you stand!"
That sudden threat of violence was
the spring which released the ten.
sion. There were mingled shouts of
resentment and fear, followed by a
quick and unreasoning rush for the
door, courtiers and nuns and peas.
ants and Apaches and Geisha girls in
contending furry of finery and fright.
ened faces.
For minute or two the master of
the house struggled in vain to stop
them. Then his attention was directed
towards the Laughing Mask, for the
latter, advancing with quick stride
to the man in the burnoose, Jerked
aside that flowing garment and re-
vealed Legar himself. Legar with a
sinisterly scared face and an iron claw
at the end of his right arm. And the
same moment that this movement was
taking place, Da Espares himself, with
his eyes always on the Laughing Mask
stole quick step by step towards the
door on his left. He had reached that
door before his enemy detected him.
The man with the revolver wheeled
about and fred as the Spanish knight
in silk and lace dived through the open.
ing. Legar. seeing his chance in that
division OF interest, charged bodily
through the damask-laden table, scat.
tering silver and glass and flowers as
he went. In another breath he had
reached the conservatory, where, a
! second or two later. his iron-shcd arm
could be heard failing through the fra
gile barrier of glass between him and
the outer world. And by the time
Enoch Golden reached the spot his
enemy had vanished.
Yet in almost the same breath the
Laughing Mask had leaped in the op
posite direction, in pursuit of the fee
ing Da Espares. But that fight, wher
ever 1t led or might have led, was in
terrupted by a sudden defamation thai
shook the great house to its founda
ton. There was a roar of falling CIR
ders, the splintering of wood, the rum
BILE Of a great avalanche, as seven
ton steel vault, deprived OF its sup
ports, crashed down through the film
sy flooring, carrying dust and debris
and tumbling pieces of household fur
niture as II went Nor did that mas
sive thing OF metal stop until 1t beddet
| itself in the broken cement flooring
| OF the cellar below. Then above thu
/ rattle OF falling plaster and echoinl
showers OF scattering bric-a-brac ros'
/ the quick cry of human voices callini
| for help.
: Golden, staring dazed at the grea
! room through which sudden ruin ha'
erupted, was scarcely conscious OF thu
frightened girl clinging so forlornl.
to his arm. He was scarcely consciou
= of the throng of servants and watch
4 men who ran back and forth through
the dusty rooms. He quaveringl
! helped his daughter to a chair. Sh
: stared wide-eyed at Wilson as the lai
: ter led David Marley, limping a littl
I and much disordered as to apparel
I into the room.
5 "Is anybody hurt?" asked the white
t faced girl.
s The ever dependable old butler lool
v ed at Marley, who in turn locke
y away.
: I'm sorry, Miss Margery," Wilso
n hesitatingly explained, but II Is tn
!, Count Da Espares!"
{ you mean he is
! The old butler nodded.
I'm afraid So Mss Margery. The
y have Just found his body, crushed N
A. ha uou1fip