Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1916-08-10

}, HE will not" avowed the Laughing
Mask, with decision. He'll have
more than help before this night is
over, and better Job and a clear con.
science before another one comes 1!
But tell me first where you left this
girl you brought out from the city?"
Inside the door o. the sluiceroom
there"
Good God!" gasped the man In the
mask. Then he caught the spindle.
legged Peggy O'Mara by the hand and
started for the shadowy pile of the fac
tory on the run. Quick" he said as
he ran, SHOW me the doorI"
The half-breathless girl pointed il
out to him. But as he ran up to it he
found 1t locked. He stopped and fran
tfcally caught up piece of timber al
most as long and heavy as his own
body. Peggy OMara, seeing that its
/ weight seemed more than he could
manage, promptly ran to his assist.
Rnce.
Now, come together" he said, "for
we've got to knock that door inl"
Twice, three times, they charged the
door before 1t gave way. But the mo-
ment its panels crashed In the Laugh
ing Mask leaped through the opening.
AS he did so he caught sight of the
two struggling figures on the brink
of the blackened runway. AS he saw
the figure of the woman flung headlong
Into the open sluiceway he leaped with
shout towards the one-armed man
who stood on its brink. But that one
armed man, with lightninglike move
ment, whipped a revolver from his
pocket, swung round on the intruder.
and fired.
The Laughing Mask wheeled half
way about, staggered a step or two,
and then fell forward on his face.
The wide-eyed Peggy o'Mara, fol-
lowing at his heels, saw both that fall
and the fact that the Iron Claw had al
ready leaped towards the control
BOARD OF the water mangle. Peggy
screamed aloud, shrilly and belligerent-
ly as she leaped for the man already
before the control board. She caught |
at him, ciawing at his appraised arm,
fought him with every jot OF her thin. !
blooded girIish body.
But she was no match for that d.
termined and malignant opponent. Tho
most she could do was to distract and
marry him for a precious moment or
Two. Then, realizing she was q factor
to be eliminated without scruple, he
caught her bodily up from the floor.
raised her above his head, and with n
thud, sent her body against
the solid masonry of the factory wall.
She lay there stunned, without NOV.
Ing. moaning brokenly with pain, as
Legar darted back to the control lever
OF the mangle drums and shifted that
lever to the spot marked start" Tho
next moment he had thrown over the
switch of the sluicegate control.
He ventured one triumphant glance
n the direction of the whirrins
nangle knives and the slowly ascend
ng gate. Then, with grimace of sat
sfaction, he leaped over the inert
BODY OF the Laughing Mask, ran to the
IGOR, and disappeared In the darkness.
Had that flight been less hurried :
egar might have observed that the
yes OF the Laughing Mask were open.
md the inert body, weak as It was
rom the loss Of blood from a flesh
wound In the hip, was already pain.
ully gathering itself together for soma
predetermined movement. That move
nent, wavering and unsteady as ~
'as, took the crawling man directly To
ne control board Of the water manple
fhere, by supreme effort, he raised
imself to his feet, CROPPED about with
unsteady hand, and swung back
le lever.
The next moment the roar of the
lach1nery stopped, the threshins +
hives stood poised. But 1t had been
My In the nick of time. For Mar. a,
cry Golden, who had chung to the IL
uicegate until Its withdrawing bars =,
ad compelled her to relax he. last =
ssperate clutch on Its bars and dron Sc
lex into the black It'd carrying her
oser and closer to those failing
AIDES of death, now caught and chung OF
graphite-covered driving chain lit us
more han a yard from the fore. in
ost nangle drum which lowered 50
'ove her like an open law. And as +.
@ chung there, a renewing wave OF "
pc swept through her body, for from
sluiceway wal. above her she could
ar reissuring IL somewhat un.
eady voice calling down to her. And do
at voice, she knew, was the voice 80
the Laughing Mask!
(To BE CoNTINUED.) a.
IL