The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-02

Ia6ro were certain phases OI LQaL hurried pursuit, however, which had not entirely escaped the attention of a circumspect stranger who had mo- tored casually about the quiet streets of Cedarton earlier in the evening" Aunt Jemima Watson, in fact, had scarcely recovered from the shock consequent upon the sudden invasion of her cottage when she discovered herself confronted by still another stranger. And the fact that this stranger wore yellow mask did not add to her immediate peace of mind.
 For lying overlooked on the floor, close beside battered water bucket, he caught sight of familiar-looking oblong of yellow paper. In another moment he had possession of it.
 Where did that paper come from?" he demanded. For he knew that it was the long-sought Golden chart which he held in his hand.
 Dat done come from nah ,offus sweepin's,' explained the other. "But nah Rastus allows it hain't even wuff a green tradin' stamp!"
 Your Rastus may be right" was the strangers quiet reply. "But it's worth this much to me-" And Aunt Jemima found a ten-dollar bill thrust into her astonished pink palm. That is yours, my good woman, if you do just one thing, and do it quickly. l want you to go to the sheriff's, wake him up, and get him to the house where that woman called Hannah works. Tell him to get there in hurry and to bring his men, or there'll be murder done in this village before the sun rises!"
 The man in the yellow mask waited for nothing more. A minute later he was off, running shadowlike through the darkness. Shadowlike, too, he ap- preached an ivy-bowered bungalow in which three women were quitely playing preference" in the light of a. green-s shaded reading lamp. But the man in the mask, preferring to leave that peaceful game undisturbed, stole quietly in through the back of the house, locked himself in a small room above stairs, and there adroitly hut quickly made a facsimile of the map.
 Before the map could be completed though, strange events were already transpiring directly beneath where he sat. For Margory Golden, glancing up from her game, stared idly into the old-faShioned mirror of bevel plate facing he'' from the opposite wall. And peering in at the window reflect ed in that mirror she saw @ bearded face scanned with an unmistakable scar.
 The move she quietly decided upon was to call the strangely reticent chauffeur of her strangely elusive de- liverer and ask him to make ready for an immediate flight to the city. She watched that chauffeur as he threw cn heavy bearskin coat and cap, wound 6. muffler about his neck, and started for the garage She watched him as he stepped out into the darkness. Then the bear skinned figure became the center of strange and unlocked for activities. for 1t was plain that several men, lurking there in the darkness, had sprung upon him. It was equally plain that they lost little time in overpowering him, for before the startled women could rise from the card table they found that home of peace invaded by a group of sudacious-eyed rufians headedfby Legar himself.
 At the same moment another unex- pected intruder entered the room. Only this time it was the oddly inter- 1uptive figure of that man of mystery known as the Laughing Mask. And before any move could be made or any word spoken he was close beside Legar and calmly confronting him. Much of his quiet authority, no doubt, arose from the fact that in his right hand he held a short -barreled and ugly-loolling automatic pistol.
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 'Not a move from any man here!" he cried out as he faced that threat ening circle.
 Before we start any shooting around here," the Laughing Mask calmly suggested, ''I want just a word or two, Legar. with you. know what you're after. You want Golden's por- tion of Windward Island chart. Well, have that chart. and have it with me. But there is no reason why women should be dragged into this fight. So the first thing you have to do, if you want that chart, is to al- low Mary Golden and her mother here to return quietly to the city with my chauffeur, and return tonight"
 Legar's lip curled.
 ''So you're getting ready to strike a bargain?" mocked the other.
 ''Then suppose hand you over this gun! Would that persuade you was sincere?"
 "The gun and the map together" was the prompt demand.
 And then what?" inquired the Laughing Mask.
 "Then you wait in this closet until make sure it's the map I've got,' announced the audacious Legar.
 The Laughing Mask stood appar- ently studying his opponent.
 ''And on these conditions you prom ise there will be no acts of violence in this house, there will be no inter- ference with these ladies. and no at- tempt to interrupt their return to the city?'
 watch him, men!" Legar ordered as he took the gun and map from the Laughing Masks outstretched hand and stepped to the closet door and turned the key in the lock.
 ''I await your decision, gentlemen. III LHo JuIy-TOOIlls IlOShAiSiJ dh- nounced the latter as he stepped into the closet.
 Quick as a shot Legar shut and locked that door. He clutched the map.
 By God. I've got it!" exulted Legar.
 Let out that driver in the bear skin first" he commanded. 'and If that fool in the mask tries to move,