The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-24
lThe Marvellous Story, Hitherto Unpublished
From Which the Pathe Photoplay of
the Same Name Was Made)


tain Brackets men, who had heard
the sounds of that unequal combat
came hurrying upon the scene. The
sight of these enemy REINFORCE
ments acted upon the nearly ex-
hausted Davy like a rowelled spur
upon the tanks of a faded horse
With supreme effort, he wrenched
loose from the grasp of his heavy
handed captor and darted across the
stretch of velvety lawn toward the
spacious country-house, with the de-
termined officers close at his heels
UP the steps and through the open
door he scurried, and, gaining the
gunroom at the end of the hall
slammed and bolted the heavy door
OF that sanctuary in the very face OF
his pursuers.
The baff1ed and exasperated Cap.
tain Bracket, casting about for some
method Of overcoming that stout
barrier between himself and the OBJ
Ject of his wrath, seized upon a mas
s1ve chair of carved oak. AS he
swung this improvised battering ram
over his head, the perturbed master
OF the house entered the doorway and
took hand in the proceedings.
Waltz was his terse command to
the enraged officer. Before you re-
sort to such extreme measures. let
me say word to Davy. I am sure
he will listen to reason"
When Captain Bracket had
stepped aside in somewhat surly
obedience, Enoch Golden placed his
lips close to the solid door-panel and
endeavored to make himself heard
by MS former secretary.
Don't be foolish, Davy," he called
out sharply, you are making a grave
mistake in resisting the law and YOU
VIII have to suffer the consequences
unless you open this door i'm
mediately."
AS though in compliance with this
stern warning, the key grated in
the lock and the door swung SLOWLY
inward. With a quick rush the be-
sleglng forces catapulted into the
gunroom, only to find it apparently
empty. Then, with a gasp of amazed
CONSERVATION, they beheld a figure
which silently emerged from the
space between the swung back door
and the wall. For that figure wore
an enshrouding mask of yellow
cambria and gripped in one hand
heavy caliber revolver, which wa.
vered in disconcerting fashion over
that startled group.
Il think Davy must be we'll beyond
recall by this time" he said as he
slowly backed toward the door, land
I will now leave you to your own
devices"
AS he spoke the last word he
stepped into the hallway, and with
almost simultaneous movements
pulled the door shut after him and
locked it from the outside. Then
came clamor of wrathful voices as
the Gagged detectives, smarting under
the indignities to which they had
been subjected, hurled themselves in
unavailing fury against that stout
obstruction which barred their pur-
suit of the boldly impudent masker.
But with the exception Of a fair
haired girl waiting anxiously in the
rose-garden there was no one in
sight about the well-kept grounds.
AS in response to her eager inquiries,
her father told her Of their humiliat-
ing encounter with the masked in
terferer, who had miraculously taken
the place of the harried Manley,
Margery became conscious of the
openly suspicious gaze of the russell
faced police captain.
II don't know what your motive
is, Miss Golden" ne said resentfully,
hut hox xvi
all along to discredit my theory
about Marley and the Laughing
Mask being the same person. What
has just happened proves I am
right, for no two people could have
changed places between the time we
chased Marley into the gunroom and
that masked criminal opened the
door. No one came out of that win
dow and you know it as well as
do"
For moment the puzzled girl took
rapid counsel with herself. She
knew that David Manley had not
come out of the gunroom window for
she had kept it steadily in view and
would have seen him if he had. Per-
haps the captain was right and Davy
was the Laughing Mask after all.
But even if this were true she did
not propose turning him over to the
tender mercies of his memorable
enemies.
II am afraid shall have to dis
credit your theory again, Captain
Brackett," she said in unequivocat-
ing tones, "for David Manley did
come through that window and I
saw him with my own eyes,"
For a moment the heavy-featured
police officer stared at her in appar-
ent disbelief, but Margory felt she
had twisted the truth in good cause,
and presently he turned from her
clear, level gaze with the attitude
of a man who has completely lost
his bearings.
Although she had so vigorously
ridiculed the captains pet theory con-
corning the identity of the mysterious
Fighter of wrongs. Margory now ex-
perienced decided uncertainty as
to whether he might not be right
after all.
She realized the only way to go
about this battling task was to keep
close and incessant watch over the
movements of David Manley, who
had taken up his abode under the