The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-16
BY ARTHVR SPRINGER Author of "The Wire Tappers," Gun Runners"
 "The Hand of Peril" Etc.
IThe Maruelous Story, Hitherto Unpublished. From Which the Pathe Photoplay of
 the Same Name Was Made)

Mask!" she shrilIed az she ran down the hall, giving the alarm.
 And her alarm, rnreasoning as 1t seemed, was fully shared by the Laughing Mask himself. He swung about, darted through doorway, and disappeared from sight as Golden and his retainers and his official visitors came f1ocking out to the scene of that disturbance. As34.
 Two minutes later Margory Golden, hearing a shout from Kibby's men above stairs, followed that officer to the scene of the sudden tumult. There, to her alarm, she saw three men struggling with figure which she promptly recognized as the Laughing Mask himself.
 We've got him!" gasped one of his captors as Lieutenant Kibby con. fronted him.
 "What'll we do with fim?" asked his other captor.
 First thing, tear that fool mask off" commanded the lieutenant.
 But that command was not carried into execution. For Margory Golden, catching sight of the Laughing Masks fallen revolver, ran to where 1t lay and took possession of it. The next moment 1t was leveled straight at the head of the detective whose hand had been lifted to the yellow domino covering his prisoners face.
 "Stop!" commanded the girl. She spoke in quiet and yet an arresting voice. The astounded officer, staring into the revolver barrel, swung weakly and blinkingly about.
 Put down that gun, you!" promptly commanded Kibby, purple with indignation.
 Not until your men release that prisoner" was her deliberate re- sponse. "Yes, you both of you," she continued, menacing the officers of the law with her barrel end. Stand back from him! Still further back! Now you" she added, turning to the Laughing Mask, walk out through that doorl Go out, and go at once!"
 So intently did she watch that dis appearing figure that the movements of the adroit and much-experienced Lieutenant Kibby, siding stealthily along the wall beside her, entirely es- capped her attention. When he leaped for Margory Golden's tense figure, he made sure of his distance and sure of his mark in doing so. He promptly and none too gently wrested the re- volver from her grasp, at the same moment that Enoch Golden himself came panting through the open door.
 1T hope you understand now why you've never got your Laugning Mask" was the irate officers cry as he swung the girl about so as to face her equally irate father.
 well, we'll get him." thundered the grim-willed old millionaire. Tor he'll never walk out of this house alive!"
 It was Wilson the butler who called to Golden and the group at his heels as he went f1oundering up the stairs.
 "Hes gone into Manleys room, sir!" cried the vastly disturbed old servant. And he locked the door as he went!"
 "Well, Manley himself's in there," panted the owner of the house as he hurried on to his secretary's door. He's typing my international direc- tors reports"
 But the sounds that came from within the room in no way suggested such sedentary pursuits as typewr1t- ing.
 'They're fighting, sir!" called out Wilson, with his old ear cooked closb to the door panel. My word. sir. but they're at it, 'ot and 'eavy"
 By the time one of Kibby's detec- lives had caught up chair and bat tered in that door all sounds of com- bat had ceased. And the astonished group, crowding into the dismantled chamber, saw only an open window, empty of all life.
 But Manley, where's Manley?" de- manded the still panting owner of the house.
 "Wait!" cried Kibby himself as he crossed to the closet door against which leaned Thigh boy" for about this door his trained eye had detected certain betraying tremors and agita- tions.
 It took him but a moment to push the high boy" to one side. Then, flinging open the door. he had tho satisfaction of beholding the recum- bent figure of David Manley, bound and gagged, on the closet floor.
 "The scoundrel!" cried Golden, star ing from his disheveled secretary to the equally disheveled room.
 But Lieutenant Kibby was no longer interested in Manley.
 Two of you men go out through this window" he commanded, and round up that man before he gets away! The rest of you people get cordon round this block before it's too late!"
 They yere off again like a pack of beagles striking new scent, leaving the dilapidated and somewhat dis consolate Manley to his own thoughts and devices As he sat there, feeling about his bruised body with gently tnterrogative finger, Margory Golden stepped timidly in through his still open door.
 "Don't get up" she said quietly as she crossed to his side. But before she could speak again the two detec- tives came clambering and puf1ng in