The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1916-12-14


man finished setting the signal the
Laughing Mask saw the group OF de-
tectives at the head of the street at |
right angles to the tracks, dashing to- |
wards him. In another minute they
would reach the car.
He slipped his revolver from his coat
pocket and ran through the car. With
a bound he was upon the front plat
form and slipped the catch OF, the door
behind him. AS the motorman faced
about, the Laughing Masks revolver
was thrust into his face.
Start the car-now!" cried the
Laughing Mask.
Instead, the motorman lifted the con-
troller handle from the box and would
have struck the Laughing Masks re-
volver hand, but the latter stepped
| back and thrust the motorman off the
platform with a terrific shove of his
| foot. The motorman tumbed over in
the dust of the roadway and before he
could regain his feet the Laughing
! Mask had the spare controller handle
out OF the tool box and had started the
car at full speed.
Leaving the controller box for an
instant, he gazed backward. The de-
detectives had stopped passing au-
tomobile and were piling into it. The
car gained momentum, and soon it
careened along the rails, swinging
around curves with two wheels in air
and ever lettering its speed
Nevertheless, the automobile, now
driven by one of the detectives, could
not to be outdistanced. 1t was now
scarcely more than hundred yards be-
hind. The car was approaching another
slight upgrade, preparatory to dash
ing across the highest bridge on the
road. AS the car struck the level
stretch of track at the entrance to the
bridge abutment, again its momentum
drove It at fresh speed. Now it was
gaining on the automobile as the car
full of detectives, in its turn, struck
the upgrade. A new plan flashed
, through the Laughing Masks MIND.
} He looked back to measure the dis
} lance between the car and the automo-
bile. The car gave lurch as it struck
} the bridge switch-frog, in another mo-
: ment It had left the rails and then 1t
hurtle6 against the guard rail, smashed
l il and plunged downward.
AS tae car disappeared from the
. sight oi the detectives in the pursu'
|, ing automobile, Golden gave an invol
untary cry.
Z Drive on over the end Of the
2 bridge" commanded Golden, end LEI
e us go down below"
0 The eearchers went down the de
g clivity ID the waterside anc there lay
o the wrecked trolley car, smashed tc
splinters The detectives scatteved
d along the bank of the river, hunting
]. for some sign of the Laughing Mask
o but there was none.
It 1--WE have hunted all along thu
p shore" reported one Of the detectives
If TO the CAPTAIN, "but there is no sigr
p CT the Laughing Masks body. 1t mus
3, have been carried gu down the rive
e. and over the falls"
p For the policemen and Golden, thu
g. quest vas ended. They drove hacl
10 to the Golden mansion and then tn
n captain and his men took their leave
e. Golden. still somewhat unnerved a
le the fate that he believed had at las
1t overtaken the Laughing Mask-for tn
Is eyes make the brain an appalling wit
in ness of what the ears would recor
h. only a meager impression-Golde
n, mounted the stairs of his home.
lie Margery, wide-eyed, stood at tn
It. stairhead. What Golden had just see
e- was still pictured, in some sort, on hi
It, face.
a Father" she cried out, what is !
he what has happened?"
1.-THE Laughing Mask" he said, "ha
en- met a terrible death"
ey And then he told her what he ha
he seen. She looked into his face, Il
he credulous, amazed, horror-stricken.
xt "No! No! IL can't be!"she gaspe
he out. like one In frenzy.
re 81 saw IL with my own eyes, sa
Ike her father.
She gazed at MIN vacantly, and the
he fell into his arms, her limp hgul
tn shaken by convuisive sobs
90 ITO BE CoNTNUED1