Bisbee daily review., 1916-11-12

another weapon. This, however, was 8 weapon of defense, for it consisted of a craftily constructed cape which, for purposes of disguise, could De promptly converted into a voman's skirt
 So sure was Mauki of his defensive arrangements that when he caught sight of Peggy O'Mara and her father et the window he promptly reached for his rife, adjusted the barrel De G-gssn the shutter slats, and took ain. Then hs pulled the trigger.
 The next moment bullet vsnl cyssbine through the window ot tbo c AaIa nome.
 Insiinctiveiy the two startled hg- ures leaned away from the window. As they did so they realized that third person had entered the room. And a second glance showed them that it was the Laughing Mask him. self.
 He stood for a moment or two, star ing down at the spotted warning that lay face upward on the floor. Then he stared at the shattered window. The next moment he was pushing Peggy and Dan O'Mara bodily back from that square of light.
 But what's the meanin' of all this, anyway?" demanded the astonished householder.
 Tt means that bullet came through that window" the Laughing Mask ex- plained. And I know that bullet was intended for your daughter here"
 The next moment the Laughing Mask had caught a broom from the corner and about it was draping one of Peggy O'Mara's well-worn waists. Above this he placed the girls hat, tying it in place with a scarf. Then dropping to his knees well out of sight on one side of the window, he slowly advanced his improvised dummy into the square of light.
 That rough outline of a human fig ure was scarcely in position at the window before second pane crashed in and the broom was knocked from , the hand of the masked man hold ing it.
 That shot could have come only from one of those three houses across the way. And it's ten to one it's from that empty house on the right"
 He drew away from the window and stood for a moment deep in thought.
 "O'Mara, want you to slip out by your back door and get help. Call on any neighbors you can trust in a case like this. Then hurry back here, for I don't want that scoundrel to suspect his plans haven't worked out exactly as he imagines!"
 "We'Il get the divil," announced O'Mara as he slipped away. And while waiting for his return the Laughing ] Mask sent Peggy for a cupful of flour. ! With this he powdered her hands ana blanched her thin young face. Dan O'Mara had stepped back into the house before the masked visitor had completed his task.
 Now. I want that sniper to think | he's done his work, I don't want him to break from cover until your friends have surrounded that house. So take your daughter and carry her out, just as though she were a dead girl" Dan O'Mara, doing as he was di- rected, stepped from the doorway with his own whitehead daughter hanging limp in his arms. He acted his part with a sincerity that was not without conviction. For. two minutes after he had staggered into the open with that apparently sad burden. the sniper from the shuttered house was detected slip ping out of a cellar window and sour rying along broken fence.
 That escape. however, came before Dan O'Maras friends could completely take up their position about the sus- pected house. But one of those friends caught sight of the fugitive in the strange-looking cape. the alarm was given, and the pursuit began.
 It was not a long chase. but it was c stern one. Determined as those ir- dignant factory-toilers were to run down the mysterious gunman so wan tonly threatening their homes, tho fleeing Mauki proved himself starting. 
 ly fleet of foot He gained sufficiently on his pursuers to round corner. dodge into an empty coalshed. and emerge a moment later as a stopped old woman in amber-colored spectacles and rusty gray wig Being obviously hard of hearing, this same old woman could not give much information to the group of excited men suddenly ac- costing her as she hobbled across the street.
 Five minutes later a swarthy-skinned man with wiry black hair was hurry ing across country to one of the we'll concealed dens of Jules Legar, where he duly reported to the Iron Claw the news of his enemys ruse and his own narrow escape.
 Before the second day had passed ! Legar had evolved yet another plan for the subiugation of his enemies This took the form of deccy mes sage delivered to the unsuspecting Peggy O'Mara. purporting to he a hasty request from Frank Aimick 10 come to his studio at nine o'clock that night. to the end that he might hurry