The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-17

nation of surprise from the one
armed criminal.
"That fat cop isn't such a mutt as
we thought he was, Dutch" Legdr
said in tones of begrudging admira-
ton. ''1n fact, I've good mind to
have him pinched for forging my
name to this letter. l didn't get the
drift of it at first, but it's trap to
get our masked friend down to Whar-
toms Quarry, where the bunch is
waiting to gather him in"
"Ain't that the place we passed In
the automobile couple of miles down
the road?" queried his companion.
Don't you remember that Dago
Waterman told us the road by there
would be closed tomorrow morning.
Said they had blast ready to shoot
off that would knock a slab off the
whole side Of the cliff"
After another moment of tense ST.
lence the rasping voice of Legar again
reached the hidden eavesdropper.
ct believe you're right, Dutch" and
then he continued, as though reVel-
ing in his own wicked ingenuity. Il
haven't got any love for that med
ding masker, but this is too good a
chance to miss. I've got some heav-
Ter scores than his to settle, and right
now is the time to do it. The men
were knocking off work when we
went by and there won't be anyone
around tho quarry this afternoon but
tho Waterman. The wires must be
all set to explode that blast, and II
we can get our hands on the switch
control We'll trap those trappers and
send Golden's daughter and the rest
of the bunch skyrocketing into ater-
nifty"
The Laughing Mask did not hear
Dutch Franks warm approval of this
cold-blooded salleme for wholesale
murder, for already the two men
were hurrying toward the road, and
presently the receding sound of q
steadily whirring motor gave warn
ing that the resnorseless evildoers
we're rapidly speeding toward, tho
mined quarry. To the wearer of that
yellow domino came the crushing
realization that Margery Golden had
been willing to betray him into the
thought Of the awful peril menacing
her very existence crowded all else
from his mind. In some way she
must be saved from that deadly cata-
clysm in which Legar meant to en-
gulf her.
With a cold chill Of apprehension
the Laughing Mask remembered he
had no method of reaching the dis
tant quarry except by foot, and long
before he could hope TO reach his
destination Legar would have had
ample time to carry out his f1endish
purpose. But anything was better
than this maddening inaction, and
although realizing the futility of his
course he raced frantically along the
road through the dust clouds raised
by the black automobile, fast disap-
pearing in the distance.
That swiftly moving conveyance
bearing Legar and his vicious fol-
lower turned off into seldom used
wood road and shortly afterward
came to a step little way back
of the steep-walled granite quarry.
AS Legar peered over the edge of
the perpendicular cliff, from which
great blocks Of stone had been
sheared away by powerful explosives.
an evil smile Of triumph distorted his
scar-furrowed face. For just beneath
him were the figures of the portly
police captain and two of his men
crouching behind a ponderous up
right slab Of granite. Standing a
little apart from the others was the
sober-faced daughter Of his long
hated enemy.
+ + +
He saw the authoritative officer
motion the detected girl into the hid