Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-05-25


its way TO the scene of tie explosion.
And to the north he could even more
distinctly see the fiery tongues of the
chimney flares above the Westingham
foundry. where hundreds of toilers,
turning night into day, worked about
the great blast furnaces and cauldrons
Of molten metal
In a foundry such as that. he sud
denly remembered lay his best
chance for escape Dishevelcd as he
was, he could pass unnoticed among
those sooty workers. And when the
night Shift went off, he told himself,
he could slip away in their midst, un-
noticed and unchallenged. And if the
worst came to the worst he could
crawl into hiding somewhere about
the tangle OF machinery under that
foundry roof itself, and there lay up
until he knew the coast was clear
again. with the chance of stealing a
puddler's jumper" for n disguise and
dinner pail or two full of foot for
meal.
All this Legar might have done. and
might have done without great diff
Guilty, had not a trace of his older oh
session of hate impinged on his clear
ly outlined course of action.
He was once more himself, by this
time, walking with a limp that was
scarcely discernible. But as he stole
down from the higher ground and
made his way back towards the West
ingham chimney flares he became
once more conscious of the whittier
glare along the roadside he was so
cautiously skirting. This, he remem-
bered, as he stole nearer, came from
the headlights of a stalled limousine.
Then he made a second and a more
startling discovery. He knew, even
before he caught sight of Train work
ing over his helpless car, that it be-
longed to Enoch Golden. But what
actually drew him closer to the spot
was a glimpse of Margery Golden her
self, in a gray fur motor coat, as she
stepped from the body Of the car and
came full into the glare of the head
lights, closer beside her STOPPING
chauffeur.
Are we stalled?" he could hear the
girl ask
We'll be Off again in a minute or
swo, Miss Margery,' was Trains pre-
occupied reply.
But I can't stand here helpless"
protested the girl Il can't wait.
must know what has happened to Da-
vid Manley."
Whatever it was, it's over and
done by this time
But he may be dead He may be
lying crushed under those fallen pill
lars. must go on. Tell father
couldn't wait, that I've gone ahead
on FOOT"
Legar, crouching back in the shaw
ows, heard these hurried words and
as hurriedly acted on them. Sinking
back through the bushes, he swung
about and followed the girl through
the darkness.
Yet it was not until the girl had
passed well out of hailing distance
of the headlighted car that Legar
circled even more hurriedly forward
and swung in again to intercept her.
She was trudging, a little breath
lessly, up a sandy slope, with her
straining eyes still fixed on the NOV
ing lanterns about the ruined mauso-
leum
Then, swinging apparently out OF
the empty air about her, circle of
steel, suddenly encompassing her arm,
brought her to an abrupt stop.
With one quick movement Legar
tore the motor veil from her head,
twisted it into a coil, and flung it
about her neck. And all the while the
Iron Claw, graphing at her arm, held
her as a steel trap might.
She was already dizzy with pain
when she heard the sharp crack Of a
revolver shot close over her shoulder.
This was followed by a quick shout
and a muttered oath. She felt herself
forcibly flung from Legar's arms into
the arms Of another man painting
breathlessly up the sandy slope. She
could see this man, even as he held
her from falling, stop to level his gun
at the fleeing figure OF Legar. She
could see him shoot again, and still
again, at the same moment that Train
and the plunging automobile came
throbbing and painting up to the scene,
the electric lamps throwing out their
wavering, long columns Of white light
as they came. Then the stranger, ar,
rested by certain gasping and CUR
Cling sounds from the throat OF the
half-garroted girl in his arms, stopped
down and tore the constructing veil
away from the slender, white column
of her neck. And Margery, opening
her eyes, saw that IT was the Laugh.
ing Mask bending above her.
ct was Legari" she gasped as
Train, followed by her father, came
painting up to where they stood.