The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-07-30

eddying. I'm fact, want you to look
at it closely and understand it fully.
It's wonderful wonderful for many
reasons. At the end of this sluice, you
see, is log mangle. I have seen
those knives shred six-inch timber
in less than Il minutes time"
He turned and stared down at the
white-f faced girl, drinking to the full
the dizzy wine of her terror, wringing
a voluptous delight out of her word
less cape of horror. Then the look on
his face suddenly altered. and he
wheeled about, still clutching the girl
close to his side. He stood staring at
the door which he had locked but a
minute before. And his face sudden
ly hardened as he saw the heavy iron
latch of that door move.
Margory, following his glance, also
watched that door. And when she
heard the thump of heavy timber on
it's panels a new hope sped through
her. That hope equipped her with
fresh strength. 1t prompted her to
struggle against the Iron Claw with
the utmost power of her desperate
young body. But her enemy. for all
her efforts, was too much for her
Foot by foot he forced her back to-
ward the open sluiceway Then, with
a muttered gasp of finality and sud
den upward heave of his shoulders,
he flung the girl headlong into the
water.
AS he did so the door burst open
For the heavy hearted Peggy O'Mara,
after slipping guiltily away from the
sluiceroom where she had left her
quite unsuspecting victim. awakened
for the first time to the full enormity
Of her offense. AS she stood there in
the darkness, staring back at the
dark mass of the factory walls. the
aches of remorse lay heavy on her
young heart.
She was standing there, with tears
of helplessness in her eyes, when a
figure stepped up to her. She would
have fled, incontinently, at the APP
proach of that intruder. But the
stranger held her with a gently re-
straining hand. And as she peered
up at his face she saw that it was
the man in the laughing mask.
1.-The righting of wrongs is a part
Of my business in life. Can / help
your"
The girl hesitated.
YES" she finally confessed, with q
burst of tears. And through her sobs
she brokenly recounted as much as
she dared of that nights proceedings.
But she continued to weep.
"And me father'll be goin' 10 the
pen for what I'm tellin' you," she
walled out in her misery.
..He will not" avowed the Laugh
ing Mask, with decision. Hell have
more than help before this night is
over. and a better job and a clear
conscience before another one comes.
But tell me first where you left this
girl you brought out from the city,"
INSIDE the door O. the sluiceroom
there"
Good God!" gasped the man in the
mask. Then he caught the spindle
legged Peggy O'Mara by the hand
and started for the shadowy pile OF
the factory on the run. quick" he
said as he ran, "show me the door,
The half breathless girl pointed 1T
out to him. But as he ran up to 1t he
found it locked. He stopped and ran
tically caught up a piece of timber
almost as long and heavy as his own
body. Peggy O'Mara. seeing that its
weight seemed more than he could
manage, promptly ran to his assist
ance.
Now, come together" he said, "for
we've got to knock that door in!"
Twice, three times, they charged the