Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-03-16

viously, had released q steel arm
wnich had swung suddenly forward and
swept the startled intruder FIAT
against the stone wall, holding him
there as in a wise. And rs he stood
pinioned there a great block Of gran
tie. released by some hidden ma.
chinery, was slowly descending from
the roof of the corridor. Margery
quickly manipulated the chains and re-
leased the chauffeur.
Let me at emil" he shouted, BRAN
dishing the automobile wrench which
he still carried in his hand. Just
let me at emil
It's, no use," cried Margery, hold
ing him back. "They have gone. the
lot Of them. And we've got to follow
quickly, or theren be a whole fam
lily meet q worse fate than yours
might have been tonight"
She had taken the wrench from his
hand and was leading him out of the
tunnel mouth by this time, explain
ing that he would have to bring his
taxicab from It's hiding place and at
once start in pursuit Of the Iron Claw.
But these explanations anne to a sud
den and an unexpected ending, for Le-
gar and his followers, skulking in the
bushes, caught hat b%etraying sound
of voices and saw a chance that was
too good to be missed. They closed in
on the girl and the taxi-driver. Yet
that sullen-spirited driver, when cor
nered, fought with an energy so eX.
plosive that the entire circle became
involved in the struggle. It was Lee
gar himself, and only Legar, who had
the presence of mind to direct the at
tention towards the girl. He swung
suddenly about and started for her.
She saw him coming, raised the heavy
wrench she still carried and sent It
fiat against his bony temple and took
to her heels, She jumped into the
empty taxicab and headed for the
O'Mara cottage.
So colorless was her face as the be-
wildered Dan O'Mara opened the door
that he started back in alarm. And
her words were even more disturb
ing.
Come away" she called out
Come quick, or It will be too late!"
"And what's wrong now?" asked
the astounded householder.
Get Peggy!" gasped the girl as she
stared frantically about the littls
room. Get her away from here, quickl
The house has been minedl There's
been a bomb left here, and any mo-
ment-'
She stopped speaking, for the pun,
gent smell of powder smoke had as
sailed her nostrils. Then from the
open window, in which a somewhat
neglected fiower-box stood, came a
faint sputter Of sound. .
She a to the window. Lying in
the hower-box she saw a heavy
cylinder Of metal. Even before she
caught sight of the time-fuse which
quietly Kissed and burned at one end
Of the cylinder, she knew what 1t was
1t was the Internal machine which Le.
gar's agent had placed there to de
stroy the house. And at any moment
the explosion might take place.
Margery caught the heavy cylinder
up in her hands. She even tried to
blow out the fuse. But this was use
less. Then she tried to tear 1t away.
But this second effort was equally
f%ruitless. And sheer panic took pos
session OF her at the thought OF her
helplesness. The bomb dropped from
her fingers to the floor. She made one
instructive effort to warn poor young
Peggy O'Mara away, as the girl ran
to her side. But instead of repeating
that warning she let her arms close
about the slender body as though in
mute acknowledgment that she knew II
was already too late. For the fuse, she
could see, was burning down into the
end OF the cylinder itself. She even
closed her eyes. awaiting the ineV
liable.
She opened them again, at the sound
of a sudden step. She opened them
to see a masked figure Tart into the
room, catch up the smoking metal
cylinder, and with one and the same
movement hurl 1t out through the
open window.
The next moment a great detonG
tion shook the walls Of that house.
The bomb had exploded. But tha
house OF O'Mara still stood. And
Peggy and her father stared open
mouthed at the newcomer. who, in.
stead Of staring back at them, stood
i~nteatly regarding Margery Golden.
"The Laughing Mask" said that
somewhat shaken young lady. in little
more than q whisper.
AT your servicel" replied the man
In the yellow mask, with a hals.hum.
BILE and ~half-mocking bow az be stood.
Tor one dieting moment, IN the mar
row doorway.
ITO an ooNTRrumn, ,