Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1917-02-23


mother is?" asked Margery, gathering
up her skirts as she glanced into the
dingy storeroom feebly lighted by its
one dingy electric bulb.
"I'll be back in a minute, mann, the
girl replied, only too glad of any rea-
sonable excuse for disappearing.
Margery, in the meantime, peered
doubtfully about the somber building
in which she found herself so unex-
pectedly a visitor. Along one side of
the room in which she stood she could
make out dark masses of dye wood
piled as high as her head. Beside this
she saw, in the uncertain light, an
open pit filled with water. Into one
side of this pit ran a cement-walled
sluiceway, stained almost black, with
a watergate set in the upper part OF
it's channel The opening in the far
side Of the pit, which was guarded by
a heavy iron grill as big as park
gate, led into a high-walled cavern
across which stretched a number of
huge steel drums. Set in these drums
were rows of knife-edged cleavers.
The polished surfaces of these great
blades of steel shone ominously in the
half-light.
Margery was still staring at the
great drums bristling with cleavers
when with a suddenness that startled
her the electric lights were thrown on
across the roof of the chamber. She
wheeled about quickly to discover the
cause for this. AS she did so, an invol-
untary gasp escaped from her lips. For
standing beside the door, with his fin
ger still on the switch, the Iron Claw
himself confronted her.
why are you afraid of me?" he con-
fidently purred. For the girl drew
slowly away while he as slowly fol
lowed after her, step by step. Then
| with a movement that was feline in its
| quickness, he flung out an arm and
seized her. Then he turned her DELHI
erately about until she faced the black
walled sluiceway. But the girl shrank
back.
Don't be afraid of it, my DEAR" he
Knocked as he led her forcibly, step by
step, to the lip Of the channel through
which the mill water was curling and
eddying. I'm fact, want you to lool
at it closely and understand it fully
It's wonderful, wonderful for many
reasons. At the end of this sluice. yor
see, is a log mangle. have seen those
knives shred six-inch timber in less
than minutes time"
He turned and stared down at thu
white-faced girl, drinking to the full
the dizzy wine of her terror, wringin.
a voluptuous delight out Of her word
less cape of horror. Then the look OF
his face suddenly altered, and h
wheeled about, still clutching the cir
close to his side. He stood staring a
the door which he had locked but ;
minute before. And his face sudden
ly hardened as he saw the heavy irol
latch of that door move.
Margery, following his glance, ais
watched that door. And when sh
} heard the thump of heavy timber o.
J it's panels a new hope sped throug
her. That hope equipped her wit
] fresh strength. It prompted her t
: struggle against the Iron Claw wit
, the utmost power of her desperat
: young body. But her enemy, for a
, her efforts, was too much for her. Foo
! by foot he forced her back toward
| the open sluiceway. Then, with mu
tered gasp of finality and a sudden VI
ward heave of his shoulders, he fun
r the girl headlong into the water.
. AS he did so the door burst opel
For the heavy-hearted Peggy omar
after slipping guiltily away from til
8 sluiceroom where she had left hi
t quite unsuspecting victim, awakene
for the first time to the full enormit
+ Of her offense. AS she stood there
y the darkness, staring back at the dan
q mass Of the factory walls, the aches (
remorse lay heavy on her young hear
, She was standing there, with tea
r of helplessness in her eyes, when
}. figure stepped Up to her. She wou
e have fed, incontinently, at the a
i proach Of that intruder. But Il
:, stranger held her with gently I
y straining hand. And as she peered I
y at his face she saw that it was Il
T! man in the laughing mask.
It THE righting Of wrongs is part
, my business in life. Can help you
The girl hesitated.
d Eyes" she finally confessed, with
l. burst of tears. And through her so
she brokenly recounted as much
d she dared of that nights proceeding
r, But she continued to weep.
It "And me father'll be goin' to I
pen for what I'm tellin' you" s.
II walled out in her misery.