Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1917-03-02

was now several inches lower than
the rest of the floor And this, OBJ
viously, had released a steel arm
which had swung suddenly forward and
swept the startled intruder fat
against the stone wall, holding him
there as in a wise. And as he stood
pinioned there a great block of gran
lite, released by soma 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 'em!" he shouted. BRAN
dishing the automobile wrench which
he still carried in his hand. Just
let me at emf
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 there1l be a whole fam
lily meet a worse fate than yours
might have been tonight"
She mad 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 its hiding place and at
once start in pursuit Of the Iron Claw.
But these explanations came to sud
den and an unexpected ending, for Le-
gar and his followers, skulking in the
bushes, caught that betraying 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 Le-
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 1t
fat 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 latei"
"And what's wrong now?" asked
the astounded householder.
Get Peggy!" gasped the girl as she
stared frantically about the little
room. Get her away from here, quick!
The house has been minedi 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 somewhat
neglected flower-box stood, came a
faint sputter Of sound.
She ran to the window. Lying in
the flower-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 it was.
It was the Internal machine which Lee
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 it away.
But this second effort was equally
fruitless. 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 it
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.
table.
She opened them again, at the sound
OF sudden step. She opened them
to see a masked figure dart 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 detona-
ton shook the walls of that house.
The bomb had exploded. But the
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
intently regarding Mareery Golden.
"The Laughing Mask" said that
somewhat shaken young lady, IN little
more than a whisper.
AT your servicei" replied the man
in the yellow mask, with hall-hum-
BILE and half-mocking bow as he stood,
for one fieeting rroment, In the nae
! row doorway
(TO BE CONTNUED)