Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1917-03-23


figure came avalancbing down the
chimney. and landing on the narrow
ledge gripped at Davy as a drowning
man clutches floating bit Of wreck
age.
The interlocked antagonists hurtled
headlong down the shaft into the
fireplace of the gunroom- II was due
to the fact that Legar's picked assas-
sin had landed underneath. and brok-
en- the force of Davy's fall, that the
badly shaken secretary owed his life.
At that instant a volley OF staccato
reports, like those of gatling gun
going into action smote their ears.
They've stolen the Mercury" cried
the frantic millionaire. land il they've
stopped to put the Arrow out OF COM
mission they can show clean pair Of
heels to anything on the lake"
To Enoch Golden's intense relief. the
machinery Of the high-powered Ar
row had not been tempered with and
soon the chase was on
The delicate mechanism of the Mer
curry revolted at the unskilled hap-
ding of her clumsy-fngered engineer.
She began to miss badly. while her
speed perceptibly diminished. Legar
caught up his glasses and for a mo-
ment intently studied the on-coming
Arrow. which was evidently gaining.
Then, with a quick twist Of the
steering wheel. he sent the racing
power boat heading directly for the
nearest shore. Even as her sharp
prov grated over the shelving beach
Legar and his villainous crew swarmed
: over the side. carrying the fettered
girl and the burlap sack with them.
They scrambled hastily up the en-
bankment of the railroad track skirt
ing the lake, Just as the enraged
father Of the abducted girl beached
the pulsating Arrow and sprang has
tily ashore.
Hampered by his captive and the
heavy sack of loot, the master scheD-
er realized he could not hope to out
strip his opponents by ordinary meth
DDS of flight. But the evil genius
of the man was equal to the occasion.
At little distance down the track a
dozen italian laborers were busy re-
pairing the roadbed. under the super
vision of a burly Irish foreman. The
handcar on which these men went to
and from their work had been set OF
to one side OF the track near where
Legar was standing
Get that handcar back on the rails
and be quick about IT," came his sharp
command to the men. With his bur.
Gen he leaped aboard Lnd was laugh
ing at his pursuers as he raced away
Just then an automobile OF ancient
vintage. driven by a stupid rustic
came wheeling up tbs htgaws=, which
paralleled the railroad.
I'VE want to catch a handcar THAI
Just went up the track shouted Col
!: den. 81 will pay you 800 to help u.s."
Legar had congratulated himself
too soon on the ease of his escape.
AS the handcar started toiling 70 Q
!, long, gradual grade, he looked hack
and saw the automobile loaded with
} armed men In hot pursuit. But es
checked his muttered oath as the
= sputtering car struck the hill. slowed
down and finally cams to a dead STOP
The heavy load had prSved too much
for the time-worn engine. Legar
could see his opponents getting out
: of the balky automobile. which. re-
: lieved of its burden. started crawl
ing up the hill. with its passengers
> hurrying behind It.
Then the handcar reached the crest
Of the rise and went rapidly coastins
| down the incline on the other sids
But Legar knew that eventually he
9 must be overtaken. Human sinews
D could not prevail against the power
q driven vehicles of his enemies.
At that moment there beat in upJn
q his ears the long-drawn screech Of Z
locomotive whistling for a c-osstns
d With look OF fiendish hasa LseA
t stopped and lifted Markery Golden
9 from the rough flooring 81 the jCtfns
handcar and dropped he- between the
9 glistening rails.
+ In a breathing space hts victim
= would be ground to death beneath the
| pO1u6TOuS uTlNlHS WHEELS VI THO On
CINE rushing down upon her. But n
that breathing space an incorporates
sible thing took place.
At some distance beyond the foot OF
+ the incline the rails. sweeping IN q
= wide curve, around a bend in the Rad
were lost to sight. II so happened
y that just around this bend the switch
ing apparatus used to throw freight
trains on to a siding was undergoing
5 certain repairs at the hands Of blue
l leaned track walker. This man. an
. unconscious of threatening tragedy
3 had finished his labors and was wip
I ing his grimy hands on a piece q
cotton waste. Suddenly he became
conscious of a motionless figure stand
. ing beside him.
AS he glanced up he saw the stran
gers face was covered by a mask
Il slit by a grotesquely laughing mouth.
without a word this strange figure
II ha1t ond crasnod the long lever com