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


hand in the dark after this"
IF there amt no spirits mixed up
in this DEAL gov'nor, who tipped of
that bunch O. Grape to all this inside
gossip she handed Red?" solemnly
queried the wide-eyed thug.
Unless 1 miss my guess there's q
dictaphone planted in this room and
I'm going to find it II it takes a week"
said Legar.
He lost no time in making good this
declaration, fishing under the fur
niture, along the holdings and in
the dark corners Of the room with
that prehensile iron hook which
seemed almost endowed with human
intelligence. Suddenly he gave a gut
tural bark of triumph-under the
heavy iron safe backed against the
wall he found the object of his search
and few moments work sufficed to
trace the tell-tale thread of wire back
to the storeroom, where the up
ended packing case and unlocked sky
light told their own story.
THAT ought to answer your raw
ings," was Legar's Quiet-toned COM
ment to his bewildered lieutenant,
and then he added maliciously,
there will be some unlimited guests
at the next seance of your high
priestess friend, and somehow / have
feeling that she and Red are going
to join those departed spirits inside
Of the next twenty-four hours"
The unsuspecting object Of Legar's
levity, with her features still heavily
shrouded as on the preceding night,
stepped out of the sagging doorway Of
a weather-stained old barn which chung
dizzily to the brink Of q precipitous
and rock-toothed ravine. As she ap-
preached the formal Italian garden
centered about a unsteady cascading
fountain she perceived a golden-halred
girl seated on one OF the rustic
benches.
Presently an elderly, white-haired
man, whose deep-lined face and trou-
bled eyes bore mute witness Of past
mental strife, came slowly down the
graveled walk and stopped beside the
disconsolate figure on the rustic
bench.
You mustn't take this so to heart,
Margery-if Davy could speak from
the grave he would tell you to be
brave for his sake-and as for the
Laughing Mask that unmitigated
scoundrel and hypocrite isn't worth
one OF your tears"
The reply trembling on Margery's
lips remained unspoken, for at that
moment a young woman whose fea-
lures were hidden by heavy folds OF
black yelling stepped out from be-
hind q vine-covered trellis.
You are doing the Laughing Mask
grave injustice, Enoch Golden" she
cried in a clear and ringing voice
''and even now IL you and your daugh.
ter will accompany me but a short
distance I will place in your hands
indisputable proof Of what l say"
A suddenly terminated Margery
sprang to her feet. She turned to the
unknown intruder and cried impetu.
ously: Can you really show that
the Laughing Mask was innocent OF
all those terrible charges? If you
can, please, please take us quickly to
where you have the proof"
wait, Margery," cautioned the ex
perience-saddened banker. First lei
this yelled person tell US who she IL
and where she wants to take us
This may be one of Legar's tricks, fol
all we know"
II am a well-wisher Of the Laugh
ing Mask. Beyond that l cannot dis
close my Identity. came the guarded
reply. II am unarmed and ask 20,
to go only as far as the old barn OF
your own estate"
Still questioning the outcome o
this dubious venture, the stern-facet
millionaire finally yielded to Mar
gery's earnest importuning. and, fol
lowing the black-garbed figure Of thei
swiftly moving guide, they present.!
stood before the dilapidated old build
ing tottering on the brink of the ra
vine. At that moment a thick-set
fat-footed individual shufled int,
view along the dusty road, the viso
of his cap pulled low over his maley
client blue-jowled face and his beef,
fists Jerking uneasily as he walked
The woman in black turned to he
, companions, and, indicating this VI
, calmly figure, spoke rapidly.
" have every reason to believe tina
Z man has kept faith with me, and il,
! am right shall be able in few mil
> utes to place in your hands the proc
, of which spoke. But If there shoul
= be treachery / wish to face 1t alone
You will find that the harness room 1
= the loft of the barn has a strong doc
: with heavy bolts. Please wait for m
there, and at the first sound of trol
/. BILE, barricade yourself until hel
: comes from the house."
"This sounds like trap" returne
r the millionaire, with emphatic disal
3 prevail. Come, Margery, come bac
to the house at once"
3 But Margery Golden proved to hav
: will of her own as well as surpri
| a.