Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-05-11

distorted a c he gave q sODbing moan
Of fear.
As he glanced toward the hall door
way he saw his escape was cut on in
that direction, for standing on the
threshold was a quietly waiting
Laughing Mask. he threw open the
door leading into the chamber where
Skidmon had been engaged In pack
ing his effects, but stationed in the
center Of that room was a f%orblddlng
form wearing a yellow visor. As
Legar backed away from that hateful
vision he trlpped over the body OF
the dead scientist and fell heavily.
striking his forehead a sharp blow
against the edge Of the laboratory
bench. He slowly got to his feet,
pressing his hand in a dazed man.
ner against his injured temple, from
which a little crimson stream was
trickllng down into his eyes.
Catching up the towel which had
covered the glass vessel broken BY
Skidmon, he mopped the blood from
his eyes. and the Jagged wound on
his forehead. Then as he felt a
clammy moisture on his fevered skin
he hastily examined the towel and
saw it was smeared with a substance
resembling a crushed Jelly FISH. he
saw none Of that gelatinous matter
on the bench and quickly picked out
Of It a piece Of broken glass bearing
a printed label. AS he read the words,
Colon Bacilli, he knew his doom was
sealed.
with distended eyes and foam
fecked lips he suddenly pitched head
long to the floor, where he lay writh-
ing and twisting like a soul in torment
As the relentless poison ate into his
vitals his c~onvulsive struggles weaken
ed, and death stilled forever his
thrashlng iron claw.
Then the shuddering girl became
conscious that the Laughing Mask was
standing near, and as he stopped and
took the confession from the %stiffening
fingers OF the dead criminal she saw
his yellow visor was torn and splashed
with blood.
Suddenly there resounded through
the quiet house the sound of crash
ing blows delivered upon the front
door, followed a moment later by
heavily pounding feet as the raldlng
detectives, headed by Captpin Brack-
EFT, came stOrming mp the stairs.
Presently with Enoch Golden and the
h~eavy-jawed captain In the lead they
came crowdlng into the room where
he and Margery were waiting. In the
grasp Of those astounded detectives
were no less than four Laughing
Masks, each one an exact counterpart
Of the other.
The detectives tore the yellow
coverings Of their prisoners and dis
closed the straightforward and I'M
familiar features of four young men
of about the same age as David Man
ley. With a puzzled exclamation the
police captain approached the remain
ing Laughing Mask standing by the
side Of Margery Golden. That man of
mystery silently extended Skidmon's
confession to the police captain, who
6AdhNSh hdoIiJ lhAOubn lie
"Well, I guess that lets you on
he muttered with evident disappoint-
ment, "but now you're clear of the
law, what's the use Of hidin' under
that mask?"
With a quick and decisive move,
ment the Laughing Mask stripped
off that grotesquely smiling piece Of
yellow cambria, revealing the hand.
some and bOylsh face OF the young
secretary, David Marley.
Now that Legar is dead, my dis
gulse has served it's purpose" he ex.
planned in quiet tones, as he glanced
around that circle Of intent listeners
"He knew I would try to protect my
employer and his daughter from hil
evil purpose of revenge, and by act
ing in a double role I was able t.
Fight him to better advantage.
finally organized four Of my friends
into a sort Of secret order Of Laugh
ing Masks, but they always kept IL