Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-01-26

~ 400A
shut, even as the pa~rtly-dressed VII
son ran gaping in through the library
door. Yet Legar took time to throw
hack the tumbler lever and spin the
dial before turning to confront that
wide-eyed servant. Then, hearing
other approaching steps, he dove
through the second door, scurried like
a pelted hound through shadowy
rooms, slipped eel-like through a
quickly opened window and escaped
to the street.
There he ran for a d~ark-bodied car
standing in the deep tree shadows,
and with a gasp Of relief flung himself
up into the cushioned seat.
AS he did SO a masked figure sitting
crouched close back in the hooded
gloom Of that seat suddenly threw out
a hand and garroted the startled Le-
gar against the leather upholstery, on
which he began to writhe like a cater
pillar on a cabinet pin. But with an
equally deft second movement the
man in the yellow mask snatched the
oblong MANILA paper from his oppo-
nent's hand.
This" blandly announced the man
Of mystery as his ~garroting fingers re-
Taxed and he stepped down to the run.
ming board, lis one of the rare mo-
ments when l have the pleasure Of
trumping your ace!"
And the all but apoplectic Legar lay
back gasping for breath as that stran-
ger dropped lightly from the speeding
car and vanished shadowlike into the
night.
At the home of Enoch Golden, in the
meantime, the terrified Wilson had re-
gained both his feet, his presence of
mind and a %presentable portion of his
dignity. His frantic shouts for help
had brought the rest of the servants
1ocking to the library, and his equally
frantic efforts to describe what had
taken place did moi add to the peace
OF that little group from below stairs.
Il tell you, Tibbins, Miss Margory's
locked in that vault, and there's no
n in the 'ouse as knows 'ow to open
it,"
Cries Of horror burst from that sud
denly arrested circle.
Someone telephone for the ~police!"
cried the second man, as Wilson
shouldered out through the group
swarming and g~esticulating about the
vault door. Yes, the police!"
He had the instrument in his shak-
ing hand when the door opened and
David Manley stepped quickly in, with
Tito, the green-bodied parrot, on his
arm.
Whats wrong here?" was the new.
comer's sharp demand.
Its Miss Margory, sir" began the
quavering-voiced butler.
We'll. what about Miss MargoryH"
She's locked in hat vault, sir, and
no one in the 'ouse knows the combi-
nation!"
Good God!" cried Manley, sudden
ly translxed. Then he ran to the
vault door, fiinging the others aside.
Flinging off his coat, he bent over
the diai. The silent group circled
about him. And still he worked,
worked with every nerve on edge,
every sense alert, for time, he knew,
was precious.
baAA 9AigANo NANA0@ 10 C1AlCu
out sharply, for his whole mind was
directed to the faint click of metal
against metal in front of him. But
louder than before the green-bodied
bird on its broken perch repeated its
cry.
"Twenty-one - thirty-forty-twO-
sixty!" al the shrill and monotonous
cry Of the parrot, with one eye cooked
ceilingward.
Manley suddenly wheeled about.
What in Gods name does that par.
rot mean2 Waltz It is
it must be"-But instead Of finishing
that declaration he repeated the
birds cry. 'Twenty-one. thirty, forty.
two, sixty"
In the next breath be was facing the
vault door, with his trembling fingers
turning and spinning the gIimmerinE
dial.
Then, without breathing, and with
colorless face, his hand grasped the
tumbler lever. And not one OF that
group moved as he put on that lever
~ pressure that would tell the tale.
1t was Celestine the parlor maid
who Endorsed her Latin temperament
by falling back In a dead faint as the
metal door swung open. But no one,
at that moment, was thinking OF Celes-
tine.
ITS all right" Manley called from
the darkness OF the inner vault. She's
aliVe-Bhen be around IN a minute
only somebody get some Watari"
.lTO ns COntinuoAO