Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1917-04-27
distorted face he gave a sobbins moa.,

distorted face he gave a sObbins mca.,>
of fear.
As he glanced toward the hall door
way he saw his escape was cut off in
that direction, for standing on the
threshold was 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 fOrhitldliGg
form wearing a yellow visor As
Legar backed away from that hateful
vision he tripped over the body vi
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
trickling 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 IN
his forehead. Then as he felt q
clammy moisture on his fevereG skin
he hastily examined the towel aud
saw 1t was smeared with n substance
resembling crushed jelly fish He
saw none Of that gelatinOus matter
on the bench and quickly picked ont
of it a piece Of broken glass bearing
printed label. As he read the words
Colon Bacilli. he knew his doom wac
sealed.
With distended eyes and fosm-
flecked lips he suddenly pitched head
long TO the floor. where he lay with
ing and twisting like soul in torment
AS the relentless poison ate into his
vitals his convulsive struggles weaken
| ed. and death stilled forever Its
thrashing iron claw.
Then the shuddering girl becn'ue
! conscious that the Laughing Mask WIS
standing near. and as he stopped ana
took the confession from the stiiTenin2
| fingers of the dead criminal she saw
his yellow visor was torn and spi1SlIrd
with blood.
Suddenly there reSOundpd thrnu@h
| the quiet house the sound Of crash
| ing blows delivered upon the front
door, followed q moment later by
heavily pounding feet as the railing
| detectives, headed by Captain BTIck'
EFT, came storming up the stairs.
Presently with EnOch Golden and THIS
heavy-jawed captain in the lead ire?
| came crOwding into the room whore
| he and Margery were waiting. In TIE
| 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 SkidIaOns
confession TO the police captain. who
| glanced hastily through it.
"Well. 1 guess that lets you Off"
he muttered with evident diSappOint-
ment, but now you're clear Of the
law, what's the use Of hidin' u1der
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 boyish face of the young
secretary, David Manley.
"Now that Legar is dead, my tbs
guise has served it's purpose" he ex-
planned in quiet tones, as he glanced
around that circle of intent listeners
"FIe knew / would try to protect my
employer and his daughter from his
evil purpose of revenge, and by act
ing in a double role / was able To
fight him to better advantage I
finally organized four of my friends
into a sort of secret order Of Laugh
ing Masks, but they always kept in