Charlevoix county herald., 1917-05-04

distorted face he gave sobbing 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 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 forbidding
form wearing a yellow visor. Az
Legar backed away from that hateful
vision he tripped 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 dazed man
ner against his injured temple. from
which a little crimson stream was
trickling down into his eyes.
Catching up the towel which he'd
covered the glass vessel broke&S%
Skidmon, he mopped the blood from
his eyes, and the Jagged woundaon.
his forehead. Then as he felt q
clammy moisture on his fevered skin
he hastily examined the towel and
saw IL was smeared with q substance
resembling a crushed jelly f3sh. he
saw none Of that gelatinouso mattsrc
on the bench and quickly picked out
OF it a piece Of broken glass bearing
n printed label. AS he read the words,
Colon Bacilli, he knew his doom was
sealed.
With dlstended eyes and foam
fiecked 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 convulsive struggles weaken
ed, and death stilled forever his
thrashing 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 raiding
detectives, headed by Captain Brack-
EFT, came storming up the stairs.
Presently with Enoch Golden and the
heavy-jawed captain In the lead they
came crowding 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 un-
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 Skidmorf's
confession to the police captain, who
glanced hastily through 1t.
''Well, I guess that lets you or"
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 boyish face OF the young
secretary, David Manley.
"Now that Legar is dead, my dis
guise has served its purpose" he ex-
planned In quiet tones, as he glanced
around that circle of intent listeners.
HE knew would try to protect my
employer and his daughter from his
evil purpose Of revenge. and by act
ing In double role I was able to
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 In