Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-03-30


about losing his swag, he beats II to
his Malina, to his fence, the same as
your friend the Laughing Mask has
donel And the sooner we get the
wheels moving and root that masked
grounding out Of his dugout the bet
teri"
I'm ready" announced Enoch Col
den.
With a gasp Of sudden resolution
Margery rang the bell, called for her
roadster, and struggled into her hat
and coat, as she ran down the sand
stone steps to the street.
She sped on through the city at q
rate that was an open and obvious
violation Of all the speed laws. She
laughed r~ebelliously as, once FREQ OF
the congested ferry trafic, she swung
lightly past the car in which she be-
held her own astonished father decor
ously seated, giving him her dust as
she mounted to the crest OF the Jersey
hills and struck the road leading north
ward along the wind-bosomed river.
Then as she swung past still an
other hurrying car the smile sudden
ly died from her face. For she felt
sure that n of the faces in that car
was the face OF jules Legar himself.
She went on, from that moment,
crowding every inch of speed out Of
her car, exulting in the fact Of it's
power. ignoring the shouts OF onlook-
ers as she swept up through Coleman's
village. took the turn In a smother Of
dust, and brought the steaming road
ster up sharp against a cedar-hedge
browning the topmost ridge Of the
river cliffs. She leaped boldly through
the hedge and ran to the outermost
lip Of the Palisades. There, cupping
her hands to her lips, she called out a
single name again and again.
From a creVice in the broken rock
face below her a figure wearing a yell
low mask looked cautiously out and
waved up to her with an equally eau
tious signal. The next moment she
was clambering nimbly yet carefully
down the ledge Of broken rock.
A pair of stalwart young arms were
waiting to hold her up. But she quick
ly broke away from their clasp.
Quick, they are coming to capture
you!"
who are?"
THE police. They hive found out
you are hiding here. And Legar also
has found Quit"
The man in the mask darted back to
a small table on which stood a shaded
lamp. He bent quickly over and blew
out the flame. This left the back of
the cave in darkness. Then he ran
back to where the girl still waited.
do you trust me?" he asked.
II trust you in everything" was her
reply.
Then listen! The water at the foot
Of this cliff is deep. It is a drop of a
hundred feet. But It may be our only
chance. Are you willing to take that
leap with me?"
Il trust youth everything" she
told him, as she drew herself up. He
held her there for a moment and then
slipped to the back of the cave. When
he reappeared he carried a rough pine
table in his arms. This he placed
on end close to the entrance Of the
cave.
The next momen a shadow dark
ened the mouth Of the cave. Silhouet-
ted clear against the outer light they
could see the STOPPING figure Of the
Iron Claw.
AS he stood there, peering cautious
ly about the ledge of the bookshelf,
he was stealthily Joined by his fol-
lowers.
They're coming" the Laughing
Mask whispered to Margery Golden,
as he drew her closer in beside the
rocky wall Of the tunnel. Then, using
the, appended table as a screen, he
advanced with her toward the cave
mouth, slowly, silent, foot by foot.
They were within six feet Of the
opening when Legar turned about to
give a word or two Of command to his
followers. Two figures, those Of q
masked man holding a slender girl
firmly by the hand. came running Out
OF the
So suddenly did they come that they
scattered Legar's men as they ad
Vanced. And before those aBtounded
men could recover either their foot
ing OF their wits, the man In the mask
holding the girl close to his side, had
crossed to the clif-edge and had taker
a flying leap out into space.
An involuntary gasp Of consterna
| ton burst from that startled group o.
gangsters az they stood watching the
clasped figures hurtle through thu
t air. strike the surface Of the watel
r clean, and go down into It's blu'
depths. Then, after what seemed al
! interminable wait, a second shout
as involuntary, apparently. as the first
burst from the watchers as they -
I held the two figures %reappear, swim
4 ming strongly side by side along tn
undulating surface OF the water. Blu
that shout was not q prolonged one
. "a -m--.N .uIa.aN.v g.Na .oNIu maA aufal