The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-08-15
to the little Drew was able to contrib

some scheme" And in proof of his
conclusions, Kelly was able within the
hour to exhibit proof that Jackson had
| never left the country.
HE is hiding out as we say" said
Kelly. You tell Miss MacLean not to
take possession of what is not hers"
And the story Elliott had to tell
Drew was not pleasing to that worthy.
For Drew had hoped to marry Miss
MacLean and thus get his hands on
the Jackson millions.
Mary MacLean, for a girl who had
seen fortune swept away as unex.
pectedly as it had arrived, took mat
ters rather complacently. After the
first shock of surprise she recovered
her composure rapidly.
1.-THE Golden Cup at the Speedway
begins to interest me again." she said.
II had entered car for the race.
expecting to exploit the Jackson mo-
tors, but when uncle died, the
flippancy of the remark made her halt
abruptly.
"YOu can go on with your idea now."
said Elliott, to whom she had been
speaking.
"Yes, that's what I intend to do !;
but couldn't-otherwise.
The next few days were times Of
much excitement around the Jackson
Motor factory. Miss MacLean was
watching progress on the equipment
Of her car.
Drew was likewise interested in
Miss MacLean's car. and Pat. sus-
picious Of every move that Drew or
jackson made, aimed to be ~ close
as she could to the scene when Drew
was near the racer.
Kelly also concerned himself in
passing events. He was instructed by
Elliott to prevent Pat from inter
fering in any way with the machine.
Pat closely watching her opportun-
ity, was within hearing distance when.
the day before the race. Drew ap.
preached the men who were putting
the finishing touches on the car.
"Ill make 1t worth your while to
see that this car doesn't win the race"
Pat heard Drew say to the men. But
try as she might to catch the rest Of
the conversation she failed.
Awaiting her opportunity. which ar.
rived shortly after, Pat engaged In
conversation the men at work upon
the machine. Her manner aroused
their antagonism and their own ac-
tons confirmed Pats suspicious that
they had entered into an agreement to
put the car out of commission.
While Pat could not fathom the
cause, the facts were that Drew and
Elliott were prompted by malice. be-
cause Of the disappoIntments that had
resulted from the outcome Of Jack
sons death"
Elliott had informed Kelly that he
believed one of the mechanics In the
employ Of the nrm was plotting against
the orxDnA1atioa.
The disguised and active Pat was,
Of course. the workman designated ~
Elliott's Suspicious character" and
Kelly. on the day Of the race. set him
self to the task Of watching the girl
closely In all her movements. When
Pat left the factory Kelly and his men
followed her.
When she entered her house Kelly
and his men decided to investigate.
Finding an open window leading Into
the cellar the three detectives crawled
In.
In the dim light that was afforded
by two small windows the detectives
crawled cautiously around the room
in which they found themselves. Pass
ing through a door that communicated
with another room they had taken but
a few steps when they were suddenly
confronted by an Iron wall that had,
to all appearances, dropped through
the ceiling and halted their progress.
When they turned about with the in
tention of retracing their steps
similar wall, or partition, dropped
and terminated their progress. The
three men thus found themselves pris.
oners in a long narrow compartment,
total darkness and deathly stiffness
surrounding them.
Suddenly above their heads, sound.
ing as though coming from some dis
tance, Kelly heard IA voice he recog-
nized MS that of his tormentor The
Purple Mask girl.
"If they remain there" she was say
ing. "they must combat both water
and the fumes Of deadly gas. l did
not order you to do this-neither will
order their release. until am ready"
Pats voice ceased, and the men were
left alone.
She hurried to the garage where
Miss MncLenn's racing machine was
presumably being tuned up for the
rnco having SipnnleI fo the Apoc ocheg
scattered among the other workmen to
follow. When Pat reached the car the
men who We're trying to block Miss
MacLenn's plans had just started to
wreck the machine.
Before they could do serious dam
age PITTS Apnches had disposed of