The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-08-22

and his aid from their steel-cage prison.
Kelly hurried TO the ofice where safe
No. was located and discovered the
trick Pat had so cleverly played. The
watchman on guard got his first news
Of the robbery" when the Sphinx
arrived to investigate.
1--WE must prevent the Purple
Mask tapping safe number two at all
hazards" said Kelly to his assistants.
Safe No. was located in an old
frame building in quiet part of town.
There were two floors. with an attic.
The fiat roof, surrounded by breast
high cornice and false front, gave
Pat and her Apaches shelter for their
operations.
Kelly left one of his men to guard
the foot of the stairs and with his
chief assistant went up to the office
where the safe was located. There was
a watchman on guard, and to him
Kelly told the story Of the other safe
looting.
"You must look alive and stay
awake" said Kelly to the guard.
1--WE have been warned that an attempt
may be made to rob this one. and we
must prevent 1t without fail"
Only thin boards were used in the
ceiling Of the room, and Pat could
fplainly hear, from her station in the
garret, all Kelly WAS saying to the
watchman. There was a smile Of self
satisfaction playing across her pretty
face as she listened.
The watchman left the room to talk
further with Kelly in the hall. Work
ing rapidly, one of Pats men bored a
hole through the thin planking. max
Ing . small opening into the room be-
low.
Presently a number of men. led by
the boss" Of the political ring. came
into the room, bringing with them a
handbag. They transferred the con-
tents of the bag to the safe-great
rolls of money-that formed the rest
Of the collection" for their corruption
fund.
I'VE expect You to see that this
money is protected" said the boss"
Of the gang to Kelly.
"Well, you have your own watchman
here" the Sphinx replied. "and we
will furnish an extra guard. l guess
with these precautions the coin will
be safe"
After further parley the politicians
departed. leaving the watchman alone
in the room to guard the spoils.
| Pat now proceeded to put her plans
into active operation. She had come
provided with a narcotic gas heavies
than air. of a kind used by Partisan
Apaches to put their victims out OF
commission, and this she began letting
into the room below through the hole
that had been bored In the ceiling.
The watchman, sitting at a table in
the room with the safe, soon began to
feel the effect of the gas. His stupor
increased until he sat limp and help
less.
Then Pats men raised 4 trapdoor
that led into q room adjoining the Of
nce and Pat descended to her work
on the combination Of the safe.
Just as Pat finished her work Of
solving the combination on the safe
and was removing the money there
was a great commotion In the hallway
outside Of the once. Phil Kelly had
returned to see that everything was all
right.
Pats men in the hall gave vigorous
battle to the Sphinx. and Pat made
haste to return to the attic with the
money she had taken.
She had carefully calculated her
means and method Of getting away.
Grasping the overhanging branch Of a
tree that grew near the building, Pat
swung herself from the roof. She
climbed along the limb and down the
trunk Of the tree, finally dropping to
the ground from the lower branches.
Kelly. meanwhile, was ptting up .
good battle with Pats Apaches. Real.
izing that their leader would need all
the time possible to make her getaway,
Pats men kept Kelly engaged in
rough-nndtumble fighting.
Finally the detective broke away
and rushed Into the office. There sat
the watchman with purple mask
bound over his face. The door of the
safe was open and the satchel with
the money it contained was gone.
Although he had again been baffied
by the Purple Mask, the Sphinx
acted with speed, going headlong down
the stairs in his mad rush for the open
air. AS he reached the street he saw
Pat jump into an automobile, more
than block away from the scene OF
the robbery.
Unfortunately for Pat the Sphinx
had come to the Job" in his own ma.
chine. He lost little time in getting
s.arted, for his chauffeur was waiting
with the engine running.
1t was a hot chase through the
suburbs and into the open country. Pat
had good machine and would have
won the race II Kelly had not resorted
to drastic measures.