La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959, August 22, 1917, Image 6

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La Grande evening observer., August 22, 1917, Image 6

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Newspaper Page TextPAGE SIX LA GRANDE EVENING OBSERVER. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1917. 8YNOPS18. On Windward Inland Palldori Intrigues Mrs. Golden Into an appearance of evil which causes Golden to cuplure and tor ture the Italian by branding IiIh face and uruuhlng IiIh hand. 1'nllUori Hoods the Is land an1 kidnaps Golden'H little daughter Margery. Twelve years later in New York a Mawkfd One reauuea Margery from I-.o-Kar und takes her to her father's home. legar sends Golden a demand for the uhurt. The coveted chart is lust In a light between Mauley and one of l,egar'a lifiichmeu, but Is recovered by the laugh ing Mask. Count Da Kapares figures In a dubious attempt to entrap Legar and rial ins to have killed hlin. Goldeu's house ht dynamited during a masked ball. Le t;ar cacaoes but Da Kspares Is crushed In lie ruins. Margery rescues the Laughing Mask from the police. Manley finds Mar eery not Indifferent to his love. He saves ler from Maukl's poisoned arrows. Man ey plans a mock funeral which falls to accomplish the desired purpose, the cap ture of the Iron ('law and his gang. Mar gery In saved from death at the hands of the Iron Claw by the laughlng Mask. An attempt by the Iron Claw to blow up the D'Mara cottage is frustrated In the nick if time. The laughing Mask discloses tut Identity to Margery. Margery over tears the police's plan to take the Laugh ing Mask prisoner und hastens to warn iilm. They escape both the police and :he Iron Claw. Later the Laughing Mask is almost taken while with Margery at tor home. He eludes capture; Margery's rather tells her that the Mask has met leath. A mysterious woman frightens Nugar'a henchman Into a promise of con cession to clear the Laughing Mask. She meets Margery and discloses herself to Lhat young lady as David Manley. Le kar und his gang get possession of some loot and escape, taking Margery with them. The Laughing Mask adds to his tnystorlousness by once mora saving her prom death. SIXTEENTH EPISODE The Unmasking of Davy. la that gloomy sanctuary of evil- Boers known as the Owl's Nest, Jules fjegnr bent over the half sheet of pa per on which the pen In his lean An gers was Inscribing certain cryptic Characters. Then he quickly folded the ptrlp of parchment, placed it In an en velope, and securely gummed down the flap with the aid of the Iron hook which took the place of his mlBsing left hand. Crossing the dank flagging ot the bubterrauoan cuambor, he stood be fore a rat-faced individual, who squinted slavishly up at him with one good eye. Although fortifiod by liber al portions ot the Owl's illicit brew, It faa evident that Ono-Lamp Louie taourlshed an unwholesome dread of that scar-marked tyrant, who brooked 00 Infraction of his malign authority. "Cut out that booze and listen to Ine," commanded Legar In curt tones; ''you know the place where those bulls from headquarters gave us such a lively run that I had to cache that Van Horn swag. Get out there as quick as you can and turn this onvelope over to Dutch Frank, who will be waiting frith Tony Rafello along the road near the lake. They will know what to do, hud remember no bungling on this (ob." 1 As tho one-eyed gangster placed the envelope carefully in his pocket and lunk out of that harborage of human i derelicts, It would have bodod 111 for fnls peace of mind could he have seen vt that moment Into the dark cubby hole where that nocturnal old hag, (be Owl, nested during tho daylight ours. In that unsavory retreat stood t motlouloHS figure, with one ear Clipped the Handcuffs Over tho Sec- retary't Wrists. pressed so closely to the cracked door panel that every word spoken In the outer room was plainly audible. Tills daring eavesdropper wore a yellow maak, with tho mouth slit curv ing upward In a fixed, mocking smile, lie now seemed animated by a strong desire to accompany One-Lamp Louie ea that worthy departed on his strange errand Swiftly mounting a shaky lad der on one stdo ot the room, the masked Interloper groped his way up ward through a narrow bulkhead door, opening onto a gloomy alleyway. Racing down this alloy, he reached the street where a black, low-slung limousine stood drawn up at the curb. On the next block a thick-bodied man ,-was hailing a passing taxi. ' "Follow that taxlcab," he cried out to the chauffeur; "don't let It got out -CC sight for a minute." 1 l f N 44 1 I X ,41 Iihiii iialM -a j 4 Authotef "THE OCCA. SIONAL OF FENDER," "THE WIRE TAP PERS," "GUN RUNNERS,"ETC Novelized from THE PAT HE PHOTO PLAY OF THE" SAME NAME The pursuit of that yellow-trimmed taxlcab led through the canyonlike streets ot the lower city onto a squat ferryboat and across the turbid river, threaded the narrow mazes of Jersoy City, and Anally swept out on to the broad highways of the open country. Like a greyhound coursing a clumsy rabbit, the high-powered limousine clung to the lurching taxi, and then as the two dust-enveloped vehicles struck Into the uplands their speed percepti bly slackened. Among these rolling uplands were the stately summer mansions of a millionaire colony which migrated here annually from the swoltering me tropolis. It was In this abiding place of wealth that Enoch Golden had erected a great rambling manor house. The aged banker now stepped out ot one of the French windows open ing on the broad veranda and stood thoughtfully surveying the peaceful landscape glimmering in the June sun light "What is troubling you, Enoch?" his gontle-facod wife inquired tender ly; "do you think we may still be In dangor from that man who already has caused us so much suffering?" - "It Isn't that I fear for myself," Golden replied, fondling the hand that lay In his, "but that human monster seems bent on striking at me through harming Margery, lie is capable of anything, but I hardly believe he will dare remain in this vicinity with both Captain Brackett and Lteutonant KIrby on his track." Even as ho spoke those two redoubt able, if somewhat heavy-featured, po lice offlcors turned In at the graveled driveway. "It's all right, Mr. Golden," called out the red-Jowled police captain as soon as ho got within hailing distance, "not a trace of that bunch ot yeggs. They must have been tipped off I was workin' on the case." "That's flue," called out a sweot girl ish voice from the house, "now father can't refuse to let me have that gallop Major and I are both longing for." "It would bo hard for me to refuse you anything, Margery," responded the affectionate father, "and if Captain Brackett thinks it will be safo, 1 cer tainly don't want to spoil your pleas ure." "Your daughter will be In no dan ger while I'm around," pompously an nounced that officer, "and now the Iron Claw bandit has cleaned out, I'm goin' on a still hunt for that masked gum-shoe artist. That paper your secretary got oft Red Egan loaves lot of bad Jobs that need oxplainin'." A tow minutes later a groom ap proached the veranda leading a spirit ed black horse. Margery leaped into the saddle and the thoroughbred swung into the lake road. She became so absorbed in the liquid-noted duet of two mating song birds that wbon Ma jor suddenly pricked up his ears and shied to one side of the road her equi librium was seriously threatened for the moment. As she regained her pre carious balance and quieted her high Btrung mount Margery discovered the object of his fright was a black, dust coated limousine standing halt con cealed In the thick shrubbery. A mo tionless figure sat In the driver's scat, his visored cap pulled low over his face. Sho urged the skittish animal past tho troublesome black specter and continued down the road, every sense keenly on tho alert for possible dan ger. Presently her horse reared uguin, and this timo more violently, as a hawk-faced chauffeur wearing a greasy duster jumped up from the grassy bunk whore ho had been smok ing his pipe. Near this disreputable figure stood an equally disreputable looking taxlcab with yellow trimmings. With a light touch ot her whip, Mar gery swept past this loering harbinger of evil. A few hundred yards farther on Margery sharply reined in her mount and sat, intently staring into a clump of alder bushes growing close to the lake. In that clump of bushes slio saw tho back of a thlck-sliouldercd man, who, by his Impatient move monts, appeared to be waiting fur someone. As the puzzled girl watched that vaguely familiar llguro, a startling development took pluce. A second per son, whose features were concealed by a derisively smiling mask of yellow fabric, stepped out of the dense foil age and abruptly confronted tho wait ing figure, whom Margery now placed the one of Legar'a scoundrels known as One-Lamp Louie. Apparently tho newcomer was mak ing Bomo urgent demand upon that one-eyed miscreant, a demand which he emphasized by sundry prods with tho muzzle of a heavy blue-metalod revolver. After casting a furtive glance about him, the wily gangster appeared to weakly surrender, for he drow from his Inner coat pocket a sealed envelope, which his maskod opponent hastily seized and ripped open. Evon as ho rapidly scanned tho strip of paper he found In the onvelope, the silent girl on horseback saw creeping through tho bushes two stealthy figures, which were stalking the Laughing MaBk like slinking jungle cats hunting in pairs. The next moment those creeping figures bad avalanched themselves up on him, knocking bis weapon from his hand and bearing him heavily to the ground under their combined weight Fighting with a courage born ot des peration, the Laughing Mask with one supreme effort shook off the clutches of his unwieldy opponents and sprang to his feet, the strip of white paper still gripped in his left hand. One-Lamp Louie, seeing bis oppor- inniiv louoijwi n, at closo range. A stinging pain in his left hand forced him to involuntarily relinquish bis hold on the crumpled bit of paper, and a puff of wind sent it kiting high above his head. The astonished girl, sitting as mo tionless as an equestrian statue, bad barely time to gather her scattered wits, when that disputed scrap ot parchment came gently floating down the breeze. She knew that paper must have somo great Intrinsic value or the Laughing Mask would not have jeop ardized his life for its possession. Wheeling her tender-mouthed horse j In his tracks she struck him a sharp blow with her .iding crop. Smart- ng under this unusual Indignity he lunched out Ike a black thunderbolt toward 'the startled gangsters block ing bis path. Margery swung low like an Indian and scooped up the paper. As Margery swept past the last of her enemies she saw the black limou sine backing out from the shrubbery just ahead of her, and by a herculoan effort succeeded in pulling up barely : in time to avoid a collision with that j mysterious vehicle. Just then the Laughing Mask, with his loft hand hastily bandaged, burst out of the bushes and ran swiftly toward the waiting motor car. He stopped in sud den wonderment as ho saw the serene eyed girl who smilingly extended a frayed and soiled strip of white paper. "I don't know whether this Is your property," she said lightly as be came Placed Their Shoulders toward her, "but I didn't want yon to lose it after that terrible light." He wns suddenly Interrupted by the sound of loud and raucous shouts and the Jerky whlrr.'ng of the taxlcab en gine. "These men are in an ugly mood and will stop at nothing. My man and I can hold them off until you get a start. When you get home give that paper to your father's secretary, it concerns him deeply. Go at onco and ride as hard as you know how." From the depths of a comfortable wicker chair in the spacious living room, Margery narrated tho exciting events of tho last hour to a little cir cle of breathless auditors. Including tho somewhat abashed Captain Brack ett of headquarters. And when slio exhibited that tat tered Blip of paper which Bho had been instructed to deliver to the young secretary, David Manley, the red-faced captain could restrain him self no longer. "I ain't savin' this Laughing Mask ain't brave enough when It comes to a sho-rdown," ho said In uuctuous tones, "but that don't let him off those crimes ho's charged with. I'vo been followin' up a cluo that leads right into this house, Mr. Golden, and It you ain't got any objections I'd like to liavo a talk with that secretary of yours." At that moment the unsuspecting object of this thinly veiled insinuation airily entered the room. Margery ut tered a gasp ot surprise as she saw his left hand bound In a blood-stained handkerchlof. "That left hand of yours looks kind of musstd up." said the police captain, "perhaps you wouldn't mind tellln' us how It got hurt." For the first time Bince Margery had known the frank and boyishly engaging David Manley he appeared constrained and somewhat evaBlve. "Wh I was fooling around In the gunroom and and my automatic ac cidentally went off," he repllod halting ly, and then added quickly as though struck by an Inspiration, "I was clean ing It, you know." Into the dull face of the captain flashed a look of satisfied triumph. He took from his pocket a pair ot hoary, Jangling handcuffs. "That bluff don't work," be replied, "not when we know the Laughing Mask was wounded in the left hand not halt an hour ago." Then he solemnly enunciated-, , "David Man ley, you are under arrest!" With these words he dexterously slipped the handcuffs over the secre- J ry's wrists. I "Bu' this Is preposterous, Captain , Brackett," declared Enoch Golden ! somewhat heatedly. "I would as soon tn,nk of accusing my own daughter of being the LauEhlns Mask as this of being the Laughing Mask as thiB boy, who has stood by me through all my troubles." "I'm sorry, Mr, Golden, but the law must take its course," answered the smug-faced police officer. "I didn't make any move until I was Bure ot what I was doln', though I've had my suspicions ever since I found this here piece of Joolry on your library floor the time the Laughing Mask gave us the- slip. Fishing In a deep sldepocket, he irew out a gold cuff link with the let lore D. M. monogrammed' on its oval face. You'll have to do a lot of explalnln1 , before t through.. ne thundered at ,n a wtMwtv voice, "and Bluce aWt tQ8 Lau hI j Mask m, ut a8 wel, commence by tellln' ub how he happened to drop this sleeve button with your initials on it" "I guesB you'll have to do your duty, captain," came his low-toned deply. "I have no explanation to offer you." . Suddenly .from behind a lace hang ing stepped a familiar figure holding a black automatic in his hand. His features were hidden by a yellow mask, the mouth slit curving into an enigmatic smile. . "The Laughing Mask!" involunta rily burst from the astounded group. "Entirely at your sorvice," came the. mocking rejoinder. Then he cried tersely. "Throw up your hands, all of you. The cuff link which this highly Intelligent officer considers so very im portant was borrowed by me because Against tho Granite Bowlder. I liked the design. I'll trouble you for it now, captain, for I don't want to break the set." He quickly crossed to that silently raging guardian ot the peace and ex tracted the yellow bit of metal from his unwilling fingers. Then with lev eled weapon ho backed slowly to the open window, and, leaping out with an agile spring, vanished from the sight of that little assemblage. Over come with the very audacity of this during Btroke, they stood for a mo ment staring at the open window, then came a hurried stampede out of the house to cut oft the retreat ot the masked fugitive. Davy, remaining behind, for the ob vious reason that be was still securely handcuffed, found fixed upon him the somewhat scornful glance of Margery Golden. "Why have you led me to think you were the brave Laughing Mask all this time?" she demanded, with a ris ing Inflection of anger. "If you must know, Margery." he replied, groping for his words, "It was because I love you and I thought you were learning to love him for his bravery in your defense." "You were quite right In thinking so," answered the blazing-eyed girl; "I do love him and I could never love anyone who could stoop to such de ception as you have." They were Interrupted In the midst of this painful discussion by the re turn of the crestfallen police captain and Davy's much-relieved employer. "We couldn't find the slightest trace ot that impudent masquerader," said the aged banker In response to his secretary's questioning look, "but I don't care so much now that you are absolved from this ridiculous charge." Then, turning to Captain Brackett, he added with pardonable sarcasm, "Isn't it about time you released this des perate criminal?" As Davy stood rubbing his aching wrists, from which the half-heartedly apologetic officer had just removed the constraining handcuffs, his eye fell on that strip of paper Margery had re trieved at such great hazard and which new lay on the table forgotten in the excitement ot the moment "No wonder they put up such a fight for this paper," he cried excited- wm-mnrr- "Throw Up Your ly, "for it Is the key to the hiding place of the Van Horn loot, which Le gar must have cached when we had him on the run. It gives Wrenney'c Oak as a starting place, and here are the directions for pacing oft the dls- .i . ,!,. .v.- i i. - cealed.' -. i n ,. vi..,i. -v-' - ed in his customary dignity, reached out an authoritative band for the paper and studied it intently tor a moment "Anyone could see that," he an swered slightingly, "and we've got to get out to Wrenney's Oak in a hurry it we're goin' to beat the Iron Claw and bis pirates to that sack of loot:" With his usual buoyant spirits de cidedly crushed, David Manloy stood on the broad veranda and watched the little party embark in a racing motorboat, which carried them swift ly over the limpid waters, leaving a long trail of foam In Its wake. For a brief space Davy stared irresolutely out over the lake, then a look of sudden determination flashed Into his face, and a few minutes later he was at the helm of the spoedy "Arrow," skim ming over tho surface of that lake as lightly as a swallow on the wing. He landed a short distance below the deserted craft of his employer and made his way through the moss-carpeted woods toward Wrenney's Oak aB silently as in aboriginal. As he approached that hoary veteran ot the forest, he saw under its wide-flung branches the golden-haired object ot his quest. The giant oak had Implanted Its sturdy roots deep in the soil on the edge of a precipitous ravine, and as Davy's eyes traveled up the steep hill side which abruptly flanked the nar row path skirting this ravine his face suddenly went white with fearsome ap prehension. Peering out of a tangled thicket was the deep-Beared face of Jules Le gar. That face was as repellant in its beastlike ferocity as must have been the hideously painted savages who once roamed these forest glades, bent on murder and destruction. Un conscious ot the presence of this lurk ing foe, the stalwart police captain was solemnly pacing off certain dis tances, guided by a slip of white pa per which he held in his hand. Standing near by and completely absorbed in these awkward maneuvers was the graceful figure ot Margery Golden, her stoop-shouldered father close beside her. A rasping oath from Legar warned Davy that something had gone amiss with that tunptliv'o nlnno I "The cop's stumbled on the right I place by accident." growled the angry voice from behind the bushes; "the1 fool thinks the stuff is in the gTbund -now he's starting to dig right in front of the cave that sews un 1.011m good and tight we'll have to do some thing and do it quick." "If you want to put the kibosh on that bunch buttin' Into our business, I know how to do it" said Frank. "That big rock we seen up the hill don't need much of a shove to send it goin' down like thunder let loose, an' it's headed just about right to smash that whole outfit oft the ledge Into the gully." Davy saw the two rapidly moving figures climbing up toward a massive bowlder which by one of those odd whims of nature hung bo lightly poised on the hillside that the hand of a child might have set It vibrating on its precarious balance. He saw Le gar and Dutch Frank place their shoul ders against that granite bowlder. Tfiw Irnow thflt In a fan, oaitnnAtt vW " auwuun that revolving bulk of solid granite would acaulre a velocltv which wnniH would acquire a velocity which would send It tearing past htm like a shot out of a gun. He raced down the hillside add put his laBt ounce of strength into a flying leap which landed him close to Margery Golden and her star tled companions. He dived against the wondering-eyed girl as a groggy football player might weakly hurl himself against the op posing line, and the sheer Impact ot his weight sent them both sprawling several yards up the trail which bor dered the ravine. Even as Enoch Golden and Captain Brackett rushed to lay hands on Margery's supposed assailant the flying mass of rock thun dered across the space where they all had been standing but the second be fore, and sweeping every obstacle out ot Its path, went crashing and rever berating into the depths of the yawn ing chasm far below. It was the hardy polio officer, ln- Hands, All of Youl ured to the shock and tumult of con ulct by the experience of many years, who first recovered his self-possession and noted a one-eyed man stealthily making his way out of a deep ana cavernous Assure in some nearby : ... o1,,j ,,, iiii. i oua-faced prowler bore a burlap Back , clanking sound at . mi" g?,: . fo K , ,in. 1.GIL UIO TT OJ ovvj; tJ j m the rough trail. The captain made up in valor what he lacked in discretion, and, tugging out his heavy service revolver, he rushed after that skulking gangster, loudly calling on him to surrender in the name ot the law. But One-Lamp Louie had no apparent intention ot surrendering either himself or the coveted bag ot loot to that wrathful guardian of public morals. Instead, he coolly dropped to one knee and lived up to his reputation of being the handiest gunman in Legar's hard shooting gang by sending a bullet neat ly drilled through the police captain' shoulder. But be did not know as he dodged his way among the shadowy tree trunks that a youthful figure armed with a heavy police revolver, a resolute-faced ,girl and an elderly white haired man were rapidly closing In on him. As he broke from cover and started up the railroad embankment he ripped out a hasty oath as he saw his pursuers emerging from the woods a short distance below him. At the same moment they saw that sinister figure with the burlap sack and came toward him on the run. One-Lamp Louie Instantly reached the conclusion that it was safer to run than to fight, and he pounded up the ties with rapid strides. Fifty yards up the track the gang ster saw a battered old switching en gine standing by a dripping water tank. He leaped aboard and opened the throttle. As the self-constituted posse came to a baffled stop close by the water tank they saw an evilly grinning fig ure leaning out from the cab of the fast receding engine, a figure whose hand waved a mocking signal ot fare well in true railroad style. A few feet distant from the water tank was a small, boxlike shanty con taining the levers manipulating va rious switches. In front of this shanty stood a distraught engineer, volubly cursing the bold depredator who had robbed him of his iron charge. Sud denly a new look of consternation flr.shed into his eyes and he turned In a frenzy of excitement to his grimy faced assistant. . Weye,fot l th,rw mf' "J?"' P""'! he 8houted as h f'ved into the boxlike structure. "The ver'and dueanir 8e;Pnd' Thea Cra8,h t0Bether head on' 1 Ainios. as ne spoKe me last words he jammed over one of the shining levers with all his strength. At that moment came a long-drawn screech ing whistle, accompanied by the grind ing sound of hastily applied airbrakes. Down the level stretch of track the onlookers, gripped In an agony of sus pense, saw the heavy Overland ex press rushing at top speed straight for the lumbering freight engine. The In tervening space between those speed ing Iron-clad monsters lessened with every second. With Bet faces the little group by the water tank steeled themselves for that seemingly Inevitable crash of col lision. But at that crucial Instant the outlaw engine swerved with incredi ble swiftness and shot off into th long siding, just as the express thun- ' Hprnrl nonl n.itt. .1 , . dered past with ita dozen coaches of i . - . ' uuulanN"oigni. I '-,llte a crazy S crazy Malay runnine amuck the engine, with the desperado at ita throttle, tore down the siding toward a startled group of laborers who had been ripping out a defective rail. Amid a babble of warning shouts the engine struck that deadly gap, and bereft of its steel guideB, plowed wildly for a short distance along the ties, and then, enveloped in a swirling cloud of steam, plunged headlong over the steep em bankment Under that shapeless mass of twisted metal which had once been a staid old switching engine the white faced pursuers of One-Lamp Louie found the cruBhed and lifeless form of tho unregenerate gunmau huddled across a burlap sack of stolen plate. With a gesture ot distress Margery Golden turned away from that repul sive, death-stilled figure. "Please take me home," she said wearily to her father, who was stand ing near by. (TO BE CONTINUED.)