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About La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 1917)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1917. JIH GRANDE EVENING OBSERVER. PAGE THRE1 MI SYNOPSIS.. On Windward Inland Palidorl Intrigues Mrs. Golden in:o an appearance of evil which causes Galden to rupture and tor ture the Italian by branding hfs face and crushing his hund. Palldorl floods the Is land and kidnaps Gulden's little daughter Margery. Twelve years later in New York a Masked One reacues Margery from Le gar and takei; her to her father's home. Lesar sndp Golden demand for the chart. The cji'ctted char. Is lost In a fight between Manky and one of Ix'gar's .frenchmen, but Is recovered by the Laugh ing Musk. Margery retu-ues the Laughing Mask from he police. He saves her from Maukt's poisoned arrows. Mitrgery Is Jiuved from death at the hands of the Iron Claw by the laughing Mask. An attempt by the Iron Claw to blow up the O'Mara cottage is frustrated In the nick of time. The Luughtng Mask discloses his Identity to Margery. Margery over hears the police's plan to take the Laugh ing Mask prisoner and hastens to warn tiJm. il$ eludes capture; Margery's father tells her that the Mask has met death. A mysterious woman frightens Legar's tienchtnan into a promise of confession to clear the laughing Mask, She meets Mar- ftery t,mt dint-loses herself to that young ady as David Manley. Iegar and his gang pet possession of some loot and es cape, t.ikhur Margery with them. The Laughing Maik adds to hts niysttrlons ness by once more saving her from death. Margery rescues the chart of the Van Horn loot. The police attempt to firrest David as the Laughing Mafk. The Mask appears on the scene. David caves Margery and her friends from Legar's henchmen, one of whom loses his life try ing to escape. The police captain teaches Margery the heliograph. In an effort to save David she Is almost trapped by Io gar. The Laughing Musk comes to her aid. The code saves them. David dis covers a diagram which Is the means of averting the deaths of the Goldcns and their guests at a lawn banquet. Hrnckott's man reports that while searching for the Laughing Mask, that Individual tips hhn to a robhery by Legar's men; and they are captured. Jtruekett lays a trap for the Laughing Mask, but Legar catches the captain and his party. They are saved from destruction onlv by the work of the Mask. The Mask asks Margery's further trust. NINETEENTH EPISODE The Cave of Despair. j Mnygcr Golden was naturally of n hupny disposition. Vet ns she sat in j the Juno fragrance of the color- i spltuii'd rose mini nud let h r j thoiitr'.ils dwell on the recent events j which had so rudely shuttered her I many cherished ideals, the pensive- I eyed girl could not repress u Ions- j drawn sigh which betrayed only too i clearly her distress of mind. From a I Iirnnch overhead n liquid-noted robin poured his melody of spring ami glad ness Into (he unheeding ears of the silent and preoccupied figure on the rustic bench. Suddenly the feathered songster sensed his joyous carol ns Margery heunl the sound of approaching stops on the graveled walk. The newcomer stood looking wistfully down at the sweet-faced girl whose golden hair glinted in the shaft of sunlight Alter- lug through the soft spring foliage, i She met bis look, with one of ' Mir-1 prised Inquiry. "I hardly expected to see you here, Davy, after all that has happened." she said in tones of gentle reproof. "I had to come, Margery," he an swered quietly, "I couldn't stay away from you any longer. Won't you be lieve that I nm truly sorry for what 1 have done and try to forgive me?" The nllent robin, which had been i regarding this masculine Intruder Into lis peaceful domain with some uncertainty, now tool; wing in a sud den flutter of apprehension. For at t' '' He Slowly Raised the Yellow Visor. that moment a henvy-fentured Indi vidual had crept up hack of the tree with un alarming atealthlness of manner. Unconscious of the pres ence of the hidden eavesdropper, the sad-eyed girl, nfter a little hesitation, answered the Impassioned plea of Da vid Manley. "I do forgive you." she said In i voice tremulous with emotion, and then, ns she saw a hopeful light flash Into the eyes of her penitent com panion, she added In a firmer tone, "hut you must not expect too much of me nt first, Davy. You have hurt me deeply and It Is best that you stay away until the wound Is quite healed." "That shall be as you nay," he re plied tenderly, "for you have given 4? "ii; . at. ..w,. - v 1 j I "THE OCCA. SIONAL OF- I FENDER," THE WIRE TAP PER&" "GUN ; RUNNERS'ETC; NoodiieJfrom THE PATHE PHOTO PLAY ' OF THE SAME NAME ClMi,' kAfHWRIMIk me hope that some dny you will let me come hack to you." Then he slowly took from his pocket a folded squure of note paper. "I had almost forgotten to give this to you," he said, extending the paper to the wondering girl. "I found It fastened on the thorn bush near the great bowlder on Seven Cluks hill. It is addressed to you and I think It must be from the Laughing Mask, for he has been seen around there u number of times." . As Murgery hastily glanced at the penciled note she saw that Dnvy was right in his conjecture, and he re gained much that he had lost In her affections us she realized what a struggle It must have cost him to act as message bearer for his masked rival. "I'll trouble you to hand over that letter, Miss Golden," demanded Cap tain llrackett in authoritative tones us he stepped from his place of con cealment. "I've had my doubts ubout your wantlu' to land that ' masked criminal in the cell where he belongs ever since you steered us wrong the time he made Ills last getaway, an' perhaps this little dockyment will help throw some light on the subject." His beefy pi;w suddenly shot out and firmly clutched her slender wrist. Hut the resisting girl found a timely ally in the person of David Manley, who perceived that for reasons of her own Margery did not wish to surren der the note, and, with n quick move ment snatched that object of conten tion from her lingers and stuffed it In his pocket. ' The belligerent captain, now ad vanced threateningly upon the new factor of this unexpected I'cslstanco to the majesty of the law. "Come across with thai paper, youiig man," he bellowed furiously, "or I'll show you what it means to Interfere with an ollicer perforuiln' his duty." Then as the calm-faced Davy ex hibited no Indications of complying with this ..euiand, the Iriite.pollceiuun attempted lo decide the issue by physi cal force. Bnuglily throwing pin ioning ana about the defiant Mauley, be made a vigorous effort to extract the much-coveted paper from his pris oner's .pocket. As the struggling figures thrashed and trumped over the orderly flower bods, Enoch Golden and two of Cap tain Bruckett's men, who had. hoard file sounds of the unequal combat, ranie hurrying upon the scene. The sight of liiese enemy re-enforcements acted upon the nearly ex hausted Davy like a rowelled spur uion the flanks of a Jaded horse. With a supreme efforl, he wrenched loose from the grasp of Ills heavy handed captor and darted across the stretch of velvet lawn toward the spacious countryhouse. with the de termined oflicers close at his heels. Up the steps and through the open door he scurried, and, gaining (lie gunroom at the end of the hall, slammed and bolted the heavy door of that sanctuary In the very face of ills pursuers. "Don't lie foolish, Davy," called out Golden sharply, "you are making a grave mistake in resisting the law and you will have to suffer the consequen ces unless you open tills door Imme diately." As though In compliance with this stern warning, the key grilled in the lock and the door swung slowly inward. With u quick rush the be sieging "forces catapulted into the gunroom, only to find It apparently empty. Then, with a gasp of amazed consternation they beheld 11 figure which silently emerged from Ihe space between the swung-baok door and the wall. For that figure wore an enshrouding mask of yellow cambric and gripped in one hand a heavy caliber revolver, which wa vered in disconcerting fashion over that stunted group. "I think Dnvy must be well beyond recall by this time." he said as he slowly backed toward tin door, "and I will now leave you to your own de vices." As he spoke the last word he stepped into the hallway, and with almost simultaneous movements pulled the door shut after him and locked it from the outside. Then came a clamor of wrathful voices as the caged detectives, smarting under the Indignities to which they hud been subjected, hurled themselves In un availing fury against that sout ob struction which barred their pursuit of the boldly Impudent masker. But with fhe exception of a falr halred girl waiting anxiously In the rose garden there was no one in sight about the well-kept grounds. As In response to her engvr Inquiries, her father told her of their humiliat ing encounter with the masked inter loper, who had miraculously taken the place of the harried Manley, Mar gery became conscious of the openly suspicious gaze of the russet-faced po lice captain. "I don't know what your motive Is, Miss Golden," he said resentfully, "but for some reason you have tried all along to discredit my theory about Manley and the Laughing Mask being the game person. What has Just happened proves I am right, for no two people could have changed places between the time we chased Manley into the gunroom and that masked criminal opeued the door. No one came out of that win dow and you know It as well as I do." For a moment the puzzled girt took rapid counsel with herself, "I am afruld I shall have to dls- credit your theory again. Captain llrackett," she said in unequlvocnt Ing tones, "for David Manley did come through that window and I saw him with my own eyes." - s For a moment the heavy-featured police officer stared nt her in appar ent disbelief, but Margery felt sho had twisted the truth In a good cause, and presently he turned from her clear, level gaze with the attitude of a man who has completely lost his bearings. After lunch she slipped away from the group sitting on the broad verandu, discussing ways and means for the Im mediate capture of the Laughing Mask, und taking a shortcut across the fields, soon came in Bight of the old gray farmhouse. Off to one side of the weather beaten dwelling Bhe snw Davy com fortably sprawled In a fringed hum mock slung between two gnarled apple trees. Suddenly he sprang out of the hammock nnd, after an Irresolute glance toward the house, set off nt an easy pace down the road In the direc tion of Seven Oaks hill. Under the deserted hammock Margery saw ,a folded square of paper, which sho con cluded was the note Davy hud so nar rowly saved from the ruthless clutches of Cuptaln llrackett earlier in the day. But Jiistead of the penciled Jlnes of tile Laughing Mask she saw a rough diagram of a great bowlder with- n star bisecting Its base-line. Under this star were the words: "I'ress at this point until opening uppenrs." The significance of the puzzling sketch suddenly flashed info the mind of the CjUiok-witted girl. Sho knew that ut one time extensive coal mining opera tions had been carried on nt Seven daks hill. In these forgotten catacombs, an entrance had apparently been erfocled by the construction of a secret door at the foot of the lone bowlder on tlie-hilUup. This would account for the sudden disappearance of David XT"? XfJv fit -J The Capture Muney behind that solitary rock on a previous occasion, ami the equally sudden emergence of the Laughing Mask a moment Inter. Willi a feel ing that at last she had stumbled upon a tangible clue, Margery sped rapidly across tile meadows in ihe hope of reaching the undermined hill before Davy should arrive by the more circuitous route of the highway. To her relief, the, coast was still clear when she reached her destina tion, but when she had toiled half j way up the sleep slope the unsuspect ing on.ieor or ncr espionage cnine ia loi tering leisurely along the shaded road. ; Margery darted Into u near-by laurel thicket and from this opportune covert kept an intent watch on the move- . merits of the young num. who was now picking his way along the crest of the ridge. As he nonrod the Isolated . bowlder he stopped, nnd then; uppnr ently satisfied he was free from ob servation, disappeared behind that great sphere of stone. A moment later, ns the breathlessly waiting girl half expected, there Issued from be hind flint rocky screen a figure chid , In ihe familiar habiliments of the Luughlng Mask. ' But nt that Instant another person emerged from behind the bowlder and descended the hillside within a few yards of the thicket where the wide eyed girl crouched In utter bewilder ment. For the newcomer was none other than David Manley himself nnd the solution of that baffling mystery i seemed further oft thun ever. j At Bay. The sadly perplexed girl stepped out ! from her place of concealment and stood watching the fust disappearing : figure of David Manley. To her fur ther amazement, he seemed to be headed directly for the Wllkens' es tate. What did it all mean? Deeply occupied with these distressing thoughts, Margery was oblivious lo the stealthy approach of four sitiister fig- urea worming their way down the slope toward her. She would have been taken entirely off her guard had not the heavy-footed gangster known as Dutch Frunk clumsily loosed a heavy stone, which went bounding and crashing down tho steep Incline past the startled girl. "Spread out, and be qulck about Itl" Legar commanded sharply. "Tony, cut her off from tho house; stay whero you nre, Dutch, In case she doubles back; Mack, you watch the road; I'll get tho girl myself." Then, out of her desperation was born a plan, uncertain and hazard ous In Its nature, but worth attempt ing ns a last resort. Gathering all her strength for a final effort, she headed directly for tho lono bowlder standing on the rldge-top some twenty yards above her. Sho cov ered tho Intervening distance with a frenzied burst of speed nnd threw herself, panting convulsively, at tho base of the massive rock. Then her bruised fingers came In contact with a slight projection, on which she saw painted the fnlnt out line of a red star, She instantly pressed with all her strength against this projection and, with a sharp click of releasing boltst a slab of wood so closely resembling the rock as to defy detection suddenly dropped In Its grooved guides, leaving a narrow aper ture In the face of the bowlder. Even as Legar, his cruel face aflame with evil passion, rushed upon the defenseless girl, she slipped through the strange opening, and as she stumbled onto a rude wooden platform some Ingenious mechanism sent the heavy panel shooting Into place behind her. . Beneath the platform on which sho was standing the gloom was broken by flickering tallow dips fixed against the wall, and Margery saw, ns sho ex pected, the labyrintliian galleries of the long-deserted coal mine. Then us she discovered a ladder which led down Into the wavering shadows tho heavy barrier suddenly dropped and silhouetted against the outer light she saw the leering face of Legar. As he cnine twisting through the narrow passage the harried girl sprang for the ladder and groping her way downward found herself In u sloping tunnel from which opened a series of exhausted coal pockets. Margery could now hear rough voices and the sliuiiiiug of feet on thu platform above her head. After a of Legar. moment's hesllntlno she darted Into one of the shadowy chambers, hoping to find some place of concealment fit Its dark recesses. But she was sud denly threatened by new and unex pected dangers, for In Ihe center of that vaultlike room- her hurrying feet suddenly slipped from under her, and with a startled outcry sho plunged through a bidden trapdoor, which sprang back Uito place when relieved of her weight. When the badly shaken girl sat up on the uneven stone Mooring where she bad landed with considerable force, she realized she had fallen into another of those spectrally lighted chambers on a lower level of the abandoned mine. B-it there was tills dinVrencc the iuuiii.v cave In which she now found herself h:id no outlet. Against one side of that toinhllko chamber the miners had left an as cending series of rocky ledges uixui which they must have stood to reach the higher coal deposits, but -this rough stairway offered no hope of escape lo the upprehenslve girl. Then, with a faint flash of light, the trapdoor swung open, and she heard a srurtled oath, followed by the thud of n heavy body as it struck the rocky llom'Ing. A long silence followed nnd fhe alarmed girl real ized that her unseen enemy must be lying unconscious whero he had fallen. She did not know that the sudden and mysterious disappearance of Black Tony had proved too much for even the Iron nerve of those crlmo hnrdened gunmen. "Tony must have fallen down an old shaft, but that's no reason for your throwing a fit," Legar said in a voice that was a trllle unsteady, "maybe the girl's down there, too. Get one of those lights off the wall nnd we'll take a look at that man trap." ' Spurred on by a curse from his grim-faced louder, the heavy-set gangster called Mack advanced slowly and with some trepidation to- 1 ward a tallow dip sputtering In a bracket fixed against the Inky black wall. As he fumbled at that bracket with thick und clumsy lingers, a fearful and gruesome thing hap pen Ml. Suspended high over his head and concealed with the wall bracket by a slender wire, Invisible in the semldarkness, was a massive Iron crowbar, Its beveled edge sharpened to a razorlike fineness. Tho course fingers brushing against an ingenious trigger had Instantly released that deadly weapon hanging In midair. It dropped straight down like a plum met nnd catching tho unsuspecting gunman squarely on the head, spilt liis skuil like an eggshell. But the supernatural horrors those subterranean vaults were stir, to be exhausted. For a moniei.i Dutch Frank, the blond gangster, stared in white-faced consternation at that ghastly figure stretched be fore him. Then, with a sudden bleat of terror, he turned from the ap palling sight und lied blindly along tho dusky tunnel toward fhe ladder lead ing to the upper world. In his mud rush to escape from those lll-oincned vaults of death he blundered heavily against an old and decuylug mine prop. The nge-rotted timber crumbled like paper under the forceful blow from the shoulder of the racing blond giant, and witli the suddenness of a cloud burst, a great section of deep-fissured rock, which roofed the tunnel, fell wllh a sullen ronr onto the struggling gangster, crushing out his life and blocking up the passage. As the mut tering echoes aroused by that land slide slowly subsided, Legar realized that the hand of death had robbed him of the last of his evil followers, and his savage courage entirely forsook him. Obsessed with n mad desire to escape from the encompassing shad ows, lie fiv.nllcnlly tore at the rocks which now checked his egress. It was with new misgivings that the girl crouching in the styglan gloom of the wulledin crypt on the lower level of the abandoned mine, heard the muflled roar uccoinpanyliig the cas cade of rocks Into fhe tunnel. Her enemy lying under the trnp-door where he had fallen now gave unmistakable ! signs of returning consciousness. j But these appalling conjectures were suddenly banished by a danger which threatened dire and immediate results. Her enemy lying under the trapdoor where lie had fallen now gave unmis takable signs of reluming conscious ness. 1'rcsently he would commence fo ex plore his surroundings, and the girl, separated by only u few feet oi en shrouding darkness from lln- merci less crlmlnaW fe'.t her blood turn cold at the thought of those groping fin gers which would eventually find her. But ux'she wnlted, scarcely daring to breathe for fear of bel raying her pres ence, she heard a low exclamation of satisfaction come from the Italian gun man, and even while sho wondered what It could moan, a small shaft of light suddenly pierced the ebony black ness. That exclamation from her enemy meant he had found Ids pocket flash light unbroken, anil now a llttlo circle of light traveled over the jutting walls, slowly approaching the spot whero Margery Golden crouched, waiting her Inevitable discovery wllh all the cour age she could muster. Nearer, and yet nearer, came that betraying beam of light. Suddenly It rested full on the white face of the girl, while from the Hps of Black Tony came a startled oath of wonder. Then the light was quickly extln- j guislied. and Margery hoard the soft pad of stealthily approaching foot- fulls. Into her distraught mind came j the memory of those shellllke ridges j she hail seen nt the farther end of . the chamber, and, feeling her way j along the damp wall, she stole rapidly ! toward them. Even us she stumbled j against the lowest of those stone pro- j Jcctlons, she heard fhe sudden spring i of the gangster, followed by ids cry of baltlod fury us he clawed at the empty air where lie bad lust seen her. Then cnine a little click to her ears, and again that circle of light com menced its exploration. It suddenly glared into her eyes, and the shadowy form behind It came rapidly under tho ledge. ! With drawn brenth nnd tunmltnous ly beating heart, she waited, walled until she saw the bullet-shaped hcid ' of the gangster Just beneafli her. Then with a mighty effort she llfled a , heavy lump of coal, and with all tier I strength sent It crashing onto the hair ! matted skull of Ihe Italian. She now had nothing but her bare ; hands with which to repel that gang ster, more dangerous and vicious than ) a mud dog. As she lay flat on the nar- ( row ledge momentarily expecting a , fresh onslaught, slm knew there was but one possible chance for her salva tion. If her masked protector should by any chance return to this under ground Inbyrlntli, which he had appar ently utilized as a terribly guurded billing place, she might yet escape that knife blade. But the chance was even more re mote than the despairing girl could realize, for at that moment, while she was Intently listening for the soft step of Black Tony, the Laughing Mask was seated In a fragrant gnrden talking In nn earnest manner to the pretty Dor othy Wllkens, close beside him. Then as he impulsively linnod over nnd kissed her they beard the rapidly ap proaching sounds of a hard-driven motor. Then that car, in which were seated Captain Jirackett and two of his de tectives, came into view and, with Ihe whine of hastily applied brakes, stopped a short distance down the ioaC At sight of these Implacable enemlw the Laughing Mask, with u word of la surance to Ids companion, slipped qui etly through tie. hedge mid run light ly toward the highway, down whlck the detectives were nl ready coming. But the meaning of this surprising maneuver was apparent In another mo ment, for mingled with the startled shouts of the officers came the rapid explosions from u motorcycle, whlcJj now darted away with its masked rider bending low over the handle bars. Wllh a quick crash of gears tha au tomobile started In hot pursuit. When the Laughing Mask had estab lished a fairly wide margin of safety ho slowed down and, leaping from th saddle, ran with quirk strides over 2 ay Air HA vji.'.jt?r,Tr,v Even as the Knife Was Raised to Strike,-the Miracle Happened. Iha fields toward Seven Oaks hill, looming across the valley. A few mo ments later the stalwart police cap tain and his two men cuuie pounding over the same course, but at a some what slower and heavier gait. Far down In those burled chambers under Hie bill, for which those striving figures were headed, n wolfish-faced mall desperately clawed at the pile of rock nnd debris choking the tunnel. Suddenly with an eellike movement hi! wriggled through the narrow pas sago he bad elTected, and staggered like a drunken man toward the ladder, ills scar-ravaged face livid with dread apprehension. He made bin way through the -opening anil stood confusedly blinking In the bright Hood of sunlight. Thu next moment u running figure bore down upon tin; outlaw from the oilier side of the rock. There was a sudden lln pact of colliding bodies and dules Le gar nud. tin Latighjng Mask stood 111 dazed uncertainly, slating Into each of her's eyes. By warily evading the menace of Unit terrible claw of Iron, the masked mystery, Willi a sudden trick of Jap. anesc origin, sent ids heavier oppo nent toppling over backward. Then, before Legar could regain Ills balance, Ihe Laughing Mask slipped through that still open passage Into the bowl der, the panel closing sharply us ha stepped on the platform. The next In stant Legar found himself face to face with Oiplaln Bracket t and I ho two de tectives, who had been hot on the trail of the Laughing Musk. Before Legar could draw his gun those three heavy nud resolute officers avalanched themselves upon him, bury ing 111 m under their combined weight as be crashed to the ground. , To Mangery Golden, still lying on that narrow rocky ledge, expecting every moment an nllack from out of Ihe dark, the passing time had seemed like a fearful elernlty. She had heunl Black Tony creeping about below her In an apparently futile search for Ills flashlight. Then came n low cry of triumph nnd a thin streak of light wavered upon her. She saw the sinister, leering faco of the swarthy Italian as lie canto steadily nearer. She shrank hack ugnlnsf the rough wall as a long, ta pering knife, clutched In sinewy fin gers, came reaching toward her. It scented certain that nothing short of a miracle could save her. But even as Hie knife was raised to strike, tha miracle happened. The apparently solid wall behind her suddenly gave way and Margery felt herself quickly pulled through an open ing by strong, tender arms. She was vaguely (onsclous of being borne up n ladder and presently a gentle breeze fanned her cheek. When the fresh air had revived her and she became nc cusiouicd to daylight, she saw the Laughing Mask bending over her. "I had a feeling up'to the very last Hint you would save me," she mur mured gratefully. "It was lucky I kiuw about the old ventilating shaft connecting all the galleries in the mine," he modestly re plied ; "It will be quite safe f((r you to go home now, for I happen to know that Legar himself Is captured and his men have nil met the final punishment they so richly deserved." But Margery fixed a pleading look upon her masked savior. "Can't you see how I nm tortured by this terrible uncertainty." she said III supplicating tones, "If you really love me, you will tell me who you are." For a moment the Laughing Mask hesitated, then he slowly raised tho yellow visor which so long had pre served the secret of his Identity. Transfixed with wonder. Margery stood ga.lug upon the face of her companion. A little cry broke from her Hps, a cry that might have signi fied either Joy or sorrow. (TO BE CONCLUDED.) .
