The Black Mask — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

12 The Man in the Black Mask es too much of it. Was it being ‘‘planted” in order to confuse me? Or, as I was rapidly beginning to believe, were more people—and people of prominence—in-_ volved than appeared on the surface? My brain whirling, I started off in the direction of the house, intending to place my suspicions squarely before ‘Grimes and find out, before going any farther into the case, just what he knew and what he suspected—for I was growing of the opinion that he suspect- ed something strongly against some one when he took sides squarely against his - directors, even to the extent of paying all bills himself. I had proceeded scarcely a hundred yards when a‘ peculiar threshing about in a thicket of coarse swamp grass at- tracted my attention. Drawing my revolver as a matter of precaution—for my previous experience had taught me a lesson—lI crept for- ward until I could almost touch the con- fused tangle with my hand. A crumpled heap of blue lay face downward. I sprang forward and bent over the naan, It was Backus. “Chief !2 IT cried. A groan answered me. As easily as I could I turned the big policeman over and, tearing open his coat and shirt, found a tiny, black hole through the chest close to the heart from which the crimson was slowly gushing. He was dying. That I could see at half a glance. “Who shot you?” I demanded. Backus opened his eyes weakly. He attempted to raise his arm as if to point, The effort caused a paroxysm of coughing. Yet, game to the last, he tried to tell me his story. “Got—idea,” he muttered. “‘Followed ee ne! ‘Man in—Black—Mask’ —it was— His voice ended in a ouee and he CHAPTER VII “STICK ap your hands—and do it — quick!” I turned quickly—my hands moving heavenward—to gaze into the muzzle of a vicious-looking automatic in the — hands of a dapper—almost dainty—little man attired in overalls, his face covered entirely by a mask of dark gauze. Through two slits his eyes. gleamed nee A large felt hat covered his head; beneath it peeped a fringe of light- brown hair, Plainly the entire 2 fakeun was a disguise. Before I had time to make more dha a cursory survey, however, the masked man spoke again. “There is a revolver in your right hip pocket. I saw you put it there when you bent over Backus. Turn your back to me, keep your left hand in the air and remove the gun with your right. Move lively.” I did as ordered. “Now throw the gun into the creek. Quick !” With a light splash the weapon struck the water a dozen paces away. : “Now turn to your left and go ahead —and keep your hands up!” A walk of possibly a hundred yards brought us to the edge of the swamp. In response to my captor’s. curt com- mand I again swung to the left, and, a moment later, found myself staring into the mouth of a cave, the opening being, however, but little larger than an ordi- nary door. I passed through the gloomy entrance into the darkened interior, my — captor following close behind. There was a sharp click and a huge stone slid almost noiselessly across the opening, closing it completely. It was as neat a piece of cantsuluse as I have ever gazed upon—and I viewed the work of the best artists in the world, overseas. In fact, so cleverly was the hillside disguised that one might EH oman vst £ ns ft Witch erie ti) 2 AAS te