HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1926
PAGE THREE
C77e
A Sequel to Bulldog Drummond.
C0PVR16HT BY
B. DOEAN CO.
8YNOPS1S
CHAPTER I. To a iratherlnir of anar
chists in Harking, London suburb, ZaboMf,
foreign agitator, tells of the operations of
a body of men who have become a menace
to their activities. He is interrupted by
the men he is describing (the Black Gang),
who break up the meeting, sentencing some
of the participants to condign punishment
and carrying away others. A memorandum
found on ZaboletT gives an address in Hox
ton, London, which the leader of the at
tacking party considers of importance.
CHAPTEK II
In Which Scotland Yard Sits Up and
Takes Notice.
SIR BRYAN JOHNSTONE, director
of criminal investigation, leaned
back in his chair and Ktared at
the ceiling with a frown. His hands
were thrust deep into his trousers
pockots; his long legs were stretched
out to their full extent under the big
roll-top desk in front of him. He
was puzzled, and the report lying on
the desk in front of him was the rea
son. For perhaps ten minutes he re
mained motionless, then he leaned
forward and touched an electric bell.
A girl secretary came quickly into the
room.
"Miss Forbes," said Sir Bryan, "I
wish you would find out if Chief In
spector Mclver is in the building. If
so I would like to sec him at once;
if not, see that he gets the message
as soon as he comes in."
The door closed behind the girl,
and after a moment or two the man
rose from his desk and began to pnee
up and down the room with long, even
strides. Every now and then he would
stop and atare at some print on the
wall, but it was the blank stare of a
man whose mind is engrossed in oth
er matters.
His eyes came round to the desk
once more, the desk on which the re
port was lying. It was Inspector Mc
Iver's report hence his instructions
to the secretnry. It was the report
on a very singular matter which had
taken place the previous night, and
after a while Sir Bryan picked up the
typed sheets and gianced through
them again. And he was still stand
ing by the desk, idly turning over the
pages when the secretary came into
the room.
"Chief Inspector Mclver is here,
Sir Bryan," she announced.
"Tell him to come in, M,iss Forbes."
A square-jawed, rugged Scotsman,
Mclver looked the typo to whom Holy
Writ was Holy Writ only in so far
as it could be proved. He was short
and thick-set, and his physical
strength was proverbial.
"What the dickens is all this about,
Mclver?" said Sir Bryan with a smile,
when the door had shut behind the
secretary.
"I wish I knew myself, 3ir," re
turned the other seriously. "I've
never been so completely defeated in
my life."
Sir Bryan waved him to a chair and
sat down at the desk.
"I've read your report," he said,
still smiling, "and frankly, Mclver,
if it had been anyone but you, I
should have been annoyed. But I
know you far too well for that. Look
here" he pushed a box of cigarettes
across the table, "take a cigarette and
let's hear about it."
"Well, sir," began Mclver, "this is
briefly what took place. At ten o'
clock last night. as we had arranged,
we completely surrounded the sus
pected house on the outskirts of Hac
king. I had had a couple of good men
on duty there lying concealed the
whole day, and when I jirrived at
about nine-thirty with Sergeant An
drews and half-a-dozen others, they
reported to me that at least eight
men were inside, and thnt ZubolefT
was one of them. Ho had been shad
owed the whole way down from Lime
house with another man, and both
the watchers were positive that he
had not left tho house. So I posted
my men and crept formard to investi
gate myself. There was a little chink
in the wooden shutters of one of the
downstairs rooms through which tho
light was streaming. I took a glimpse
through, and found that everything
was just as had been reported to me.
There were eight of . thorn thorn, ami
an unpleasnnt looking bunch they
were, too, Zaboleff I saw at the head
of the table, and standing next to him
was that man Waldock who runs two
or three of the worst Rod papers.
There was also Flash Jim, and I be
gan to wish I'd brought a few more
men."
Mclver smiled ruefully. "It was
about the last coherent wish I re
member. And," he went on seriously,
"whnt I'm going to tell you now, sir,
may Boem extraordinary and what one
would expect in detective fiction, but
as sure as I am sitting in this chair,
It is what actunlly took place. Some
where from close to, thero came the
sound of an owl hooting. At tho
same moment I distinctly heard the
noise of what seemed u scuffle, and
stifled curse. And then, and this is
what beats mo, sir." Mclver pounded
a Tiuee fist into an equally huge palm
"I was picked up from behind as if
I was a baby. Yes, sir, a baby.
Involuntarily Sir Bryan smiled
"You make a good substantial in
fant, Mclver."
"Exactly, Bir," grunted tho Inspec
tor. "If a man had suggested Buch
gang
BY CYRIL McNEILE
a thing to me yesterday, I'd have
laughed in his face. But the fact
remains lhat I was picked up just
like a child in arms, and doped, sir,
doped. Me at my time of life. They
chloroformed me, and that was the
last I saw of Zaboleff or the rest of
the gang."
The inspector leaned forward and
stared at his chief.
"You've heard the rumors, sir," he
went on after a moment, "the same
as I have."
"Perhaps," said Sir Bryan quietly.
"But go on, Mclver. I'd like to hear
what's op your mind."
"H'b the Black Gang, sirr" said the
inspector, leaning forward impress
ively. "There have been rumors going
round, rumors which our men have
heard here and there for the past two
months, I've heard 'em myself; and
once or twice I've wondered. Nov
I'm sure especially after what Flash
Jim said. That gang is no rumor,
it's solid fact."
"Have you any information as to
what their activities have been, as
suming for a moment it is the truth?"
asked Sir Bryan.
"None for certain, sir; until this
moment I wasn't certain of its exist
ence. But now looking back there
have been quite a numbr of sudden
disappearances. We haven't troubled
officially, we haven't been asked to.
Hardly likely when one realizes who
the people are who have disappeared."
"Ail conjecture, Mclver," said Sir
Bryan. ."They may be lying doggo, or
they'll turn up elsewhere."
"They may be, sir," answered Mc
lver doggedly. "But take the com
plete disappearance of Granger a
fortnight ago. He's one of the worst
of the Red men, and we know he
hasn't left the country. Where is
he? His wife, I happen to know, is
crazy with anxiety, so it doesn't look
like a put-up job. Take that extra
ordinary case of the Pole who was
found lashed to the railings in White
hall with one-half of his 'beard
shaved off and the motto 'Portrait of
a Bolshevist' painted on his forehead.
Well, I don't need to tell you, sir that
that particular Pole, Strambowski,
was undoubtedly a messenger be
tweenwell, we know who between
and what the message was. And then
take last night."
"Well, what about last night?"
"For the first time this gang has
come into direct contact with us."
"Always assuming the fact of its
existence."
"Exactly, sir," answered Mclver.
"Well, they've got Zaboleff and they
've got Waldock, and they laid eight
of us out to cool. 1 guess they're not
to be sneezed at."
With a thoughtful look on his face
Sir Bryan rose and strolled over to
the window. Though not prepared to
go quite as far as Mclver, there were
certainly some peculiar elements in
the situationelements which he, as
head of a big public department,
could not officially allow for an in
stant, however much it might amuse
him as a private individual.
"We must find Zaboleff and Wal
dock," he said curtly, without turn
ing round. "Waldock, a any rate
has friends who will make a noise
unless he's forthcoming. And . . .'
But his further remarks were in
terrupted by the entrance of his sec
retHry with a note.
.' 1' or the inspector, Kir Bryan," she
said, and Mclver after a glance at
his chief onened the jnirelone. For
a while he studied the letter in si
lence. then with nn enienmtic smile
he rose and handed it to th2 man by
the window.
"No answer, thank you, Miss
Forbes," ho said, and when they were
once more alone, he began rubbing
his hands together softly-a sure
sign of being excited. "Curtis and
Samuel Bauer, both flogged nearly to
death and found in a t:lum off White
chapel. The note said two of 'em had
been flogged.
So," said Sir Bryan quietly. Those
two were at Barking last night
They were, sir," answered the in
spector.
And their line queried the duel.
White slave traffic of the worst
typo," said Mclver. "They generally
drug the gills with cocaine or some
dope first. What do you s;.y to my
theory now, sir
"It's another point in its favor,
Mclver," conceded Sir Bryan cau
tiously; "but it still wants a lot more
proof. And, anyway, whether you're
right or not, we can't allow it to
continue. We shall be having ques
tions nskel in parliament."
Mclver nodded portentiously. "If
I can't lay my hands on a man who
can lift me up like a baby and dope
me, may 1 never have another ensc.
Like a baby, sir. Me
He opened hii hands out helpless
ly, and this time Sir Bryan laughed
outright, only to turn with a quick
frown as the door lending to the
secretary's office was flung open to
admit a man. lie caught a vague
glimpse of the scandalized Miss
Forbes hovering like a canary eat
ing bird-seed in. the background;
then he turned to the newcomer.
"Confound it, Hugh," he cried. "I'm
busy."
Hugh Drummond grinned all over
his fnce, and lifting a hand like a
leg of mutton he omoto Sir Bryan
in tho back, to tho outraged amaze
ment of Inspector Mclver.
'You priceless old bean, boomed
Hugh affably. "I gathered from the
female bird punching the what-not
outside that the great brain was
heaving but, my dear old lad, I
have come to report a crime. A
crime which I positively caw com
mitted with my own eyes; an out
rage;, a blot upon this fair land of
ours.
He sank heavily into a chair and
selected a cigarette. He was a vast
individual with one of those phe
nomenally ugly faces which is ren
dered utterly pleasant by the ex
traordinary charm of its owners ex
pression. No human being had ever
been known to be angry with Hugh
for long. He was either moved to
laughter by the perennial twinkle in
the big man's blue eyes, or he was
stunned by a playful blow on the
chest from a fist which rivaled a
steam hammer. Of brain he appar
ently possessed a minimum; of mus
cle he possessed about five ordinary
men's share.
And yet, unlike so many powerful
men his quickness on his feet was
astounding as many a good heavy
weight boxer had found to his cost.
In the days of his youth Hugh
Drummond known more familiarly
to his intimates as Bulldog had been
able to do the hundred in a shade
over ten seconds. And though the
mere thought of such a performance
now would have caused him to break
out into a cold sweat, he wu3 still
quite capable of a turn of speed
which many a lighter-built man would
have envied.
Between him and Sir Bryan John
stone existed one of those friend
ships which are founded on totally
dissimilar tastes. At school, for some
inscrutbale reason, the quiet schol
arship of the elder boy had appealed
to the kid of fourteen who was even
then a mass of brawn. Their friend
ship started then, and it never died,
though their ways lay many poles
apart. To Johnstone a well-deserved
knighthood and a high position in the
Innd; to Drummond as much money
as he wanted and a life of sport.
"Has someone stolen the goldfish?"
queried Sir Bryan with mild sar
casm. "Great Scott! I hope not," cried
Hugh in alarm. "Phyllis gave me
complete instructions about the
brutes before she toddled off. I make
a noise like an ant's egg, and drop
them in the sink every morning. No,
old lad of the village, it is something
of vast import; a stain upon the es
cutcheon of your force. Last night
let us whisper it in Gath I dined
and further supped not wisely but too
well. In fact I deeply regret to ad
mit that I became a trifle blotto not
to say tanked. Of course it wouldn't
have happened if Phyllis had been
propping up the jolly old home, don't
you know; but she's away in the coun
try with the nightingales and slugs
and things. Well, as I say, in the
young hours of the morning, I
thought I'd totter along homo, I'd
been with some birds, male birds,
Tumkins" he stared sternly at Sir
Bryan, while Mclver stiffened into
rigid horror at such an incredible
nickname "and when I left it was
about 2 a. m. Well, I wandered along
through Leicester square, and stopped
just outside Scot's to let one of those
watering cars water my head for me.
While 1 was lying in the road, steal
ing at the brow, a motor car went
past, and it stopped in Piccadilly cir
cus." Mclver's air of irritation vanished
suddenly, and a quick glance passed
between him and Sir Bryan.
"Nothing much you observe in that,
Tuirfluns," he burbled on, quite un
conscious of the sudden attention of
his Wearers. "But wait, old lad I
haven't got to tho motto yet. From
this car there stepped largo numbers
of men; at least so it seemed to me,
and you must remember I'd recently
had a shampoo. And just as I got
abreast of them they lifted out an
other warrior, who appeared to me to
be unconscious. They put him on the
pavement and got back into tho car
again just 3 I tottered alongside.
"'What ho! souls,' I murmured,
'what is this and that, so to speak '
"'Binged, old bean, badly binged,'
said the driver of the car. 'We're
leaving him there to cool.'
"And wtih that the car drove off.
Thero was I, Tumkins, in a partially
binged condition alono ill Piccadilly
circus with a bird in a completely
binged condition.
" 'How now,' I snid to myself. 'Shall
I go and induce yon wate merchant
to return' as a matter of fact I was
beginning to feel I could do with an
other whack myself 'or shall I leave
you here as your pals observed to
cool'."
"I bent over him as I pondered this
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knotty point, and as I did so, Tum
kins, I became aware of a strange
smell.".
Hugh paused dramatically and se
lected another eigarette, while Sir
Bryan flashed a quick glance of warn
ing at Mclver, who was obviously
bursting with suppressed excitement.
"A peculiar and sickly odor, Tum
kins," resumed the speaker with mad
dening deliberation. "A strange and
elusive perfume. For a long while it
eluded me that smell: I just couldn't
place it. And then suddenly I got it;
right in the middle, old boy plumb
in the center of the windpipe. It was
chloroform: the old bird wasn't drunk
he was doped."
Completely exhausted, Hugh lay
back in his chair, and once again Sir
Bryan flashed a warning glance at his
exasperated subordinate.
"Would you be able to recognize
any of the men in the car if you saw
them again?" he asked quietly.
"I should know the driver," an
swered Hugh after profound thought.
"And the bird beside him. But not
the others."
"What did you do then?" asked Sir
Bryan.
"Well, I brought the brain to lear,"
answered Hugh, "and decided there
was nothing to do. He was doped,
and I was bottled so by a unanimous
casting vote of one I toddled off
home. But Tumkins, while I was
feeding the goldfish this morning
or rather after lunch conscience was
gnawing at my vitals. And after pro
found meditation, and consulting
with my fellow Denny, I decided that
the call of duty was clear. I came
to you, Tumkins, as a child flies to
its mother. Who better, I thought,
than old Tum-tum to listen to my
maidenly secrets? And so .
"One moment, Hugh," Sir Bryan
held up his hand. "Do you mind if
I speak to Inspector Mclver for a
moment?"
"Anything you like, old lad," mur
mured Drummond. "But be merciful.
Remember my innocent wife in the
country."
And silence settled on the room,
broken . only by the low-voiced con
versation between Mclver and his
chief in the window. After a while
strangled snore from the chair an
nounced that Drummond was ceasing
to take an intelligent interest in
things mundane.
"He's an extraordinary fellow, Mc
lver," said Sir Bryan, glancing at the
sleeper with a smile. "I've known
him ever since we were boys at
SUCCESS MUST BE BUILT ON SOMETHING REAL
Chesterfield
present position anion
world's cigarettes on taste
school. And he's not quite such a fool
an he makes himself out. You re
member that extraordinary cae over
the man Peterson a year or so ago.
Well, it was he who did the whole
thin p. His complete disability to he
cunning utterly defeated that master
crook, who was always looking for
subtlety that wasn't there. And of
course his strength is absolutely phe
nomenal." "I know, sir," said Mclver doubt
fully, "but would he consent to take
on such a job and do exactly as he
was told?"
They were both looking out of the
window, while in the room behind
them the heavy breathing of the
sleeper rose and fell monotonously.
And when the whole audience is
asleep it ceases to be necessary to
talk in undertones. Which was why
Sir Bryan and the inspector during
the next ten minutes discussed cer
tain matters of import which they
would not have discussed through
megaphones at the Savoy. They con
cerned Hugh and other things, and
the other things particularly were of
interest. And they continued discuss
ing these other things until, with a
dreadful noise like a racing motor
backfiring, the sleeper sat up in his
chair and stretched himself.
"Tumkins," he- cried, "I have com
mitted sacrilege. I have slept in the
Holy of Holies. Have you decided on
my fate? Am I to be shot at dawn?"
Sir Bryan left the window ai.J sat
down at his desk. For a tixjpa int or
two he rubbed his chin thoughtfully
with his left hand, as if trying to
make up his mind.
"Would you like to do a job of
wcrk, old man?"
Hugh started as if he had been
stung by a wasp, and Sir Bryan
smiled.
"Not real work," he sr. id reassur
ingly. "But by mere luck last night
you saw something which Inspector
Mclver would have given a good deal
to see. Or to be more accurate, you
saw some men whom Mclver particu
larly wants to meet."
"Those blokes in the car you
mean?" cried Hugh brightly.
"Those blokes in the car," agreed
the other. "'Incidentally, I may say
there was a good deal more in that
little episode than you think: and
after consultation with Mclver I have
decided to tell you a certain amount
about it, because you can help us,
Hugh. You see, you're one up on
Mclver: you have at any rate seen
those men and he hasn't. Moreover,
. '
m vfc3Hr. y
C1 .TrW,vv,'.V. : "VST
you say yau could recognize two of
them again."
"Good heavens! Tumkins," mur
mured Hugh aghast, "don't cay you
want me to tramp the streets of Lon
don looking for them."
Sir Bryan gmiled.
"We'll spare you that," he an
swered. "But I'd like you to pay at
tention to what I'm going to tell you.
Last night a very peculiar thing hap
pened to Mclver. He and some of
hi? men in the normal course of duty
surrounded a certain house in which
were some people we wanted to lay
our hands on. To be more accurate
there was one man there whom we
wanted. He'd been shadowed ever
since he'd landed in England that
morning, shadowed the whole way
from docks to the house. And sure
enough, when Mclver and hip men
surrounded the house, there was our
friend and all his pals in one of the
downstairs rooms. It was then that
this pceuliar thing happened. I
gather from Mclver that he heard the
noise of an owl hooting, also a faint
scuffle and a curse. And after that
he heard nothing more. He was
chloroformed from behind and went
straight out of the picture."
"Great Scott! " murmured Hugh,
staring incredulously at Mclver.
"What an am:izing thing!"
"And this is where you come in,
Hugh," continued Sir Bryan.
"Me!" Hugh sat up abruptly. "Why
nie?"
"One of the men inside the room
was an interesting fellow known as
Flash Jim. He is a burglar of ro
mean repute, though he is quite
ready to tackle any sort of job which
carries money with it. A .id vhen
Mclver, having recovered himself ir.
the morning, ran Flash Jim to ground
in one of his haunts he was quite un
der the impression that the men who
had doped him and the other officers
were pals of Flash Jim. But after
he'd talked to him he changed his
mind. All Flash Jim could tell him
was that on the previous night he
and some friends had been discussing
business at this house. He didn't
attempt to deny that. He went on to
say that suddenly the room had been
filled with a number of masked men,
and that he'd had a clip over the back
of the head which knocked him out.
After that presumably he was given a
whiff of chloroform to keep him quiet,
and the next thing he remembers is
being kicked back into activity by the
policeman at" Sir Bryan paused a
moment to emphasize the point "at
J
X
lias earn
v
X
Piccadilly circus.
"Good Lord!" said Hugh dazedly.
"Then that bird I saw last night
sleeping it off on the pavement was
Flash Jim."
"Precisely," answered Sir Bryan.
"But what is far more to tho point,
oid man, it that the two birds you
think you would be able to recognize
and who were in the car, ar two of
the masked men who first of all laid
out Mclver and subsequently iur
rounded Flash Jim and his pais in
side." "But what did they want to do that
fcr?" asked Hugh in bewilderment.
"That is just what we want to find
out," replied Sir Bryan. "As far as
we can see at the moment they are
not criminal in the accepted sense of
the word. They flogged two of the
men who were there last night, and
there are no two men in England who
more richly deserved it. They kid
naped two others, one of whom was
the man we particularly wanted. Then
to wind up they planted Flash Jim
as I've told you, let the others go,
and brought Mclver and all his men
back to Mclver's house, where they
left them to cool on the pavement. If
we give you warning would you care
to go with Mclver the next time he
has any job on, where he thinks it is
likely this gang may turn up? We
have a pretty shrewd idea as to the
type of thing they specialize in."
Hugh passed his hand dazedly over
his forehead.
"Sort of mother's help you mean,"
and Mclver frowned horribly. "While
the bird biffs Mclver, I biff the bird.
Is that the notion?"
"That is the notion," agreed Sir
Bryan. "Of course you'll have to do
exactly what Mclver tells you, and
the whole thing is most unusual. But
in view of the special features of the
case . . . What is it Miss Forbes?"
He glanced up at his secretary, who
was standing in the doorway with a
slight frown.
"He insists on seeing you at once,
Sir Bryan."
She came forward with a card,
which Sir Bryan took.
"Charles Latter," The frown deep
ened. "What the deuce does he
want?"
The answer was supplied by the
gentleman himself, who appeared at
that moment in the doorway. He was
evidently in a state of great agitation
and Sir Bryan rose.
"I am engaged at the moment, Mr.
Latter," he said coldly.
("Continued on Pare SK
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