HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, FEB. 25, 1926.
PAGE THREE
tain i
BLACK
A Sequel to Bulldog Drummond,
COPYFWHT BT
GI066E H. DORAN CO.
SYNOPSIS
CHAPTER I. To a lathering of anar
chist in Harking, London suburb, ZabolefT,
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 Ulack Gang),
who break up the meeting, sentencing some
of the participants to condign punishment
and carrying away others, A memorandum
found on ZabolefT gives an address in Hox
ton, London, which the leader of the at
tacking party considers of importance.
CHAPTER II. Sir Bryan Johnstone, dl
rector of criminal investigation, hears from
Inspector Mclver, sent to arrest ZabolefT
the night before, of his discomfiture. He
had been seized and chloroformed and his
raid frustrated. Hugh Drummnd, man of
leisure and old friend of Johnstones
rives and tells of seeing the kidnapers and
their victims. He becomes an unpaid agent
of the police, to be under the direction of
Mclver, and takes up his duties at once.
CHAPTER III. A "Mr. William Atkin
son," ostensibly pawnbroker and money
lender, really Count Zadowa, director of
anarchy in England, does business in an
other London suburb. A mysterious stran
ger invades the premises. Count Zadowa,
after a brief glimpse f the intruder, is
strangely disconcerted.
CHAPTER IV. Drummond, having
knowledge of Atkinson s anarchistic activ.
ities, arranges to burglarize the latter's
office to secure evidence of the fact. While
so engaged, with two companions, a bomb
Is burled at them from an adjoining room,
CHAPTER V. The explosion kills
"Ginger Martin," expert burglar whom
Drummond had employed to open Atkin
son's safe. Drummond and his friend es
cape, taking with them a bag they find on
the floor. Neither Drummond nor his com
panion at the time find out what it con
tains.
CHAPTER VI. At a fashionable hotel
Rev. Theodosius Longmoor and his daugh
ter Janet are guests. . "Longmoor" is really
Carl Peterson, international crook, with
whom Drummond has an old feud. Zadowi
tells Longmoor and his daughter of the
bomb he had hurled, which he believes
killed the three invaders, Longmoor is en
raged, pointing out that the diamonds
IKussian crown jewels, of which Zadowa
had known nothing) had been lost thru
his action. Longmoor insists that Zadowa
recover the diamonds, suggesting that they
may be in the hands of the police, and
warning his subordinate (Longmoor is ad
dressed by Zadowa as "chief") that failure
will be punished with death.
CHAPTER VII. Drummond discovers
that Longmoor, most cleverly disguised, is
Carl Peterson. Janet, at the same time,
recognizes in Drummond the leader of the
Black Gang, and their old enemy.
CHAPTER VIII. Drummond becomes
convinced that Peterson knows he is head
of the Hlack Gang. Zadowa also knows it.
CHAPTER IX. Zadowa, impressed with
the belief that Drummond has the diam
onds, visits him and makes the proposition
that Hugh restore the gems as an equiva
lent to Zndowa's agreeing not to divulge
to the police the fHct that Drummond is the
leader of the iilack Gang. Drummond, In
furiated by the death of Martin and the
despicable character of the man before him.
thrashes his visitor severely and kicks him
out of the house.
CHAPTER X. Mrs. Drummond disap
pears, and Hugh recognizes Peterson's
hand. Peterson summons Drummond to his
hotel. He goes, and they come to an under
standing. Peterson stipulates that the dia
monds must be returned to him before Mrs.
Drummond is released. Hugh agrees to the
terms, and leaves to bring the gems.
CHAPTER XI
In Which a KoIIb Royce Runs Amuck.
SOME ten minutes later he emerged
from the bathroom cnrefully cur
rying a saucer in his hand. The
girl's announcement that Number 13
hod started at once had been received
with a satisfied grunt, but he had
spoken no word. And the girl, glanc
ing through the door, saw him, with
his shirt sleeves rolled up above his
elbows, carefully mixing two liquids
together and stirring the result gent
ly with a glass rod. He was com
pletely absorbed in his task, and with
a faint smile on her face she went
back to the sofa and waited. She
knew too well the futility of speaking
to him on such occasions. Even when
he came in, wearing gloves on his
hands, she made no remark, but wait
ed for him to relieve her curiosity.
He placed the mixture on the ta
ble and glanced round the room. Then
he pulled up one of the ordinary stuff
armchairs to the table and removed
the linen headrest, which he carefully
soaked with the contents of the sau
cer, dabbing the liquid on with a
sponge, so as not to crumple the linen
in any way. He used up all of the
liquid, and then, still with the same
meticulous care, he replaced the
head-rest on the chair, and stood
back and surveyed his handiwork.
"Look all right?" ho asked briefly.
"Quite," answered the girl. "What's
the game?"
"Drummond has got to sit In that
chair," he returned, removing the sau
cer and the sponge to the bathroom,
and carefully peeling olf his gloves.
"He's got to sit in that chair, my
dear, and afterward that linen affair
has got to bo burnt. And whatever
happens" he paused for a moment
in front.of her "don't you touch it."
Quietly and methodically, he con
tinued his preparations, as if the
most usual occurrence in the world
was in progress. He crossed to the
sideboard and extracted a new and
undecanted bottle of whisky. From
this he withdrew about a dessert
spoonful of the spirit, and replaced
it with the contents of a small phial
which he took out of his waistcoat
pocket. Then he forced back the
cork until it was right home, and with
the greatest care replaced the cap of
tinfoil round the top of the bottle.
And the girl, coming over to where
he was working, saw that the bottle
was again as new.
"What a consumate artist you are,
cheril" she siad, laying a hand on his
Bhoulder.
The Reverend Theodosius smiled
GAM5
BYQfRIL AfcMlf
and passed his arm round her waist.
"One of the earliest essentials of
our er occupation, my little one, is
to learn how to insert dope into an
apparently untouched bottle."
"But do you think you will get him
to drink even out of a new bottle?"
"I hope so. I shall drink myself.
But even if he doesn't, the prepara
tion on the chair is the essential
thing. Once his neck touches that"
With an expressive wave of his
hand he vanished once more into the
bathroom, returning with his coat.
"Don't you remember that Italian
toxicologist Fransioli?" he re
marked. "We met him in Naples
three years ago, and he obligingly
told me he had in his possession one
of the real Borgia poisons. I remem
ber I had a most interesting discus
sion with him on the subject. The
internal application is harmless; the
external application is what matters.
lhat acts alone, but if the victim
can be induced to take it internally
as well it acts very mucii better."
"Fransioli?" She frowned thought
fully. "Wasn't that the name of the
man who had the fatal accident on
Vesuvius?"
"That's the fellow," answered the
Reve rend Theodosius, arranging a si
phon and some glasses on a tray. "He
persuaded me to ascend it with him,
and on the way up he was foolish
enough to tell me that the bottles
containing his poison had been stolen
from his laboratory. I don't know
whether he suspected me or not I
was an Austrian baron at the time, if
I remember right but when ho pro
ceeded to peer over the edge of the
crater at a most dangerous point I
thought it better to take no risks
So er the accident occurred. And
I gathered he was really a great loss
to science.
He glanced at his watch, and the
girl laughed delightedly.
It will me interesting to see if his
claims for it are true," he continued
thoughtfully. "I have only used it
once, but on that occasion I inadvert
ently put too much into the wine, and
the patient died. But with the right
quantities it produces so he stated,
and I saw him experiment on a dog
a type of partial paralysis, not only
of the body, but of the mind. You
can see, you can hear, but you can't
move. What ultimately happens with
a human being I don't know, but the
dog recovered."
A quick double knock came at the
door, and with one final glance round
the room the Reverend Theodosius
crossed to his desk and sat down.
"Come in," he called, and a small
dapper looking man entered.
"Number 13, sir," said the new
comer briefly, and the other nodded.
"I am expecting a man here short
ly, 13," remarked the clergyman,
"whose voice I shall want you to
imitate over the telephone."
"Only over the telephone, sir?"
"Only over the telephone. You will
not be able to be in this room, but
there is a bathroom adjoining in
which you can hear every word that
is spoken." The other nodded as if
satisfied, "For how long will you re
quire to hear him talk?"
Five or ten minutes, sir, will be
ample."
'Good. You shall have that. There's
the bathroom. Go in, and don't mnke
sound."
"Very good, sir."
"And wait. Have Giusepni and
Number 10 come yet?"
They left headquarters, sir, just
after I did. They should be here by
now."
The man disappeared into the bath
room, closing the door behind him,
and once again the Reverend Theodo
sius glanced at his watch.
'Our young friend should be here
shortly," he murmured. "And then
the single which he seems so anxious
to play can begin in earnest."
The benign expression which he
had adopted as part of his role disap
peared for an instant to be replaced
by a look of cold fury.
'The single will begin in earnest,"
he repeated sr 'tly, "and it's the last
one he will ever play."
The girl shrugged her shoulders.
"He has certainly asked for it," she
remarked, "but it strikes me that
you had better be careful. You may
bet on one thing that ho hasn't kept
his knowledge about you and me to
himself. Half those young idiots that
run about behind him know every
thing by this time, and if thy go to
the Yard it will be very unplcnsant
for us, mon cheri. And that they
certainly will do if anything should
happen to dear Hugh."
The clergyman smiled resignedly.
"After all these years, you think
it necessary to say that to me! My
dear, you pain me you positively
wound me to tho quick. I will guar
antee that all Drummond's friends
sleep soundly in thoir beds tonight,
harboring none but the sweetest
thoughts of the kindly and much-maligned
old clergyman at the Ritz."
"And what of Drummond himself?"
asked the girl.
"It may be tonight, or maybo to
morrow. But accidents happen at all
times and one is going to happen to
him." He smiled sweetly, and lit a
cigar. "A nasty, sticky accident which
will deprive us of his presence. I
hnven't worvied over the details yet
but doubtless tho inspiration will
come. And here, if I mistuko not, is
our hero himself."
The door swung open and Drum
mond entered.
"Well, Carl old lad," he remaraked
breezily, "here I am on the stroke of
timo with the bag of nuts all com
plete." "Excellent," murmured the clergy
man, waving a benevolent hand to
ward the only free chair. "But if
you must call me by my Christian
name, why not make it Theo?"
Drummond grinned delightedly.
"As you wish, my little one. Theo
It shall be in future, and Janet." He
bowed to the girl as he sat down.
"There's just one little point I want
to mention, Theo, before we come to
the laughter and games. Peter Dar
rell, who you may remember of old,
and who lunched with us today, is
sitting on the telephone at my house.
And eight o'clock is the time limit.
Should his childish fears for my safe
ty and my wife's not be assuaged by
that hour, he will feel compelled to
interrupt Tum-tum at his dinner. I
trust I make myself perfectly clear."
"You are the soul of lucidity."
"Good! Then, first of all, there are
the diamonds. No,, dont come too
near, please; you can count them
quite easily from where you are." He
tumbled them out of the bag, and they
lay on the table like great pools of
liquid light. The girl's breath came
quickly as she saw them, and Drum
mond turned on her with a smile..
"To one given up to good v.orks
and knitting, Janet, doubtless such
things do not appeal. Tell me, Theo,"
he remarked as he swept them back
into the bag "who was the idiot
who put them in Snooks' desk? Don't
answer if you'd rather not gie away
your maidenly secrets; but it was a
pretty full-sized bloomer on his part,
wasn t it pooping off the old bomb?
He leaned back in his chair, and
for a moment a gleam Bhone in the
others eyes, for the nape of Drum
mond's neck came exactly against the
center of the impregnated linen cover.
Doubtless, Captain Drummond,
doubtless," he murmured politely.
'But if you persist in talking in rid
dles, don't you think we might choose
a different subject until Mrs. Drum
mond arrives?"
"Anything you like, Theo," said
Drummond. "I'm perfectly happy
talking about you. How the devil do
you do it?" He sat up and stared at
the other man with genuine wonder
on his face. "Eyes different nose
voice figure everything different.
You're a marvel but for that one
small failing of yours."
"You interest me profoundly," said
the clergyman. "What is this one
small failing that makes you think I
am other than what I profess to be?"
Drummond laughed genially.
"Good heavens, don't you know
what it is? Hasn't Janet told you?
It's that dainty little trick of yours
of tickling the left ear with the right
big toe that marks you every time.
No man can do that, Theo, and blush
unseen."
He leaned back again in his chair
and passed his hand over his fore
head. "By Jove, it's pretty hot in here,
isn't it?"
"It is close everywhere today," an
swered the other easily, though his
eyes behind the spectacles were fixed
intently on Drummond. "Would you
care for a drink?"
Drummond smiled; the sudden fit
of muzziness seemed to have passed
as quickly as it had come.
"Thank you no," he answered po
litely. "In your last incarnation,
Theo, you may remember that I did
not drink with you. There is an ele
ment of doubt about your liquor
which renders it a dangerous pro
ceeding." "As you will," said the clergyman
indifferently, at the same time plac
ing the bottle of whisky and the
glasses on the table. "If you imag
ine that I am capable of interfering
with an unopened bottle, obtained
from the cellars of the Ritz, it would
be well not to join me." He was
carefully removing the tin foil as he
spoke, and once again the strange
muzzy feeling swept over Drummond.
He felt as if things had suddenly be
come unreal as if he was dreaming.
His vision seemed blurred, and then
for the second time it passed away,
leaving only a strange mental con
fusion. What was he doing in this
room? Who was this benevolent old
clergyman drawing the cork out of a
bottle of whisky?
With an effort he pulled himself
together. It must be the heat or
something, he reflected, and he must
keep his brain clear. Perhaps a whls-
ky-and-soda would help. After all,
there could be no danger in drinking
from a bottle which he had seen
opened under his very eyes.
Do you know, Theo, he remarked,
"I think I will change my mind and
have a whisky-and-soda."
His voice sounded strange to his
ears; and ne wonaerea it tne otners
notieed anything. But apparently
not; the clergyman merely nodded
briefly, and remarked, "Say hen.''
"When, said Drummond, with a
foolish sort of laugh. It was a most
extraordinary thing, but he couldn't
focus his eyes; there were two glasses
on the table and two clergymen
splashing in soda from two siphons.
Surely he wasn't going to faint when
he was alone with Peterson.
He took a gulp at his drink and
suddenly began to talk foolishly and
idiotically.
Nice room, Carl old lad . . .
Never expected to meet you again:
certainly not in nice room. . . ."
His voice trailed away, and he sat
there blinking stupidly. Everything
was confused, and his tongue seemed
weighted with lead. He reached cut
again for his glass or tried to and
his arm refused to move. And sud
denly out of the jumble of thoughts
in his brain there emerged the one
damning certainty that somehow or
other he had been trapped and drug
ged. He gave a hoarse, inirt'Ciilatc
cry, and struggled to rise to his feet,
but it was useless; his legs and arms
felt as if they were bound to the
chair by iron bands. And in the midst
that swam beforo his eyes he saw the
mocking faces of the clergyman and
his daughter.
"It seems to have acted most ex
cellently," remarked the Reverend
Theodosius, and Drummond found he
could hear quite normally; also his
sight was improving; things in the
room seemed steadier. And his mind
was becoming less confused ho could
think again. But to move or to
speak was utterly impossible; all he
could do was to sit and watch and
rage inwardly at having been such a
fool as to trust Peterson.
But that gentelman appeared in no
hurry. He was writing with a gold
pencil on a letter pad, and every now
and then he paused and smiled
thoughtfully. At length he seemed
satisfied, and crossed to the bath
room door.
"We are ready now," Drummond
heard him say, and he wondered what
was going to happen next. To turn
his head was impossible; his range
of vision was limited by the amount
he could turn his eyes. And then, to
his amazement, he heard his own
voice speaking from somewhere be
hind him not, perhaps, quite so deep,
but an extraordinary good imitation
which would have deceived nine peo
ple out of ten when they could not
see the speaker. And then he heard
Peterson's voice again mentioning the
telephone, and he realized what they
were going to do.
"I want you," Peterson was say
ing, "to send this message that I have
written down to that number using
this gentleman's voice."
They came Into his line of vision,
and the new arrival stared at him
curiously. But he asked no questions
merely took the paper and read it
through carefully. Then he stepped
over to the telephone, and took off
the receiver. , And, helplessly impot
ent, Drummond sat in his chair and
heard the following message spoken
in his own voice:
"Is that you, Peter old bird? I've
made the most unholy bloomer. This
old bloke Theodosius isn't Carl at all.
He's a perfectly respectable pillar of
the church."
And then apparently Darrell said
something, and Peterson, who was lis
tening through the second earpiece
whispered urgently to the man.
"Phyllis," he went on "she's af
right as rain! The whole thing is a
boss shot of the first order. . . .'
Drummond made another stupen
dous effort to rise, and for a moment
everything went blank. Dimly he
heard his own voice still talking
into the instrument, but he only
caught a word here and there, and
then it ceased, and he realized that
the man had left the room. It was
Peterson's voice close by him that
cleared his brain again.
"I trust you approve of the way
our single has started, Captain Drum
mond," he remarked pleasantly. "Your
friend Peter, I am glad to say, i
more than satisfied and has announced
his intention of dining with some fe
male charmer. Also he quite under
stands why your wife has gone to the
country you heard that bit, I hope,
about her sick cousin.' and he real
izes that you are joining her."
And suddenly the pleasant voice
ceased, and the clergyman continued
in a tone of cold, malignant fury:
You rati You d d interfering
young swine! Now that you're help
less I don't mind admitting that I am
the man you knew as Carl Peterson,
but I'm not going to make the mis
take he made the second time. I un
derestimated you, Captain Drum
mond. I left things to that fool
Lakington. I treated you as a blun
dering young ass, and I realized too
late that you weren't such a fool as
you looked. This time I am paying
you the compliment of treating you
as a dangerous man. I trust you are
flattered."
He turned as the door opened, and
the man who had telephoned came in
with two others. One was a great,
powerful-looking man who might
have been a prize-fighter; the other
was a lean, swarthy-skinned foreign
er, and both of them looked unpleas
ant customers. And Hugh wondered
what was going to happen next, while
his eyes rolled wildly from side to
side as if in search of some way of
escape. It was like some ghostly
nightmare when one is powerless to
move before some dreadful figment of
the brain, only to be saved at the last
moment by waking up. Only in Hugh's
case he was awake already and the
dream was reality.
He saw the men leave the room,
and then Peterson came over to him
again. First he took the little bag
of diamonds out of his pocket, and it
struck Hugh that though he had seen
the other's hand go into his pocket, he
had felt nothing. He watched Peter
son and the girl as they examined the
stones; he watched Peterson as he
locked them up in a steel dispatch
case. And then Peterson disappeared
out of his range of vision. He was
conscious that he was near him just
behind him and the horror of the
nightmare increased. It had been bet
ter when they were talking; at least
then he could see them. But now,
with both of them out of sight
hovering round the back of his chair,
perhaps and without a sound in the
room save the faint hum of the traf
fic outside, the strain was getting
unbearable.
And then another thought came to
add to his misery. If they killed
him and they intended to, he was
certain what would happen to Phyl
lis? They'd got her, too, somewhere;
what were they going to do to her?
And he made a superhuman effort to
rise; again he failed so much as to
move his finger. And for n while he
raved and blasphemed mentally.
It was hopeless, utterly hopeless;
he was caught like a rat in a trap.
And then he began to think coher
ently again. After all, they couldn't
kill him here in the Ritz. You can't
have dead men lying about in your
room in a hotel. And they would have
to move him some time; they couldn't
leave him sitting there. How were
they going to get him out? He could
n't walk, and to carry him out as he
was would be impossible. Too many
of the staff below would know him by
sight.
Suddenly Peterson came into view
again. He was in his shirt sleeves
and was smoking a cigar, and Hugh
watched him sorting out papers. He
seemed engrossed in the matter, and
paid no more attention to the helpless
figure at the table than he did to the
fly on the window. At length he com
pleted his task, and having closed the
dispatch case with a snap, he rose and
stood facing Hugh.
"Enjoying yourself?" he remnrked.
"Wondering what is going to happen?
Wondering where dear Phyllis is?"
He gave a short laugh,
"Excellent drug that, isn't it?
The first man I tried it on died so
you're lucky. Y'ou never felt me put
a pin into tho back of your arm, did
you?"
He laughed again. In fact the Rev
erend Theodosius seemed in an
cellent temper.
"Well, my friend, you really asked
for it this time, and I'm afraid you're
going to get it. I cannot have some
one continually worrying me like this
so I'm going to kill you, as I always
intended to some day. It's a pity,
and in many ways I regret it, but yiu
must admit yourself that you really
leave me no alternative. It will ap
pear to be accidental, so you need
entertain no bitter sorrow that I shall
suffer in any way. And it will take
place very soon so soon, in fact,
that I doubt if you will recover from
the effects of the drug. I wouldn't
guarantee it ;you might. As I say,
you are only the second person on
whom I have tried it. And with re
gard to your wife our little Phyllis
it may interest you to know that I
have not yet made up my mind. I
may find it necessary for her to share
in your accident; or even to have one
all on her own; I may not."
The raving fury in Drummond's
mind as his tormentor talked on
showed clearly in his eyes, and Peter
son laughed.
"Our friend is getting quite agitat
ed, my dear," he remarked, and the
girl came into sight.
"You're an awful idiot, my Hugh,
aren't you?" she said. "And you
have given us such a lot of trouble.
But I shall quite miss you, and all
our happy little times together."
She laughed gently, and glanced at
the clock.
"They ought to be here fairly
soon," she remarked. "Hadn't we
better get him out of sight?"
Peterson nodded, and between them
they pushed Drummond into the bath
room. "You see, my friend," remarked Pe
terson affably, "it is necessary to get
you out of the hotel without arous
ing suspicion. A simple little matter,
but it is often the case that one trips
up more over simple matters than
over complicated ones."
He was carefully inserting a pin
into the victim's leg as he spoke, and
watching intently for any sign of
feeling.
"Why I remember once," he con
tinued conversationally, "that I was
so incredibly foolish as to replace the
cork in a bottle of prussic acid after
I had er compelled a gentleman to
drink the contents. He was in bed
at the time, and everything pointed
to suicide, except that confounded
cork. I mean, would any man, after
he's drunk sufficient prussic acid to
poison a regiment, go and cork up an
empty bottle? It only shows how
careful one must be over these little
matters."
The girl put her head round the
door.
They're here," she remarked ab
ruptly, and Peterson went into the
other room, half closing the door.
And Drummond, writhing impotently,
heard the well-modulated voice of the
Reverend Theodosius.
"Ah, my dear friends, my very dear
old friend! What joy it is to see you
again. I am greatly obliged to you
for escorting this gentleman up per
sonally." Not at all, sir; not at all! Would
you care for dinner to be served up
here?"
"I will ring later if I require it,"
Peterson was saying in his gentle,
kindly voice. "My friend, you under
stand, is still on a very strict diet,
and he comes to me more for spirit
ual comfort than for bodily. But I
shall ring should I find he would like
to stay."
"Very good, sir."
And Drummond heard the door close
and knew that his last hope had gone.
Then he heard Peterson's voice
again, sharp and incisive.
Lock the door. You two get
Drummond. He's in the bathroom."
The two men he had previously
seen entered, and carried him back
into the sitting room, where the whole
scheme was obvious at a glance. Just
getting out of an ordinary invalid's
chair was a big man of more or less
the same build as himself. A thick
silk muffler partially disguised his
face; a soft hat was pulled well down
over his eyes, and Drummond real
ized that the gentleman who had been
wheeled in for spiritual comfort
would not be wheeled out.
The two men pulled him out of his
chair, and then, forgetting his con
dition, let him go, and he collapsed
like a sack of potatoes on the floor,
his legs and arms sprawling out in
grotesque attitude.
They picked him up again, and not
without difficulty they got him into
the other man s overcoat; and finally
they deposited him in the invalid's
chair, and tucked him up with the
rug.
"We will give it half an hour, re
marked Peterson, who had been
watching the operation. "By that
time our friend will have had suf
ficient spiritual Bolace; and until then
you two can wait outside. I will give
you your full instructions later."
'Will you want me any more, sir?"
The man whose place Drummond had
taken was speaking.
No," said Peterson curtly. Get
out as unostentatiously as you can.
Go down by the stairs and not by the
lift."
With a nod he dismissed them all,
and once again Drummond was alone
with his two chief enemies.
'Simple, isn't it, my friend?" re
marked Peterson. "An invalid ar
rives, and an invalid will shortly go.
And once you've passed the hotel
doors you will cease to be an invalid.
You will become again that well
known young man about town Capt.
Hugh Drummond driving out of
London in his car a very nice Rolls,
that new one of yours bought, I
think, since we last met. Your chauf
feur would have been most uneasy
vhen he missed it but for the note
you left him, saying you'll be away for
three days." Peterson laughed gently
as he stored at his victim,
"You must forgive me if I seem
to gloat a little, won't you?" he con
tinued. "I've got such a large score
to settle with you, and I very much
fear I shan't be in at the death, 1
have an engagement to dine with an
American millionaire whose wife is
touched to the heart over the suffer
ings of the starving poor in Austria.
And when the wives of millionaires
are touched to the heart, my exper
ience is that the husbands are gen
erally touched to the pocket."
Ho laughed again even more gent
ly and leaned across the table to
wards the man who sat motionless in
the chair. He seemed to be striving
to see some sign of fear in Drum
mond's eyes, some appeal for mercy.
But if there was any expression at
all it was only a faint mocking bore
dom, such as Drummond had been
wont to infuriate him with during
their first encounter a year before.
Then he had expressed it in words
and actions; now only his eyes were
left to him, but it was there all the
same. And after a while Peterson
snarled at him viciously,
"No, I shall not be in at the death,
Drummond, but 1 will explain to you
the exact program. You will be driven
out of London in your own car, but
when the final accident occurs you
will be alone. It is a most excellent
place for an accident, Drummond
most excellent. One or two have al
ready taken place there, and the bod
ies are generally recovered some two
or three days later more or less un
recognizable. Then when the news
comes out in the evening papers to
morrow I shall be able to tell the
police the whole sad story. How you
took compassion on an old clergyman
and asked him to lunch, and then
went out of London after your charm
ing young wife only to meet with
this dreadful end. I think I'll even
offer to take part in the funeral ser
vice. And yet no, that is a pleas
ure I ehall have to deny myself. Hav
ing done what I came over to do,
Drummond, rather more expeditious
ly than I thought likely, I shall return
to my starving children in Vienna.
And, do you know what I came over
to do, Drummond? I came over to
smash the Black Gang and I came
over to kill you though the latter
could have waited."
Peterson's eyes were hard and mer
ciless, but the expression of faint
boredom still lingered in Drummond's.
Only too well did he realize now that
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he had played straight into the ene
my's hands, but he was a gambler
through and through, and not by the
quiver of an eyelid did he show what
he felt.
Peterson glanced at his watch and
rose to his feet.
"I fear that this is all the spiritual
consolation that 1 can give you this
evening, my dear fellow," ho remark
ed benignly. "You will understand 1
am sure, that there are many calls on
my time. Janet, my love" he raised
his voice "our young friend is leav
ing us now. I feel sure you'd like to
say good-by to him."
She came into the room, walking a
little slowly and for a while she
stared in silence at Hugh. And it
seemed to him that in her eyes there
was a gleam of genuine pity. Once
again he made a frantic effort to
speak to beg, beseech, and implore
them not to hurt Phyllis but it was
useless. And then he saw her turn
to Peterson.
"I suppose," she saiu regretfully,
"that it is absolutely necessary."
"Absolutely," he answered curtly.
"He knows too much, and he worics.
us too much."
She shrugged her shoulders and
came over to Drummond.
"Well, good-by, mon ami," she re
marked gently. "I really am sorry
that I shan't see you again. You are
one of the few people that make this
atrocious country bearable."
She patted him on his cheek, and
again the feeling that he was dream
ing came over Drummond. It could
n't be real this monstrous night
mare. And then he was being wheeled
along the passage toward the lift,
while the Reverend Theodosius Long
moor walked solicitiousiy beside him,
murmuring affectionately in his ear.
(Continued on Page Six)