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HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1926. PAGE THREE A jt Hn f 3e ILME GANG A Sequel to Bulldog Drummond. BYCITRIL MmilE 1't ft Onm..Jm cciwwkt tr CXJXOZ B. DOEAIf 00. SYNOPSIS CHAPTER I. To srstherlnl of anar chist in Barking, London mburb, Zaboleif, 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 Zaboieff gives an address in Ho ton, London, which the leader of the at tacking party considers of importance. CHAPTER II. Sir Bryan Johnstone, di rector of criminal investigation, hears from Inspector Mclver, sent to arrest Zaboleif the night before, of his diacomtHure. He had been seized and chloroformed and bin raid frustrated. Hugh Drummnd, man of leisure and old friend of Johnstone's ar 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 tha intruder, is strangely disconcerted. CHAPTER IV. Drummond, having knowledge of Atkinson's anarchisc activ ities, arranges to burglarise the latter's office to secure evidence of the fact. While so engaged, with two companions, a bomb is hurled at thera from an adjoining room. CHAPTER V. The explosion kilU "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 tha 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. Zadowa 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 ' (Kussian 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, recognises 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 Black 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 Zadowa's agreeing not to divulge to the police the fact that Drummond is the leader of the Black 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. J CHAPTER X. Mrs. Drummond djsap-1 pears, and Hugh recognises Peterson's hand. Peterson summons Drummond to his hotel. He goes, and they come to an under- atanding. 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. Returning with the atones, Drummond is drugged and placed in an auto, which Peterson plans is to be driven into the Thames. Drummond's con sequent death being made to appear the re sult of an accident. CHAPTER XII. Drummond escapes from the river and, following his would-be murderers, reaches a house, Msybrick Hall, in which he has learned his wife is hidden. He effects her release. CHAPTER XIII. Unable to escape from the grounds, though at liberty, Hugh wit nesses the arrival of an automobile in which are Peterson, Zadowa and, to his consternation, his wife, again a captive. Peterson threatens instant death to Mrs. Drummond if Hugh does not surrender. CHAPTER XIV In Which Murderer la Murdered at Maybrlck Hall. 0U appear to havo a wonderful Y faculty for remaining alive, my young friend," rm.arkcd Peterson two minutes later, gazing benevolently at Drummond over his clerical collar. "You can't imagine the unpleasant surprise it gave me," Peterson con tinued gently, "when your charming wife hailed my car. So unexpected: so delightful. And when I realized that you were running t.bout in our grounds here instead of beii.g drown ed as that fool No. 10 told me over the telephone. By the way, where is No. 10?" He turned Marling on the Russian, but it was one of the men behind Drummond's chair who answurcd. "He's dead. This guy threw him on the live wires." "Do you mean to say," said the Russian in a harsh voice, "that it was only this man Drummond outside there?" "You have guessed It, Adolph," an swered Drummond, speaking mechan ically. It had seemed to him, sud denly, that, unseon by tho others, Phvllis was trying to convey some message. "Alone I did it, to say noth ing of that sauib-facod bird upstairs with the long arms. In fact, without wishing to exaggerate, I think the total bag is five," What was she trying to mako him understand? And then suddenly she began to laugh hysterically, and he half rose from his scat, only to sit down again shruntlv as he felt the cold ring of revolver pressed ints the nape of his nock. "Throe and two make flvo," said Phvllis. half laughing and half cry ing, "and one makes six. I worked it out tonight, and It all came rignt." She went on aimlessly for a while in the same strain, till the Russian jwung round on nor' with a snarl, and told her to shut her mouth. He wsa talking in low tones to Peter son, and, with one searching look at Hugh she relapsed into silence. There was no hysteria in that look, and his heart began to pound suddenly in his excitement. For 3256 Mayfair was the number of Peter Darrell's tele phone, and she could only mean one thing that she had got throueh to Peter before she stopped the car. And if that was so there was still hope, if only he could gain time. First how long did he want? Two hours at least: three if possible To round up all the gang and get cars in the middle of tho night would take time two hours at the very least. Secondly and there wos the crux how was he going to get such a res pite? For this time he could not hope for another mistake. It was the end, and be knew it. No trace of mercy showed in the faces of the three men opposite him. He caught occasional remarks, and after a while he realized whut the matter under discussion was. Evi dently the red-headed Russian was in favor of killing him violently, and at once and it was Count Zadowa who was advocating caution, while Peter son listened impassively, with his eyes fixed on Drummond. "I know the Black Gang," Zadowa was saying. "You don't. And they know me." Then he heard the word "accident" repeated several times, and at length Yulowski shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in his chair. "Have it your "own way," he re marked. "I don't care how they're killed, as long as they are killed. If you think it's necessary to pretend there has been an accident. The only point is what sort of an acci dent." It was left to Carl Peterson to decide matters. "Nothing is easier," he remarked suavely, and his eyes were still fixed on Drummond. "We are discussing my young friend," he continued, rais ing his voice slightly, "the best way of getting rid of you and your charm ing wife. I regret that she must share your fate, but I see no way out of it. To keep her permanently about the premises would be too great an in convenience; and since 'we can't let her go without involving ourselves in unpleasant notoriety, I fear as I said that she must join you. My friend Yulowski wishes to bayonet you both, and bury you in the grounds. He has done a lot of that sort of thing in his time, and I believe I am right in Mating that his hand has not lost its cunning since leaving Russia. A little out of practice, perhaps; but the result is the same. On the other hand. Count Zadowa, whom you know of old, quite rightly points out that there are the members of your ridi culous gang, who know .about him, and might very easily find out about me. And when in a few days your motor car is hoisted out of tho water, and is traced by the registration num ber as being yours, he fears that not only may he find htings very awk ward, but that a certain amount of unenviable and undesirable limelight may be thrown on this part of the country, and incidentally on this house. As my friend Zadowa most justly observed wo want an acci dent; a real good, bona-fide accident, which will relieve the world of your presence and will bring no scorching glare of publicity upon this house or any of my confreres who remain in England. You may recall that that was my original idea, only you seem in the most extraordinary way to have escaped from being drowned. Still, as far as it goes, wo have a very good foundation to build on. Your car duly perceived by tho gen tleman of limited intelligence who works tho bridge went over the edge. You were duly perceived in it. Strangely enough, his eyesight must have been defective or else he was so flustered by your amazing ac tion that he was incapable of notic ing everything at such a moment. Be cause he actually failed to see that your charming wife was seated be side you. In that moment of panic when she realized you had fainted, she leant forward doubtless to try and throw out the clutch. Yes" his eyes, cold and expressionless, were turned momentarily on Phyllis "I think that is what she. must havo. That account for the not very in telligent gate-opener failing to see her. Because, Captain Drummond, both bodies will be recovered from the river the day after tomorrow, shall we say? some two or three miles down-stream." He was leaning forward, his el bows on the table and for the first time Drummond understood some thing of the diabolical hatred which Peterson felt for him. He had novor shown it before: he was far too big a man ever to betray his feeling un necessarily. But now, as he sat fac ing him, gently rubbing his big white hands together, Drummond under stood. "Thank you a thousand timos." he repeated in the same gentle voice. "And since you are so concerned about the matter, I will tell you my plan in some detail, I need hardly say that any suggestions you make on any points that may strike you will receive my most careful atten tion. When tha car crashed into the water it carried you and your wife with it. You were both hurled out as the ear plunged into the water. and somewhat naturally you were both thrown forward. Head foremost, you will note, Drummond, you left the car and your heads struck the stonework of the opposite pier with sickening force, just beforo you reached the water. In fact, a marked feature of the case, when this dread ful accident is reported in the papers, will be the force with which you struck that pier. Your two heads were terribly battered. In fact, I have but little doubt that the coroner will decide, when your bodies are re covered some few miles downstream that you were not in reality drowned, but that the terrific impact on the stone pier killed you instantly. Do you think it's sound up to date?" "I think it's d d unsound," re marked Drummond languidly. "If you propose to take me and endeavor to make my head impinge on a stone wall, someone is going to get a thick ear. Besides, the bridge isn't open, and even your pal, the not too intel ligent gate-keeper, might stick in his toes a bit. Of course" he added hopefully '"you might say you were doing it for the movies. Tell him you're Charlie Chaplin, but that you dressed in such a hurry you've for gotten your mustache." The red-headed Russian was snarl ing venomously. "Let me at him, chief. He won't try being funny again." The Russian half rose to his feet, his teeth bared, and Peterson pulled him back into his chair. ' "You'll get your chance in a mo ment or two, Yulowski," he remarked savagely. Then, he turned once more on Drummond, and the genial look had vanished from his face. "Doubt less your humor appeals to some peo ple; it does not to me. Moreover, I am in rather a hurry. I do not pro pose, Captain Drummond, to take you to the bridge and endeavor to make your head impinge on a wall, as you call it. There is another and far sim pler method of producing the same result. The impinging will take place in this house. As a soldier you should know the result of a blow over the head with the butt of a rifle. And I can assure you that there will be no bungling this time. Yulowski is an expert in such matters, and I shall stay personally to see that it is done." Drummond passed his tongue over his lips, and despjfee himself his voice shook a little. "Am I to understand," he said af ter a moment, "that you propose to let that man butcher us here in this house with a rifle?" "Just so," answered Peterson. "That is exactly what you are to under stand." "You are going to let him mash my wife over the head with a rifle butt?" "I am going to order him to do so," said Peterson mildly. "And Very shortly, at that. We must not have any mistakes over the length of time you've both been dead. I confess it sounds drastic, but I can assure you it will be quite sudden. Yulowski, as I told you, is an expert. He had a lot of experience in Russia." "You inhuman devil!" muttered Drummond dazedly. "You can do what you like to me, but for Heaven's sake let her off!" He was staring fascinated at the Russian, who had risen and crossed to a cupboard in the wall. There was something almost maniacal in the look on his face the look of a sav age, brute beast, confronted with the prey it desires. "Impossible, my dear young friend," murmured Peterson regretfully. "It affords me no pleasure to have her killed, but I haye'no alternative. To see you dead, I would cross two con tinents," he snarled suddenly, "but" and his voice became normal again "only bitter necessity compels me to adopt such measures with Phyllis. You see, she knows too much." Yulowski handled his rifle loving ly, and his teeth showed in a wolf ish grin. "Which shall I take first, chief?" h said carelessly. "The point is immaterial," returned Peterson. "I think perhaps the wo man." Drummond tried to speak and fail ed. His tongue was clinging to the roof of his mouth; everything in the room was dancing before his eyes. Dimly he saw the red-headed brute Yulowski swinging his rifle to test it: dimly he saw Phyllis sitting bolt upright, with a calm, scornful expres sion on her face, while two men held her by the arms so that she could not move. And suddenly he croaked horribly. 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