Bull-Dog
Drummond
The Adventures of a
Demobilized Officer Who
Found Peace Dull
by CYRIL McNEILB
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
IRWIN MYERS
ft>J i Q?? H Oa.
"Twiuonw, tuu, Mi1, ag far as I
knows," answered the man.
"And what's he doing?" demanded
"On th< level, guvnor, I cant tell
yer. Strlte, I can't."
At that moment Darrell's voice came
op from the hall.
~i'ne whole bunch are stowed away,
Htigh. What's the next Rem?"
Hugh walked to the top of the
stairs. A grin spread over his face
as he saw half a dozen familiar faces
-In-the hall, and he hailed them
cheerily,
"Like old times, boys," he laughed.
"That's me, sir." One of them j
stepped forward.
"Good," said Hugh. "Take your bus
ten miles from here: then drop that )
crowd one by one on the road as yoa
sro along. Yoo can take It from me
that none of 'em will say -anything
about Jt. even when -they wake up.
Then tak? her back to your garage;
m see you later.
"Now." went on Hugh, as they heard
the sound of the departing lorry,
~we>e got to set the ?cene HJT la
morrow morning." He glanced at his
watch. "Just eleven. How long will
It tak? me to get the old bun-box t?
Laidley Towers?"
"Laidley Towers," echoed Dan-ell.
"What the devil are yoa going there
for?"
"I Just cflhT bear to be parted TrQffl
Hairy for one moment longer than
necessary," said Hugh quietly. "And
Henry Is there. In a praiseworthy eo
?daavoe to lift the ducheaa pearls.
Dear Henry 1" His two fists clenched,
and the American, looking at his face,
laughed softly.
Bat It was only foe a moment that
Drummond Indulged in the pleasures
of anticipation; all that could oomq
after. And Just now there were other
things to be done?many others, If
?vents next morning were to go as
they should.
"Take those two Into th? center
room," he cried. "Incidentally there's
a dead Bocbe on the floor, but he'll
come In very handy in my little
?cheat?."
"A dead Bochel" The Intimidated
rabbit gave a frightened squeak.*^
"Good heavens! you ruffian, this is
beyond a loke."
Hugh looked at him coldly.
"Yon 11 find it beyond a Joke, yon
miserable little rat," be said quietly,
"if you speak to me like that." He
laughed as the other shrank past him.
"Three of yon boys In there," he or
dered briskly, "and if either of them
gives the slightest trouble dip him
over the head. Now let's have the
rest of the crWd in fyfre, Peter."
They came filing In, and Hugh
waved a cheery hand In greeting.
"How goes It, you fellows," he cried
with his infectious grin. "Like a com
pany pow-wow before popping the
parapet What! And It's a bigger
show this time, boys, than any you've
had over the water. Gather round,
and Usten to me."
For five minutes he spoke, and his
audience nodded delightedly. Apart
from their love for Drummond?and
three out of every four of them knew
him personally?It was a scheme which
tickled them to death. And he was
careful to tell them Just enough of the
sinister design of the master-criminal
to maka them realize the blgneaa of
the lasne.
"TTCiat'e all dear, then," said Drum
mood, rising. "Now I'm off. Toby,
I want you to come, too. We ought
to be there by midnight,"
"There's only one point, captain,"
remarked the American, aa the group
began to disperse. "That aafe?and
the ledger." He fumbled In hla pocket,
and mjoduced a small India-rubber bot
tle. ^K*ve got the soup here?gel
ignite," he explained, as he saw the
, mystified look on the other's face. "I
reckoned it might cotne in handy. Al
?*_g_XOH *nU detonator."
"Splendid 1" eald Hugh, "spltpidldt
You're an acquisition, Mr. Green, to
?ey gathering. But I think?.! think-*
Whea Tear Farm H tor k Is Sl?k, Look
For Bata.
Disease among farm animals don't
)nst happen. Rats are carriers of
dangerous plagues?hog cholera, foot
?Bd mouth disease and that terrible
ot *11 scourge*?Bubonic plague. Far
Bars should throw around premises
RAT-SNAP. It's sure and safe.
Three sites, 35c, ?&e, $1.25. Bold and
??raalltll by Allen Bros. Co. and
Ayoocke Drag 00.
Fstflsh Matt
Mary had a little poodle,
(The kind that looks like a mop),
ttt doesn't have hla any more;
Ha Uted to Mfa a pop.
And Once Again the American Laughed
Spftly jhe Look on Hli Face.
Laklngton first. nh 1 TJM?un
doubtedly?Henry first I"
And once a^ata the?A pier! can
laughed uofU,y al the loot on his face. 1
CHAPTER XI
In Which Laklngton Play? His Last
"Coop-."
ON?
Toby, rve got a sort of horrid feel
ing that the hunt Is .nearly over."
With a regretful sigh Hugh s wring
the cart out of the sleeping town of
Godalmlng In the direction of Laidley
after mile dropped
smoothly behind the powerful two
seater, and still Drummond's eyes wore
a look of resigned sadness.
"Very nearly over," he remarked
again. "And then once more the
tedium?of respectability positively
?tares us in the face."
MVjvn1!! Kn INUtlna ma|M4<ul aM M
x uu *x vr ^n.Tiin niurncu? uiu yrug
murmured Toby Sinclair hopefully.
For ? moment-hls companion bright
ened up. j, -
"True. O King," be answered. *11 (
~ will ease the situation somewhat; at
least. I suppose so. But think of It,
Toby: no |Laklngton. no -Peterson?
nothing ar ail to piny "Bbont mm mid
keep one amused." ] "
"You're very certain, Hugh." With
a feeling almost of wonder Sinclair
flan cod at the square-Jawed, ugly
profile beside him. "There's many t
?lip . . ."
"My dtar old nifin," Interrupted
Drummond, 'there's only one core for
the prorerto-qiotlng disease?a dose of
salts In the morning." For a while
| they raced On through the warm sum
mer's night in silence, and it was not
"tUl they were within a mile of thet(^
destination that Sinclair spoke again.
"What are you going to do with
them, HnghT"
"Who?our Carl and little Henryl"
Drummond grinned gently. "Why, I
think that Carl and I will part
amicably?unless, of course, he glvee
me any trouble. And as for Laklng
ton?we'll have to see about La king
ton." The grin faded from his face
as he spoke. "Well have to see about
our little Henry," he repeated softly.
And I can't help feeling, Toby, that
between us we shall find a method of
ridding the earth of such a thoroughly
unpleaslng fellow."
"Ton mean to kill him?" grunted
the other noo-commlttally. ?
"Just that and ho more," responded
Hugh. "Tomorrow morning as ever
I?. But he's going to get the shock
of his young life before it happens."
He pulled the car up silently in the
deep shadows of some trees, and the
two men got out.
"Now, old boy, you take her back
to The Kims."
"But confound It all," spluttered
Toby Sinclair. "Don't yon want me
to help you 7"
"I do: by taking the bnzx-boi back.
This little show Is my ?trout."
gor a moment or two Hugh stood
watching the car as It disappeared
down the road along which they had
Just come, wMle his thoughts turned
to the girl now safely aaleep in his
flat in Ixmdon. Another week?per
haps a fortnight?but no more. Not
a day more. . , . And so delightful
was the train of thought thus con
jured up, that for a while Peterson
and Laklngton were forgotten. The
roseate dreams of the young about to
wed hare been known to act similarly
before.
Wherefore to the soldier's Instinc
tive second nature, trained In the war
and sharpened by Ms grim dual with
the gang, must be given the credit at
preventing the ringing of the wedding
bells being postponed for gpod. The
sudden snap of a twig dose by, the
sharp Wss of a compressed-air rifle,
seemed simultaneous with Hugh hurl
ing himself flat on hie face behind a
sheltering bush. In reality there was
that fraction of a second between the
actions which allowed the bullet to
pass harmlessly over his body Instead
at finishing his career there and then.
He heard It go zipping through the
undergrowth as he lay motionless on
the ground; then very cautiously he
turned Ms head and peered abotfL ?
A ahrub was shaking a few yards
away, and on It Hsgti fixed his half
cloaed eyas, if be lay quite still the
miami pr*?m
?asojBi tKaahoThad Taketi e/feeCTH
come and lnvectlg?t<x ITk* tWnjn
would be easier. aa two it three
Booties had discovered to their coat
In (lay? pooe by. 4 .
For two minute? he ?aw no ooe;
then very slowly the branches parted
and the white face at a milil peered
[ through. It waa the chauffeur who
usually drove the Itolla Kpyce, and
I he seemed unduly anxious to nettsfy
himself that all was 'well before com
| lng Dearer. The fame of nngh Drum
infill Had BpivaJ atinjau i-wnit the
, satellites of Tetefaon.
At last he seamed to make up his
I militi, and came oat Into the open.
Step by step he advanced toward the
motionless figure, hln w<.?|?ni held In
readiness to shoot at the faintest
movement. But the eoidter lay
sprawling and Inert, and by the time
the chauffeur had reached h Iga there
was no doubt In that worthy's mind
-that, at last, this wretched meddler
with things that eoocerned tilm sot
had been laid by the heels, >vmcn
-was ?? unfortunate far the ??'mnffeiir
as It had been for unwary Hums In
the past: 1 1 ?!_ ?
Contemptuously be rolled nmm
mood over; then, noting the relaxed
muscles and Inert limbs, he laid his
gun on the ground preparatory to run
ning through his victim's pockets. And
the-fact that such an action was a
little more foolish than offering a man
eating tiger a peppermint lozenge did
not trouble the chauffeur. In fact,
nothing troubled him again.
He got out one gasnlny cry of ter
ror as h?> realised hI? ; yhm
be had a blurred consciousness of the
world?upside down, and everything
was over. It was Olakl's most danger
ous throw, carried out by gripping the
victim's wrists and hurling hls~ bo3y~
?over by a heave of the legs. And nine
broken neck. This was one of the
nine.
For a while the soldier stored at the
body, frowning thoughtfully. To have
killed the chauffeur was Inconvenient,
but since It had happened It neces
sitated a little rearrangement of his
plans. The moon was setting and the
night would become darker, so there
was a good chance that I.nklngton
would not recognize that the driver
of his car had changed. And if he
did?'Well, It would be necessary to
forego the somewhat theatrical enter
at The Elms. Bending over the dead
man. he removed his long grey drlv
lng-coat and cap; then, without a
sound, he threaded his way through
the bushes In search of the car.
He found it abeut a hundred yards
nearer the house, so well hidden In
a small space on tne road that ne
was almost on top or It BHWe lie real
ixed the fact. To his relief It was
empty, arid placing his own cap in a
pocket under the seat he put on the
driving-coat of his predecessor. Then,
with a quick glance round To ensure
that everything wim in readiness for
the immediate and rapid departure
sucn as ire-fanagliiedT7altliijj*0B would
deslre, he turned and crept stealthily
toward the house.
TWO
*?ialdley Towers wag en fete. The
duchess, determined tljat every con
ceivable stunt should be carried out
which would make for the entgrtata
ment of her guest?, had spared no
pains to make the evVjlng a success.
The duke, bored to extinction, had
been five times routed out of his study
by his Indefatigable spouse, and was
now, at the moment Hugh first came
In sight of the bouqp, engaged In shak
ing hands with a tall, arlstocratlc
looklng Indian. . . f""
"How d*y do," he murmured va
cantly. "What did you say the dam'
fellah's name was, my dear?" he whis
pered In a hoarse undertone to the
duchesa, who stood beside him wel
coming the distinguished foreigner.
"We're so glad yon could come, Mr.
Bam Dar," remarked the duchess af
fably. "Everyone Is so looking fop
ward to your wonderful eotcrtaJLn-j
ment" Round her neck were the tU*
torlc pearls, and as the Indian bowed
| low over her outstretched hand, his
eyes gleamed for a second.
It had been the marquis of Laldley
himself who had suggested getting
hold of this molt celebrated perform
er, uho had apparently never been
to England before. And since the
marquis of Laldley's comliig-of-age
was the cause of the whole evening's
entertainment, his suggestion bad
been hailed with acclamation. Bow
he bad beard about the Indian, and
from whom, were points about which
ha waa very vague; but sine* be was
a very vague young man, the fact
elicited no comment. The main thing
waa that here. In the flmb, waa a
dark, mysterious performer of the oc
cult, and what more could a bonae
party require? And In the general
excitement Hugh Drutnmond crept
Closer to the op6h window. Suddenly
his Jaw tightened; Irma Peterson had
entered the room with young Laldley.
"Do you want anything don?, Mr.
Ram Dar?" asked the durheM?"the
lights down or the window nhutJ"
"No, I thank you," returned the In
dian. "I am ready. Who first will
learn of the things that are written oa
the scroll of (Tate T
And It waa at that moment that the
Intent watcher outside the window
began to shake with silent mirth, ?or
the face was the face of tlie Indian,.
Ram Dar, but the voire we? the voice
of T^aklngton. It 'struck him that
the next ten minutes or so might be
j wall worth while. The problem of ra
moving the pearls from the i
neck before suph an assembly
to present a certain amount of dlfl
Blt? Tap ta aoch an expert ?s
SaO-Bugk crept * UTTTo' oeiriir^ tbe
window, so a* to mUa nothing.
Xtld*iLUr %hm kvm was qow m(?
the ueceaaary props v%erv in position
?and Hugh wilted with growing lui
patience for the principal event But
the principal performer seemed In no
hurry. In fact. In hi* dry wajr Lak
i lngton was thoroughly enjoying him
' 8? If. An Intimate Inside knowledge
of the skeletons thai rattled their j
bones In the cupboards' of most of
-thoee present?enabled the gods to
gpaak irlfh .Ua^n.^iflng jfifliagj
and as each victim Insisted on some- |
body new facing the sand* that caiae i
from beyond the mountains, the per- |
formance seemed likely to last indefi
nitely. (
At last a snaden delighted burst of
applause came from tbe group, an
nouncing the discomfiture of yet an
Other gueet- and with It T.?fr?nytr>n
seemed to tire of the amusement. Kn
grossed though be was in t$e ?iyfi??ip?. j
-Hon- of the main 1ft*m whi^h wmk still
tu bt' siHKPd, Drumnuintl wold ikU Mit
admire the extraordinary accuracy of
the character study. Not a detail had
hH*n nvprlonhpd; not a sinrls fliw In
Laklngton's acting could he notice. It,
was an Indian who stood there, and-,
when a "Tew days later Hugh returned j
her pearls to the duchess, for a long
time neither she nor her husband
would believe that Ram I>ar had been ,
<fn Englishman disguised. - And this |
was what happened as seen by the
fascinated onlooker crouching near ihe
window outside.
Superbly disdainful, /he Indian .
after a short, meaningless patter, to 1
hold the attention of the audience,
stalked to the open window. With
arms outstretched he stared into the
darkness, seeming to gather strength. |
from the gods whom he served. ^
_ *T>o your ears not hear the*whisper- ,
Ings of the nlghtT* he demanded. **L!fe I
rustling in the leaves; death moanins [
through thfi gTasses.- And suddenly he I
threw back his head and laughed, a
fierce, mocking laugh: then he swung
round and faced the n?oin. For s while
lie stood motionless, and Hutfh. from
the shelter of tfre bushes. wondered _
whether the two <>nick flashes that
had come from his robe as he spoke?
flashes such as a sitiaTT electric torch
will give, and which were unseen by
anyone else?were a stgnirt to the de
funct, chauffeur.
Then a peculiar look came over the
Chinese cabinet!* ^ ^ !
??Where did the Protector of the
Poor obtain the sacred cabinet of the
Chow kings?" De peered at It rever
ently, and the duke coughed.
"One of my ancestors pickod It up
somewhere." he answered apologeti- ,
cmijr. I
?"Fasliluueq utili Hie Uluod of rmm, t
guarded with their lives, "and one of f
your ancestors picked it up !** The |
duke withered completely un7Tt?i the j
biting scorn of the words, and seemed J
about to v something hnr the Tnifan
had turned ftwajj and his long, deljcate
fingers were horering over the box. ~T
front of him, and a woman shuddered
audibly.
"What is It supposed to do7' sha
ventured timidly.
"For centuries that boat contained
the jewels?precious beyond words
?of the reigning queens of the Chow
dynasty. They were wrapped Is sil
ver and gold tissue?of which this is
a feeble, modern- substitute.*'
From a pnmmerbund under his robe
he drew^a piece of shining material, .
the appearance of which was greeted \
with cries of feminine delight.
"You would not ask me to commit '
sacrilege?" Quietiy he' replaced the j
material in his belt and turned away, j
"Whtrt Did the Protector of Uw Poor
Obtain tho Socrod Cabinet of tfco
Chow Klng?7"
and Hugh's ijm gtlnteoed at Dm etaf
emMM wife which Ui* man wu act
ing. Whether they Mlntd H or not.
thpre waa not a anal In Ow mom by
thta time who waa na? nnmmd with
caimiMa to pat the Cblneae <4ebtnet
to the teat.
"fluppoalng ynv took my pearia. Mr.
Ran Dar," aalri the docheiai dlffldeat
1?. "I know that compared to aoefc
hlatorlc Jewel? they are poor, hot per
ha pa It wo?ld not be aacrllege."
Not a moarle on Lfkiagtoa'a face
twitched, though It waa the thing he
liy hfll pUTln| tor. la?j*d f0
ba nsk m I
the dachiai continued
the |wt pi the put;
treaties. Then, u K kt kad
suddenly, be mu? round.
"1 will .try.'
and the duchess hemded the ?
delight. "Will tbe
bark, and } on, your Ono, trnke thatT* |
He handed her the piece at
So hand bat jvurm u?
pearls. Wrap them up
ver and gold." Aloofly
; tin; procesa. 'No*: advance ataaa. and
open the box. Place ihe pearls te
?iti?. Now shot and lock tt." Otwft
ently the duchess did ss she vu bid;
theo she stood waiting far further In
structions.
Bat apparently by this
Greet Brooding Spirit vas
to take effect. Singing a (
hanh chant, the Indian fc?it m
floor, and poured some powder
a little brasier. H? waa still
to the open window, and ftnattr
aown with his elbow* an
BAd Ilia head rocking t?
his hands.
seemed to come from a great
?ventriloquism In a mOd way ,
one of Lakington's accmppflsfc?<1; |
and as the lights wpnt oat a greet
spluttering flame roee from tli? Itn:
A heavy, odorous smoke filled
room, bat framed and motienlest
the eerie light sat the Indian, ?trn:
fixedly in front of M? After a I
the chant began again; It m?
swelled in volume till the sincer C
freplied and beat hla head with
hands. Then abruptly It stopped.
"Place the box upon tbe Soar "
ordered. "In the light of the
Fire." Hugh saw the duchess kseei
down on the opposite side
brazier, and place the box oo t
while the f7t>~vnrnf tht g.wem ?
and ghostly in the great light?peered
litre specters out of the heavy i
This was undoubtedly a
watching.
"Open the box!" Harshly the ?
rang through the silent room, ui with
qrfter^ tfmr n-?.nihl.ja ? liUW Q? tlh
ess turned the key and threw back
the lid.
"Why, it's empty?
amazement, and the guests <
ward to look.
"Put not your hand . _
the Indian in sudden warning, "er ]
The duchess rapidly withdrew
Land, and stared incredulously thrw
tbe smoke at his Impassive face.
"Did I not say that there was
Tn the DoiT be said dreamily.
power to reader invisible?the
to render visible. Thus
luiiim tu tht jcmlj
queens."
"That's aH right, Mr. n?m Dar."
said the duchess a ! i t tie apprebes?
i'taligt?- "There may be power to the
box. hut my pearls don't seem to be."
?The Indian laughed. i
"None but you has touched the cab
inet. yoar Grace; none bat jtm
are there sow; but
eyes tn see."
Which, incidentally, was wm m
than tbe truth.
"toot, oh! sahib?, look; bat do
tou<&. See that to your vision Ike 1
Is empty. . . ." He waited ?
less, while the guests thronged
with expressions of amazei
Hugh, safe from view tn
sweet-smelling moke, 1
er in his excitement.
"It is enough." cried
suddenly. "Shut the box. your
and lock It as before. Nffw pi
on the table whence It came, h K I
there T*
"Yes." The duchess* roice came eat
of the green tog.
*Hro not too near,'* he i mulled
wamlcgly. "The gods mat Int
?pace?the gods most hare space.*
A (fain the harsh chant began, at
times swelling to a shoot, at thasa
dying away tb a whisper. And It waa
during one of these latter
a low laagh. Instantly
tnrtied the room. It
We, and someooe Irritably sal
quiet I" It was not repeated,
afforded Ilagh, at any rat?, i
prise. For It had been IrMa
who had langhedj and it
been hilarity, or It
a signal.
"Bring the box. your grate." be oM
harshly, and ooee more the
knelt In the circle of light.
row of dimly seen bras above
"Open; but as yoa ralae yea
??touch them not.'
threw back the lid. and a
Pries greeted the
gold and Hirer
the boj.
(TO BE CON~ri.Nl. KI))
r?ns niiT.
Forms 1M0 for nvwlia?
udi return of income f<
year 1921 of
arailabie at the office at O
Intetnal Kerenoe at RaMsik. K
and the tallowing
Washington. Wilmington,
lom. Asherill?, Charlotte.
Greensboro. Durl
Slatesrille.
The form contains six
which are derated to the
to a duplicate of the reta
lulned by the taxpayer, aad tee ta h
stnictloas. The form
persons who lied
ve*Y. bat fallara to lecatse a In ?
does not laBaf the tfclpaji af Ik
obligation to lie on pnsa. as ar Mtn
March 15. 1W1. If tka Mm k Mfc
on calendar year
Form* IM A tor
of M?? N or leas
at the abora otVaa.
1
PROFESSIONAL COLUMN
of
M *
Will b* tar
it C. !%?
DH_ ARTHUR HYXKS FLEMING
&r.i
N. C
11 a. m. to 1 ?. m, ul ?
[Ok
. B. C. MTTMW1
r> j*i" *|AT1S
SL Next to
* uun
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Dmj Hm M>
CL 1
C.
AUTO FOB HKE
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