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About Dakota County herald. (Dakota City, Neb.) 1891-1965 | View Entire Issue (June 9, 1921)
DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD K i f ) i b j yxnMsxx'$ Bull-Dog Drummond The Adventures of a Demobilized Officer Who Found Peace Dull VVWWVVVtAV' "DON'T LAUGHl" Synopsis. In December, WIS, four men sathcred In a. hotel In Ilerno and lieaid ono of tho quartet, Carl Peterson, outline a plan to para lyze Great Britain and at tho samo tlmo seize world power. The other three, Hocking, Amorlcnny and Stclncman and Von Gratz, Ger mans, all millionaires, agree to tho scheme, providing another mun, Hi ram Potts, an American, Is taken In. Capt. Hugh (Bull-Dog) Drum mond, a retired officer, advertises for work that will give him exclto ment, signing "X10." Aa a result ho meets Phyllis Benton, a young woman who answered his ad. Sho tells him of strango murders and robberies by a band headed by "arl Feterson and Henry Laklngton. Sho fears bor father Is Involved. Drum mond goes to Tho Larches, Miss Benton's homo, noxt door to The Elms, Peterson's place. During tho night Drummond leaves The Larches and explores The Elms. He discovers Laklngton and retor tion using a thumbscrew on Potts, who signs a paper. Drummond rescues Potts and takes him to his own home. Ho also gets half tho paper, torn In the struggle. Peter son visits Drummond, departing with a threat to return and recover Potts and alBo the torn paper which Potts signed. The band ab duct Hugh and a friend ho has sub stituted for Potts and talto thorn to Tho Elms. Peterson Is furious over tho mistake. .CHAPTER IV Continued. A fixed determination to know whnt fay In thnt sinister brain rcplnced his temporary Indecision. Events up to date had moved so quickly that ho had hnrdly had time to get his bearings; even now the last twenty-four hours seemed almost a dream. And as he looked nt the broad back and massive head of the man nt the window, and from him to the girl Idly smoking on the sofn, he smiled n little grimly. He had just remembered tho thumbscrew of the preceding evening. Assuredly the demobilized ofilcer who found peace dull wns getting his money's worth; nnd Drummond had a shrewd suspicion that the entertainment was only just beginning. A sudflcn sound outside In the gar den made him look up qulcltly. He saw the white gleam of a shirt front, and tho next moment a man pushed open the window and came unsteadily Into tho room. It was Mr. Benton, and quite obviously ho had been seeking consolntlon In the bottle. "Have you got him?" he demanded thickly, stendylng himself with a hand on Peterson's arm. "I have not," said Peterson shortly, eyeing the swaying figure In front of him contemptuously. "For heaven's nke, sit down, man, before you fall down." He pushed Benton roughly Into a choir, and resumed his Impas sive stare Into the darkness. The girl took not the slightest notice of the new arrival, who gazed stupid ly at Drummond across tho table. "We seem to be moving in an at mosphere of cross-purposes, Mr. Ben ton," said the soldier affably. "I hope jour daughter is quite well." "Er quite, thank you," muttered the other. "Tell her, will you, that I propose to call on her before returning to Lon don tomorrow." With his hands In his pockets, Peter son wns regarding Drummond from the window. "You propose leaving us tomorrow, do you?" he said quietly. Drummond stood up. "I ordered my car for ten o'clock," he answered. "I um quite sure that I shall be more useful to Mr. Peter son at largo than I nm cooped up here. I might even lead hi in to this hidden treasure which he thinks I've got." "You will do that, nil right," re marked I'eterson. "But at the mo ment I was wondering whether n Ut tie porsunsloii now might not give mo nil the information I require more quickly and with less trouble." A fleeting vision of a mangled, pulp like thumb Unshed across Hugh's mind; once again ho heard that hide ous cry, half animal, half human, which had echoed through tho dark ness the preceding night, nnd for an Instant his breath came a little faster. Then he smiled, nnd shook his head. "I think you nro rather too good n Judge of humnn nature to try anything so foolish," he said thoughtfully. "You see, unless jou kill me, which I don't think would suit your book, you nght flqd explanations n little dllllcult to morrow." For n while there was silence In tho room, broken at length by a short' laugh from I'eterson. "For u young man, truly your per spicacity Is great," he remarked. "Ir iint, Is the blue room ready? If so, tell LuIgTto show Captain Drummond to It." "I will show him myself," sho nu swored, rising. Hugh saw a look of annoynnce pass over Peterson's face as ho turned to follow the girl, and it struck .him thnt that gentlemnn wns not best pleased nt the turn of events. Then tho door closed, nnd he fallowed his fuldo up tho stairs. Tie g'r! penod the toor tt n ooin and switched on tho light. Then she faced him smiling, nnd Hugh looked at her steadily. "Tell me, you ugly man," she murmured, "why you tire such n fool." Hugh smiled, nnd as hns been said before, Hugls smile transformed his face. "I must remember thnt opening," he said. "It establishes a basis of In timacy at once, doesn't It?" She swnyed a little toward him, nnd then, before he realized her In tenttw, sho put a hand on his shoul der. "Don't you understand," sho whis pered fiercely, "thnt they'll kill you?" .She peered past him hnlf fearfully, and then turned to hjm ngaln. "Go, you Idiot, go whllo there's time. Get out of it go nbrond; do anything but don't fool round here." "It seems a cheerful household," re marked Hugh with a smile., "May I nsk why you're nil so concerned nbout mo? Your estlnyiblc fnther gave mo the same ndvlco yesterdny morning." "Don't ask why," she answered fe verishly, "becauso I can't tell you. Only you must bellevo that what I say' Is the truth you must. It's Just possible thnt If you go now and tell them where you've hidden tho Ameri can you'll be all right. But If you don't " Her hand dropped to her side suddenly. "Breakfast will bo at nine, my Hugh: until then, nu revolr." Ho turned ns sho left the room, n little puzzled by her change of tone. Standing at the top of the stairs was Peterson, watching them both In si lence. . . . TWO. In the days when Drummond had been n plntoon commander he had done many dangerous things. The or dinary joys of the infantry subaltern's life such ns going over the top, and carrying out raids hnd not proved sulliclent for his appetite. He hnd specialized In peculiar stunts of his own: stunts over which he was sln culnrlv reticent: stunts over which his men formed their own conclusions, and worshiped him accordingly. But Drummond was no fool, nnd he had realized the vital importance of fitting himself for these stunts to the best of his ability. Enormous physlcnl strength is a great asset, but It car ries with It certain natural disadvan tages. In the first -plnce, Its possessor Is frequently clumsy: Hugh had prac ticed In France till ho could move ovor ground without a single blade of grass rustling. Van Dyck a Dutch trap per had first shown him the trick, by which a man goes forward on his el bows like a snake, and Is hero one moment nnd gone tho noxt, with no one tho wiser. Again, Its possessor Is frequently slow: Hugh had practiced In Franco till he could kill a man with his bnro hands In n second. Olnkl a Japa nese hnd first ' taught him two or three of tho secrets of his trade, nnd In the Intervals of resting behind tho lines he had perfected them until It wns even money whether the Jnp or he would win In i practice .bout. And there were nights In No Man's Lund when his men would hour strange sounds, nnd knowing that Drummond was nbroad on his wanderings, would "Tell Me, You Ugly Man," She Mur mured, "Why You Are Such a Fool." peer eagerly over the parapet Into the desolate torn-up waste In front But they never suw nnythlng, even when the "green ghostly llnres went hissing up Into the dnrkness nnd the shadows danced fantastically. All was silent and still ; tho sudden shrill whimper was not reponted. Perhaps a patrol coming back would report a Gorman, lying huddled In a shellhole, with no trnco of n wound, but only a brokon neck; perhaps the ""HI ( Wm I TSBffll ; By Cyril McNeile "Sapper" Copyright by Geo. n. Doran Co. ,vwvwvB patrol never found nnythlng. But whntever tho report, Hugh Drummond only grlnnned and saw to his men's breakfast. Which is why there are In England todny quite a number of civilians who acknowledge only two rulers tho King and Hugh Drum mond. And they would willingly tile for either. The result on Drummond was not surprising; ns nearly as a man mny be ho wns without fear. And when the Idea came to him ns he sat on the edge of his bed thoughtfully pulling oft his shoes, no question of tho possible risk entered Into his mind. To exploro tho house seemed tho most unturnl thing In tho world, nnd with character istic brevity he summed up tho situ ation ns It struck him. ("They suspect mo nnyhow: In fact, they know I took Potts. Therefore, even If they cntch me passage creep ing, I'm no worse off thnn I nm now. And I might find something of Inter est. Therefore, carry on, bravo heart." It was dark in the passage outsldo as ho opened the door of his room nnd crept toward the top of the stnlrs. The collar of his brown lounge cont was turned up, and his stocking feet mnde no sound on the heavy pile carpet. Llko a hugo shadow ho vanished Into the blackness, feeling his way forward with tho Uncanny instinct thnt comes, from much practice. Every now nnd then he paused nnd listened intently, but tho measured ticking of tho clock below nnd tho occasional creak of n board alone broko the stillness. To tho left lay tho room In which "ho hnd spent tho evening, nnd Drummond turned to tho right. As ho hnd gone up to bed ho had noticed a door screened by a heavy curtain which ho thought might bo tho room Phyllis Benton hnd spoken of the room where Henrv Laklngton kept his Ill- gotten treasures. He felt his wny along the wnll, nnd nt length his hand touched the curtain only to drop It again at once. From close beside him hnd come a sharp, angry hiss. . . . He stepped back n pace and stood rigid, staring at the spot from which tho sound hnd seemed to come; but he could see nothing. Then ho leaned forward nnd once more moved the curtnln. Instantly It came again, shnrper nnd nncrlnr thnn before. Hugh passed n hand over his fore head nnd found It damp. Gennnns he know, and things on two logs, but whnt was this that'hlssed so viciously in the dnrkness? At length he deter mined to risk It, and drew from his pocket n tiny electric torch. Holding It well nwoy from his body, ho switched on the light. In tho center of tho beam, swnying gracefully to nnd fro, wns n snnke. For a moment ho watched It, fascinated as It spat nt the light nngrlly ; he saw tho fiat hood where tho vicious head was set on the upright body ; then he switched off the torch nnd retreated rather faster 'than he hnd come. "A convlvlnl household," he mut tered to himself through lips that were a little dry. "A hooded cobra Is an unplcaslng pet." Hugh had just determined to recon nolter the curtained doorway again to see If It wns possible to .circumvent the snake, when a low chuckle came distinctly to his cars from the landing above. He flushed nngrlly in the dnrkness. There was no doubt whntever as to tho human origin of that laugh, nnd Hugh suddenly realized that ho was making the most profound fool of him self. To bo lnughed nt by some dirty swine whom ho could strangle In half a mlnuto wns Impossible. Ills fists clenched, and he swore softly under his breath. Then ns silently as ho had como down, he commenced to climb the stnlrs ngnln. Ho had n hazy Idea that he would llko to hit some thing hnrd. There were nlno stnlrs In tho first half of tho flight, nnd It was ns ho stood on the fifth thnt ho ngnln hcurd the low chuckle. At the snipe Instnnt something whizzed past his head so low that It almost touched his hnlr, and there wns a clang on the wall be side him. lie ducked Instinctively, and regardless of noise raced up the remaining stnlrs, on all-fours, Ills Jnw was set like a vise, his eyes were blazing; In fact, Hugh Drummond was seeing red. Ho paused whefi he reached the top, crouching In the darkness. Close to him ho could feel some ono else, and holding his breuth, he listened. Then he heard tho man movt only the very faintest sound but It wns enough. Without a second's thought h sprang, nnd his hnnds closed on humnn flesh, lie laughed gently; then ho fought In silence. His opponent wns strong above tho average, hut after n minute he was like a child In Hugh's grasp. He choked once or twice and muttered something: then nugh slipped his right hnnd gently onto tho man's thront. His fingers moved slowly round, his thumb ndjusted Itself lov ingly, nnd tho mun felt his head being forced back Irresistibly. Ho gavo one strangled cry, nnd then tho pressure relaxed. . . . "Ono half-Inch more, my gentle hu morist," Hugh whlepered in his ear, "end you.' neck would har been btoken. As It Is, It will bo very still" for some days. Another time don't laugh. It's dnngorous." Then, llko n ghost, ho vanished nlong tho pnssngo In tho direction of his own room. THREE. At eight o'clock tho next morning n burly looking rufllnn brought In soma hot water nnd n cup of ten. As ho pulled up the blinds tho light fell full on his buttered, rugged face, nnd sud denly Hugh snt up In bed nnd stared at him. "Good Lord I" ho cried, "nren't you Jem Smith?" The man swung round like n llnsb and glared nt the bed.. "Wot the 'ell 'as that got to do wlv you?" he snarled, ami then his fnce changed. "Why, strike mc pink, If it ain't young Drummond." Hugh grinned. "Bight In ono, Jem. Whnt In the name of fortune nro you doing In this outfit? Given up the gnme?" "It give me up, when that cross-eyed son of a gun Young Baxter f Might thnt cross down nt 'Oxton. Gawd 1 If I could get the swine Just once ngnln s'welp mo. I'd" Words failed Uio ex bruiser; ho could only mutter. Hugh smiled. "By tho wny, has any one got n stiff neck In tho houso this morning?" "SUIT neck I" echoed tho man. "Strike mo pink If thnt ain't funny W l )- He Laughed Gently; Then He Fought In Silence. your asking, I mean. The bloko's sit ting up In Ms bed swearing awful. Can't move 'Is 'end nt nil." "And who, might I ask, Is tho bloke?" said Drummond. "Why, Peterson, o' course. 'Oo else? Breakfast nt nine." Tho door closed behind him, nnd Hugh lit n cigarette thoughtfully. Most assuredly he was stnrtlng In stylo: Lnklngton's Jaw ono night, Pet erson's neck tho second, seemed u sulll clcntly energetic opening to tbo gnme for tho veriest glutton. Then thnt cheerful optimism which wus the en vy of his friends asserted Itself. "Supposln' I'd killed 'em," he mur mured, nghnst. "Just supposln'. Why, the bnlly show would havo been over, and I'd have had to advertlso ngnln." Only Peterson wns In tho dining room when Hugh came down. Ho hnd exnmlned tho stairs on his wny, hut ho could seo nothing unusual which would account for the thing which had whizzed past his head and clanged sul lenly ngntnst tho wnll. Nor was- thoro any sign of the cobra by the curtained door; merely Peterson standing In a sunny room behind a bubbling coffee machine. Ho turned politely townrd his host, nnd pnused In dlsmny. "Good heavens, Mr. I'eterson, Is your neck hurting you?" "It Is," nnswored Peterson grimly. "A nulsnnce, bnvlng a stiff neck. Make's every ono laugh, and ono gets no sympathy. Had thing lnughter. . . . At times, nnywny." "Curiosity Is a great deal worse, Captain Drummond. It wns touch and go whether I killed you lust night." "I .think I might suy tho same," re turned Drumuioml. "Yes nnd no," snld Peterson."Froni the moment you left tho bottom of tho stairs, I had your life In the palm of my hand. Hnd I choen to take It, my young friend, I should not havo had this stiff neck." Hugh returned to his breakfast un concernedly. "Grunted, luddlc, grunted. But hud I not been of such n kindly nnd for bonrlng nature, you wouldn't have had It, either." I In looked nt Peter son critically. "I'm Inclined Jto think It's n great pity I didn't break your neck whllo I wns nbout It." Hugh sighed ami drank some coffee. "I see that I shall huvo to do It some day, and probably Laklngton's ns well. . . . By the wny, how la our Henry? I trust his Jaw Is not unduly Incon veniencing him." Peterson, with his coffco cup In his hand, was staring down the drive. "Your cur Is a little early, Captain Drummond," ho said ut length. "How over, perhaps It can wait two or thrco minutes while wo get mutters perfect ly eleur. 1 should dlsllko you not knowing whero you stand." Ho turned round and faced the soldier. "You havo deliberately, against my ndvlco, elected to fight mo und tho Interest I represent. So bo It. From now on rJHiflHP pSi II tho gloves nro off. ' Tou embarked on tills coureo from n spirit of ndventuro, at tho instigation of tho girl next door. She, poor ilttlo fool, 1b con cerned over that drunken waster her father. Sho nsked you to help her you agreed, and, amazing though It may seem, up to now you havo scored n certain inensuro of buccoss. I ad mit it, and I ndmlro you for It. I apologize now for having played the fool with you last njght,; you're tho typo of man whom ono should kill out right or leave alone." lie set down his coffee cup nnd cure fully snipped Uie end off a cigar. "You nro nlso tho typo of man who will continue on the path ho has start ed. You nro completely In tln dark; you havo no Idea whatever what you are up against." Ho smiled grimly, nnd turned abruptly on Hugh. "You fool you stupid young fool. Do you really luinglno that you am heat me?" Tho soldier rose und stood In front of him. "I have n few remnrks of my own to innke," he answered, "nnd then wo might consider the Interview closed. I nsk nothing better thnn that the gloves should bo off though wltli your filthy methods of fighting, nnythlng you touch will get Very dirty. As you say, I nm completely In tho tlnrk ns to your plans ; but I have a pretty shrewd Idea whnt I'm up against. Men who can employ n thumbscrew on n poor defenseless bruto seem to mo to bo soveral degrees worse thnn nn nborlgl- nnl cannlbnl, nnd therefore If I put you down ns ono of tho lowost types of degraded criminal I shall not bo very wldo of the mark. There's no good you snarling nt me, you swine; It does everybody good to hear somd home truths and don't forget It was you who pulled off tho gloves." Drummond Ut u cigarette; then his merciless eyes fixed themselves ngaln on Peterson. "There Is only ono tiling more," ho continued. "You havo kindly warned mo of my dnngur; lot me glvo you n word of ndvlco In my turn. I'm going to fight you; If I can, I'm going to bdnt you. Anything thnt mny happen to me Is part of the game. But If anything happens to Miss Benton dur ing tho course of operations, then, ns surely as there Is a God above, Peter son, I'll grt nt you somehow nnd mur der you with my own hands." For a few moments there wns si lence, and then with n short laugh Drummond turned nwny. "Shall wo meet ngnln soon?" Ho pnused nt tho door und looked buck. Peterson wns still standing by tho table, his face expressionless. "Very soon, Indeed, young man," ho said quietly. "Very soon Indeed. . . ." Hugh stepped out ' Into tho warm suushlno nnd spoke to his chauffeur. "Tako her out Into tho main rond, Jenkins," he snld, "and wait for mo outside the entrance to tho noxt house. I shan't ho long." Then-'lio strolled through tho gar den toward the Ilttlo wlcket-guto thnt led to The Larches. Phyllis I The thought of her was singing In his heart to tho exclusion of everything else. Just a few minutes with her; Just the touch of her hand, tho faint smell of tho scent sho used nnd then hack to tho game. lie hnd nlmost renched the gate, when, with n sudden crashing In tho undorgrowth, Jem Smith blundered out Into the path. Ills naturally ruddy face wns white, nnd he stared round fenrfully. ' "Gnwdl sir," ho cried, "mind out. 'Avo yer seen It?" "Seen whnt, Jem?" nsked Drum mond. "That thoro brute. 'E's escaped; nnd If 'o meets n stranger" Ho left tho sentence unfinished, nnd Btood listening. From somowhoro behind tho hoxiso enmo a decp throuted, snarling roar; then the clnng of n pndlock Bhootlng homo In metal, followed by n series of heavy thuds as If some big anlmnl wns hurl ing Itfcclf ngnlnst the bars of a cnge. "They've got It," muttered Jem. "You seem to havo n nlco Ilttlo crowd of pets about tho house," re marked Drummond, putting a hand on the man's nnn ns ho wns about to move off. "Whnt ,wns that docile crenture we'vo Just henrd culling to Jts young?" Tho ex-puglllst looked nt him sul lenly. "Never you mind, sir; It nln't no business of yours. An' If I wns you, I wouldn't mnkc It your business to find out." A moment Inter ho hnd dlsnppeared .Into the bushes, nnd Drummond was left alone. Assuredly n cheerful household, ho reflected; Just the spot for u rest-cure. Then bo saw a figure on the lawn of the next house which banished everything else from his mind ; and oiM-nlng tho gnte, ho walked engerly toward Phyllis Benton. "Long IIto tho Brotherhood 1" (TO HK.CONTINUKD.) Wood Averta Evil. There nre numerous curious or su perstltious beliefs regarding fragrant woods, suys tho American Forestry Magazine. Tho Burmese have n su perstition that beams of balance, should bo Hindu of tho Thltmnn or prince of wooda. (Podeurpus neru folia), while a peg of it driven Into n houso post or boats will uvert evil. Soup Solo. A llttlt) girl was nnuoyed by her slHtor's Inhalation of her soup. She became restless nnd finally In splti of elders present nt tho table, shi said: "I hcur you enjoy your tou Klalo." Lawrenc TelogrmJB. Home Town TUT I F Helps? " ' " LOOK TO FUTURE EXPANSION Civic Bodies of Kansas City Are Show Ing a Spirit Well Worthy of Emulation. Just how -nlunblo It may bo to pre- l pnro for the orderly development of I u city Industrially Is Indicated In a piece of work which Is now being i undcrtnken by tho elty-plunnlng com ' mission and tho chamber of commerce I of Kunsns City. The Industrial depart ment of tho chamber alms to nlnko u survey of Industrial conditions In Kansas City which It may use In Its own work, nnd the planning commls' slon will seek much additional data through the survey which may be used to excellent purpose by various com mittees of tho commission, by tho In dustries themselves nnd by other agencies concerned with the most busi nesslike nnd systemutlc expansion of the entire city. What tho planning commission do sires to ascertain In this respect is Just whnt Uie most progressive nnd far-seeing business mnn would havo In order to make, possible- tho best development of his interests. The commission already bus committees at work obtaining facts ubout Knnsas City's present status und probable fu ture expansion In respect to commer cial, residential nnd Industrial dis tricts; recreation facilities, highways and transportation conditions; nnd It has prepared a basic map which makes zoning of tho city possible. But tho necessity of obtaining such facts ns these about tho city's Industries, as well ns tho value of the facts, Is nt once evident: What Industries has tho city? AVhnt Is likely to bo tho expansion of these periods of ten, twenty or thirty years? Where will the expunslon bo?- AVhnt additional Industries Is ICnnsni City likely to have? Whero will they bo placed? AVhero will the additional employees live? HOW CITY CONSERVED TREES Los Angeles Built "Island1 Around Unusually Fine Cluster In Path of Grading. AVbtin the city of Los Angeles re cently cut North Broadway through llolgnto square there wus a clump of fine old pepper trees directly In tho path of tho grading. So tho city, rather than cut the trees down, built nn "Islniid" around them. An un usual feature of the Island Is an or nnmentul drinking fountain which . '.. h. t i ya-tw -f tM-MMM W This Fountain Is a By-Product of Sav ing the Trees From Destruction by Building an "Island" Around Them. wns built for tho purposo of supplying . thirsty motorists and pedestrians with a refreshing draught of Adum's ale. The water Is piped to the fountain from a street mnln. Popular Science Monthly. School Gardens. Is there ground uvnlluble for school gardens? Soino schools huvo rented vacant lots nnd fields near tho school houso for their gardens und huvo suc ceeded In earning money on them, which has been used for, other school projects or equipment. A curtain school has an orchard of 100 trees, In which the children nro given practical Instruction on the cure of fruit trees; the profit from the hale of tho fruit goes to the school; und the orchard nerves us u model for tho community. Is It possible or advisable In your school to huvo gardens and orchunH so miiiiuged that they will inuko sub stuntlul contributions to tho upkeep of various tx'lnml activities, mid ut tho sumo time provide valuable practi cal laboratory training for the pupils? This Is u community problem, which mny bo solved best, perhaps, by gen eral discussion. "City Plan" Works Well. The city plan has been tried hi many cities with success. St. Louis and Milwaukee nro examples. Un der such u plan tho city does not re peat obvious mistakes. At present the man who builds a home has no ussurance that u filling station will ftot be his next-door neighbor tomor row. Ho may move Into another dis trict and Inter see u factory shut off his light and air. The city plan Idea, summed up, Is that there Is a place for Oory thing und that everything should ho In Its place. Tho only wny that Idea can be made effective Is through laws giving tho planners Uie legal right to act. Exchange.