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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 20, 1921)
NORTH" PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE 31 Bull-Dog Drummond The Adventures of a Demobilized c -i McNeile Untcer wno rouna reace uuu "Sapper" Copyright by Oeo, IL Doran Co. s "DON'T LAUQHl" Synopsis. In December, ISIS, four men gathered In a hotel In Hcrno and hoard one of tho quartet, Carl Peterson, outllno a plan to para lyze Great Britain and at tlio samo tlmo "filio world power. Tho other throo, HocklriK, American, and fltelneraan and Von Qratz, Ger mans, all mllllonalroa, agree to tho chome, providing another man, Hi ram Potts, an American, In taken In. dipt, Hugh (null-Dog) Drum mond, a rotlred onlcor, advertises for work that will give him eiclto ment, signing "X10," As a result he meets Phyllis Uonton, a young woman who answered hln nd. She tells htm of strange murdors and robberlos by a band headed by Carl Potorson and Henry Laklngton. She fears her father Is Involved. Drum mond goes to Tho Inarches, Miss Denton's, home, next door to The Elms, Peterson'fl place. During tho night Drummond leaves Tho Larches and explores The Elms. He discovers Lnklngton and Peter son using a thumbscrow on Potts, who signs a paper. Drummond rescues Potts and takes him to his own homo. He also gats half tho paper, torn In tho struggle. Potor son visits Drummond, departing with a threat to return nnd recover Potts and also tho torn papor which Potts nlgnod. Tho band ab duct Hugh and a friend ho has sub stituted for Potto avid talco them to Tho Kims. Peterson In furious over tile lliiola'ne. CHAPTER IV Continued. A fixed determination to know what lny In that sinister brain replaced his temporary Indecision. Kvimts up to dato had moved so quickly tlint lie hnd hardly hail time to gut hfs bearings; oven now tho last twenty-four hours seemed almost n dream. And us he looked at tho broad back and mnsslvo head of.tlio man itt tho window, and from htm to tho girl Idly smoking on the sofa, he smiled a little grimly. Ho lind Just remembored the thumbscrew of tho preceding evening. Assuredly tho demobilized officer who found peaco dull was getting his money's worth; and Drummond had a shrewd suspicion that tho entertainment was only. Just beginning. A sudflen sound outsldo In tho gar don tnado m look up qulcJRy. Ho saw tho whlto gleam of a shirt front, nnd tho next moment a mutt pushed open tho window nnd camo unsteadily Into tho room, It was Mr. Uonton, nnd quite obviously ho had been seeking consolation In tho bottle. "Havo you got him?" ho demanded thickly, steadying himself with a hand on Peterson's arm. "I havo not," Bold I'oterson shortly, eyeing tho swaying figure, In front of hlnf contemptuously. "For heaven's sako, sit down, man, before you full down." Ho pushed Bonton roughly into a chair, and resumed his ImpnB nlvo Btaro Into tho darkness. Tho girl took not tho slightest nottco of tho now arrival, who gazed stupid ly at Drummond across Uto tabic. "Wo Beem to bo moving In an at- mosphero of cross-purposes, Mr. Ben ton," ,sald tho Boldlor affably. "I hopo your daughter Is qulto well." "Br qulto, thank you," muttered the other. i "Tell her, will you, that-1 propose to cail on her boforo returning to Lon don tomorrow." With his hands In his pockets, Petor don was regarding Drummond from the window. "You proposo leaving us tomorrow, do you?" ho said quietly. Drummond stood up. "I ordered my car for ten o'clock," ho unswercd. "I am qulto sure that I shall bo moro useful o Mr. Petor Hon nt lurgo than I run cooped up' hero. I might oven lend him to this hidden treusuro which ho thinks I've got." "You will do that, nil right," re marked Peterson. "Hut at tho mo ment I was wondering whether a Ut tlo persuasion now might not give mo all tho Information I require moro quickly nnd with loss trouble." A Hooting vision of a mangled, pulp like thumb Hashed ncross Hugh's mind; onco 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 camo a little faster. Then ho Btutlod, and shook his head. "I think you are rather too good a Judge of human nnturu to try anything bo foolish," ho sold thoughtfully, "You ceo, unless you kill mo, which I don't think would suit your book, you might find explanations a llttlo difficult to morrow." Kor a whllo there wub sllcnco in tho room, broken at length by a short laugh from I'oterson. "For a young man, truly your per spicacity Is great." ho romnrkod. "Ir ani, Is tho blue room ready? If bo, tell Lulgl to Bhow Captain Drummond to It." "I will show him myself," sho an wared, rising. Hugh saw a look of annoyance pass vcr Potcrson's fnco as ho "turned to follow tho girl, ami It struck him that that gentleman was not hest pleased at tho turn of, events. Then tho door closed, and ho followed his euldo up the stairs. I Tho girl opened the door of a room and switched tin tho light Then sho faced him smiling, nnd Hugh looked nt her Bteadlly. "Tell me, you ugly ninn," sho murmured, "why you are such a fool,'' Hugh smiled, nnd as has been nld bofore, Hugh's smllo transformed his face. "I must remember that opening," he snld. "It establishes a basis of In timacy at once, doesn't It?" Sho swayed a little toward him, and then, before ho realized her In tention, she put a hand on his shoul der. "Don't you understand," sho whis pered fiercely, "that they'll kill you?" Sho peered past him half fearfully, nnd then turned to him ngaln. "Go, you Idiot, go whllo there's time. Get out of It go abrond; do anything but, don't fool round here." "It seems a cheerful household," re marked Hugh with a smile. "Mny I ask why you're nil so concerned about mo? Your cstlmnblo father gave mo the snmo ndvlco yesterday morning." "Don't ask why," sho answered fe verishly, "because I can't tell you. Only you must bellovo that what I say Is the truth you must. It's Just posslblo Uiut If you go now and tell them whore you've hidden the Ameri can you'll' bo all right. Nut if you don't" Hor bund dropped to her sldo suddenly. "Breakfast will bo at nine, my Hugh.' until then, nu rovolr." He turned ns sho left tho room, a llttlo puzzled by her'chnngo of tone. Htundlng nt the top of tho stairs wub Peterson, watching them both In si lence. . . . TWO. In the dnys when Drummond hnd bcon a platoon commander ho had done tunny dangerous things. The or dinary Joys of tho Infantry subaltern's lifesuch an going over the top, nnd carrying out! raids had not proved, sufficient for his appetite, no had specialized In peculiar Btunts of his own : stunts over which ho wns sin gularly reticent; stunts over which IiIh men formed their own, conclusions, nnd worshiped him accordingly. But Drummond wns no fool, and ho had realized tho vltnl Importance of fitting himself for theso Btunts to the best of his ability. Enormous physlcu) strength Is a great asset, but It car ries wfth It cortaln natural dlsndvan tages. In tho first place, Its possessor Is frequently clumsy: Hugh had prac ticed In Franco till ho could move over ground without a Blnglo bludo of grass rustling. Vnn Dyck a Dutch trap perhad first shown him tho trick, by which n man goes forward on his el bows llko n snake, and 1h hero ono moment nnd gono tho next, with no one tho wiser. Again, Its possessor is frequently Blow: Hugh hnd practiced In Franco till ho could kill a man wtth his bare hands In a socond. Olakl a Japa nese hnd first taught him two or three of the secrets of his trade, and In tho Intervals of resting behind tho lines ho had perfectod thorn until It was even money whether tho Jap or ho would win in a Dractlco bout. patrol never found anything. But whatever tho report, Hugh Drummond only grlnnned and saw to his men's breakfast. Which is why there are In Knglnnd today quite a number of civilians who acknowledge only two rulers tho King and Hugh Drum mond. And they would willingly die for either. The result on Drummond was not surprising;, as nearly ns n man may bo ho wns without fear. And when tho Idea camo to him as he sat on the t'dgo of his bed thoughtfully pulling off his shoes, no question of tho possible risk entered Into his. mind. To exploro the house seemed tho most natural thing In tho world, nnd with character istic brevity he summed up the situ ation us It struck him. "They suspect me anyhow: In fact, they know I took Potts. Therefore, even If they catch me passage creep ing, I'm no worse off than I am now. And I might find something of Inter est. Therefore, carry on, bravo heart." It wns 'dark In the pnssago outsldo as ho opened the door of his room and crept toward the top of tho stairs. The collar of his brown lounge coat was turned up, nnd his stocking feet mudo no sound on tho henvy pile carpet. Llko n huge shadow ho vanished Into the blackness, feeling his wny forward with tho uncanny Instinct thnt comes from much practice. Every now and then ho pnuscdand listened intently, but .the measured ticking of the clock below nnd the occnslonnl creak of a board atone broke tho stillness. To tho loft lay tho room In which he hnd spent the evening, nnd Drummond turned to tho right. As ho hnd gone up to bed ho had noticed a door screened by n heavy curtain which he thought might bo the room Phyllis Benton had spoken of the room where Henry Laklngton kept his ill gotten trensufes. He felt his way along tho wall, and nt length his hand touched tho curtain only to drop It again nt once. From close besldo him had come a sharp, angry hiss. . . . He stepped back a pace and stood rigid, staring nt the spot from which tho Bound had seemed to como but ho could seo nothing. Then ho leaned forward nnd onco more moved the curtnln. Instantly It came again, sharper and annrlor than before. Hugh passed a hand over his fore head and. found it damp. Germans he knew, nnd things on two legs, but what was this that hissed so viciously In tlio darkness? At length ho deter mined to risk It, nnd drew from his pocket a tiny electric torcln Holding It well away from his body, he switched on tho light. In tho center of tho beam, swaying gracefully to and fro, was a snake. For a moment ho watched it, fascinated as it spat at tho light angrily ; ho saw tho Hat hood where tho vicious head was Bot on the upright body ; then ho switched off the torch and rotreuted rather faster than he hud come. "A convivial household," ho mut tered to himself through Hps that were a llttlo dry. "A hooded cobra Ib an unpleaslng pot." Hugh hnd Just determined to recon noltcr tho curtained doorway again to broken. .a It (s, It will be very stilT for some days. Another time don't laugh. It's ' dangerous." Then, llko a ghost, he vanished along tho passage in the direction of his own room. THREE. At eight o'clock the next morning a burly looking ruffian brought In some hot water and n cup of tea. As he pulled up the blinds the light fell full On his battered, rugged face, and sud denly Hugh sat up In bed and stared at him. "Good Lordl" ho cried, "aren't you Jem Smith?" The man swung round like a flash and glared at the bed. . v "Wot the 'ell 'as thnt got to io wlv you?" ho snarled, nnd then his' face changed. "Why, strike mo pink, if It ain't young Drummond." Hugh grinned. "Illght In ono, Jem. What In the name of fortune are you doing In this outfit? Given up the game?" "It glvo mo up, when thnt cross-eyed son of a gun Young Baxter fought thnt cross down nt 'Oxton. Gawd I If I could get the swine Just once again s'welp mo. I'd " Words failed the ex bruiser; he could only mutter. Hugh smiled. "By the way, hns any one got n stiff neck In the house this morning?" "Stiff neck!" echoed the mnn. "Strlko me pink if that ain't funny Stf 11100 Ho Laughed Gently; Then He Fought In Silence. And thoro were nights In No Man's seo If It wub posslblo to circumvent Lund when his men would henr strange sounds, and knowing thnt Drummond wns abroad on his wandortngs, would 5 "Tell Me, You Ugly Man," She Mur mured, "Why You Are 8uch a Fool." peer eagerly over the parapet Into the desolato torn-up wasto In front. But they novor saw anything, evon when tho green ghostly Hares went hissing up Into tho darkness nnd tho shadows danced fantastically. All was silent and still; the sudden shrill whimper was not repeated. Perhaps a patrol coming back would report a German, lying huddled In a shcllholo, with no trace of a wound, but only a broken neck; porhaps tho tho snake, when n low chuckle came distinctly to Ills ears from the landing above. Ho Hushed angrily In tho darkness. There was no doubt whatever as to tho humnn origin of that laugh, and Hugh suddenly realized that ho was making tlio most profound fool of him self. To bo laughed at by some dirty swlnn whom he could strnnglo In half a minute wub Impossible. Ills lists clenched, and ho swore softly under his breath. Then as silently as he Imd como down, ho commenced to cjimb tho stnlrs again. He had a hazy Idea that ho would like to hit some thing hnrd. There wcro nine stairs in tho first half of tho flight, and It was as ho stood on tho fifth that ho again heard tho low chuckle. At tho same Instnnt something whizzed pnst his head so low that It almost touched his hair, and there was a clang on tho wall be sldo him. Ho ducked Instinctively, nnd regardless of noise raced up the remaining stairs, on all-fours. His Jaw was set llko a vise, his eyes were blazing; In fact, Hugh Drummond was seeing red. Ho paused when ho reached tho top, crouching In tho darkness. Close to him he could feel some one else, and holding his breath, ho llstonod. Then he heard tho man move only tho very faintest Bound but it was enough. Without a pecond's thought he sprang, nnd his hands closed on humnn flesh. Ho Inughcd gently; then ho fought in Bllonco. Ills opponent was strong above the average, but after a mlnuto ho was llko n child In Hugh's grasp, no choked onco or twlco and muttered something; then Hugh slipped his right hand gently onto tho man'B throat. His fingers moved slowly round, his thumb adjusted Itself lov ingly, and tho mnn felt his head being forced bnck Irresistibly. He guve one strangled cry, and then tho pressure relaxed. , . , "One half-Inch more, my gentle hu morist," Hugh whispered In his ear, "and .vour neck would have been your asking, I mean. The bloke's sit ting up In Ms bed swearing awful. Can't move 'Is 'end at all." "And who. might I ask. Is the bloke?" said Drummond. "Why, Peterson, o' course. 'Oo else? Breakfast at nine." Tho door closed behind him, and Hugh lit a cigarette thoughtfully, Most assuredly ho was starting In style: Laklngton's Jaw one night, Pet erson's neck the second, seemed a suffl clently energetic opening to the game for the veriest glutton. Then that cheerful optimism which was tho en vy of his friends asserted Itself. "Supposln' I'd killed 'em." he mur mured, aghast. "Just supposln'. Why, tho bally show would havo been over, and I'd have had to advertise again." Only Peterson was in tho dining- room when Hugh came down. He had examined the stnlrs on his way, but ho could sec nothing unusunl which would account for tho. thing which had whizzed past his head and clanged sul lenly against the wall. Nor was there any sign of tho cobra by tho curtained door; merely Peterson standing In a sunny room behind a bubbling coffec- mnehlne. Ho turned politely toward his host and paused In dismay. "Good heavens, Mr. Peterson, Is your neck hurting you?" "It Is," answered Peterson grimly. "A nuisance, having a stiff neck. Makes every one lamjli, and one gets no sympatlvy. Bad thing laughter. ... At times, anyway." "Curiosity Is a great deal -worse, Captnln Drummond. It wns touch and co whether I killed you last night." "I think I might Buy tho same," re turned Drummond. "Yes and no," said Peterson. "From the moment you left the bottom of tho Btnlrs, I had your life In tho palm of my hnnd. Hnd I chosen to take it, my young friend, I should not havo had this stiff neck." Hugh returned to his breakfast un concernedly. "Granted, laddie, granted. But hnd I not been of such a kindly und for benrlng nature, you wouldn't have had It, either." He looked at Peter son critically. "I'm Inclined to think It's a greut pity I didn't break your neck whllo I wns about It." Hugh sighed and drank some coffee. "I seo thnt I shall havo to do It some day, and probably Laklngton's as well. . By the way, how Is our Honry? I trust his Jaw Is not unduly Incon veniencing him." Peterson, with his coffee cup in his hand, was staring down tho drive. "Your car Is a little early, Captain Drummond," ho snld at length. "How over, perhaps It can wait two or three minutes whllo wo got matters perfect ly clear. I should dislike you not knowing where you stand." He turned round and faced the soldier. "You have deliberately, against my advice, elected to Hght mo and the Interests I represent. So be it From now oq thu gloves ore off. You embarked on this course from n spirit of adventure, at tho instigation of tho girl next door. She, poor little fool, Is con cerned over that drunken waster her father. She askeo you to help her yon agreed, and, nmazing though It may seem, up to now you havo scored a certain measure of success. I ad mit 1L and I admire you for it I apologize now for having played tho fool with you last night; you're tho type of man whom ono should kill out right or leave nlorte." Ho set down his coffee clip and care fully Bnlpped the end off a cigar. You are also the typo of man who ,wlll continue on tho path ho has start ed. You are completely In the dark; you havo no Iden whatever what you ure up against." Ho smiled grimly, nnd turned abruptly on Hugh. "You fool you stupid young fool. Do you really Imagine that you can bent mo?" Tho soldier rose and stood In front of him. "I havo a few remarks of my own to make," he answered, "nnd then wo might consider tho Interview closed. I nsk nothing better than that the gloves should be oft though with your Ulthy methods of fighting, anything you touch will get very dirty. As you say, I am completely in tho dark as to your plans ; but I have a pretty shrewd Idea whut I'm up against. Men who can employ n thumbscrew on a poor defenseless brute seem to mo to bo several degrees worse than an aborlgl nnl cnnnlbnl, and therefore If I put you down ns one of tho lowest types of degraded criminal I shall not bo very wide of the mark. There's no good you snnrllng nt me, you swine; It does everybody good to hear some home truths and tlon't forget It wns you who pulled off the gloves." Drummond lit a cigarette; then his merciless eyes fixed themselves again on Peterson. "There Is only one tiling more," he continued. "Ypu hnve kindly warned mo of my danger; let mo give you n word of advice In my turn. I'm going to fight you; If I can, I'm going tp bent you. Anything that may happen to me Is pnrt of the game. But if anything happens to Miss Benton dur ing the course of operations, then, jps surely nB there Is a God above, Peter son, I'll get nt you somehow nnd mur der you with my own hnnds." For a few moments there was si lence, and then with a short laugh Drummond turned nwny. "Shall we meet again soon?" He paused at tho door and looked- back. 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 the warm sunshine nnd spoke to his chauffeur. "Take her out Into the main road, Jenkins," he said, "and wait for me outside the entrance to the next house. I shnn't be long." Then he strolled through the gar den toward the llttlo wlcket-gate that led to The Larches. Phyllis! The thought of her wns singing In his heart to the exclusion of everything else. Just a few minutes with her; Just the touch of her hand, the faint smell of tho Scent she used and then back to the game. He had almost reached the gate, when, with a sudden crashing In the undergrowtli, Jem Smith blundered out Into the path. Ills naturally ruddy face was white, and he stared round fearfully. "Gawd! sir," ho cried, "mind out 'Ave yer seen It?" ("Seen what, Jem?" asked Drum mond. That there brute. 'B's escaped; and If 'e meets a stronger " He left the sentence unfinished, nnd stood listening. From somewhere behind the house enmo a decp- throated, snarling roar; then tho clnng of a padlock shooting home In metal, followed by a series of heavy thuds as If some big anlmnl was hurl ing Itself ngnlnst the bnrs of a cage, "They've got It," muttered Jem "You seem to hnve a nice little crowd of pets nbout the house.", re marked Drummond, putting n hnnd on the mnn's arm as ho was nbout to movo off. "What ,wns that docile Creature we've Just heard culling to Its young?" The ex-puglllst looked nt him sul lenly. "Never you mind, sir; It ain't no business of yours. An' If I wns you, I wouldn't make It your business to find out." A moment Inter he hnd disappeared Into the bushes, nnd Drummond was left alone. Assuredly a cheerful household, ho reflected; Just the spot for a restfcure. Then he saw n figure on the luwn of the next house which bnnlshed everything els from his mind ; nnd opening the gate, he walked eagerly toward Phyllis Benton. SUFFERING Of A LIFE1E ENDED "Words Can't Express Gratitude I Feel Toward Tanlac," Says Mrs. Burrington. "From childhood until I got Tnnlnc, I suffered from Indigestion and stom ach trouble," snld Mrs. J. A. Burring ton, 540 Stnnford Ave., I.os Angeles, MRS. J. A. BURRINGTON Lbi Angelet, Calif. Cnllf., "nnd that's been a long time, for I'm now In my sixty-eighth year. I remember when I was u child I was kept on a strict diet or. nine water and milk for weeks and I havo been In constant distress all these years. I suffered terribly from bloat ing and had to be very careful of what I ate. I became so weak and nervous I could hardly go about ray housework nnd was In a miserable condition. "About two years ago my husband got such splendid results from Tanlac he insisted on my tnklng It nnd tho medlqlne wasn't but a little whllo In ridding me of my troubles. It gave mo n splendid appetite, und I could enjoy a good hearty meal, even things I hadn't dare touch before, without any fear of It troubling me. "Then I had tho Influenza and be came dreadfully sick and weak, but my stomach kept In good order and It only took four bottles of Tanlac to build me up again to where I'm now feeling better than at any tlmo I can remember. I have gained eleven pounds In weight, too, and words can't express the gratitude I feel toward Tanlac I keep Tanlac In tho house all the timenow, for I know it Is a medicine that can be depended upon." Tanlac Is sold by leading druggists everywhere. Adv. . Decorative Splendors. "Riches have wings." ' "True," replied Miss Cayenne. "But the effect depends on the Intelligence with which they are utilized. Tho most beautiful ostrich feather Is like ly to look a trifle shabby on tho orig inal bird." SWAMP-ROOT FOR KIDNEY AILMENTS There is only one medicine that really . ttands out pre-eminent as a medicine for curable ailments of the kidneys, liver and bladder. Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root stands the highest for the reason that it has proven to be just the remedy needed in thousands upon thousands' of distressing cases. Swamp-Root makes friends quickly be? cause its mild and immediate effect is soon realized in most cases. It is a gentle, healing vegetable compound. btart treatment at once, bold at all drug stores in bottles of two sizes, medi um and large. However, if you wish first to test this great preparation send ten cents to Dr. Kilmer & Co., Binghamton, N Y., for a sample bottle. When writing bo sure and mention this pliper. Adv. Kiss Their Money Good-By. New York Paper The Mongolluns do not know either the kiss of friend ship or thnt of politeness. With them tho kiss Is reserved to lovers, to Ounces or mnn nnd wife. "Long live the Brotherhood 1" (TO BE CONTINUED.) Wood Averts Evil. There are numerous curious or su perstitious beliefs regarding fragrant woods, says the American Forestry Mngazlne. Tho Burmese havo a su perstition that beams of balances should be made of the Thltmun or prince of wood (Podenrpus neru- folia), wniie a peg oi it driven into a house post or boats will avert evil. Shave With Cutlcura Soap And double your razor efficiency ns well aB promote skin purity, skin com fort nnd skin health. No mug, no slimy soup, no germs, no wnste, no Irritation even when shaved twice dally. One soap for all uses shaving, bathing and shampooing. Adv. Postponed. "Then you don't cure for this fut urist art." "No, let the people of tho future enjoy lt."t Soup Solo. A little girl was annoyed by her sister's Inhalation of her soup. She became restless and finally In suite of ciders present at the table, she said: "I hear you etiloy your ssan. Elsie. Lawrence Telegram. Catarrh Catarrh Is a local disease rrntw tnflu. enced by constitutional conditions. HALL'S CATARRH MEniPlVR I. . Tonic and Blood Purifier. By cleanslnir tne blood and build nc un thn Svtm HALL'S CATARHH MEDICINE restores normal conditions and allows Nature to uu lis worn. au Druggists. Circulars free. V. J. Cheney & Co., Toledo, Ohio. Stop There. "She's too good for me." That's all right, my boy. Tell he so, but don't try to prove It" i Y V