NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
Bull-Dog Drummond
The Adventures of a Demobilized j Rciqejie
Officer Who Found Peace Dull "Sapper"
CHAPTER X Continued.
15
"Stop It, Laklngton." Ills voice wns
fllcru us lie caught tho other'H up
mixed arm. "Thnt's enough for the
time."
For n moment It seemed ns If Lnk
fnglon would have struck Peterson
lilmself; then he controlled himself,
mid, with an ugly luugh, flung the
whip Into a corner.
"I forgot," he said slowly. "It's the
leading dog we want not the puppies
(hat run after him yapping." He spun
round on his heel. "Have you lln
Ished?" The rope-nrtlst bestowed a final
(ouch to the last knot, and surveyed
Ills handiwork with justifiable pride.
"Cold mutton," he remarked tersely,
"would be lively compared to him
when he wakes up."
"fjood! Then we'll bring him to."
Lnltlngton took some crystnls from
a jar on one of tlin shelves, and placed
I hem In a tumbler. Then he added
n few drops of liquid and held the
glass directly under the unconscious
mini's nose. Almost nt once the liquid
begun to effervesce, and In less than a
minute Drummond opened his eyes and
rilflivd dazedly round the room. He
"8top It, Laklngton." His Voice Was
Stern as He Caught the Other's Up
raised Arm.
blinked foolishly as he saw Longworth
mid Sinclair; then ho looked down
uud found he wns similarly bound him
fwit. Finally he glanced up ut the
mim bending over him, und full real
fxiitlon returned.
"ineollng better, my friend?" With
a mocking smile, Laklngton laid tho
tumbler-on n tublo close by.
much, uiunK you, Henry," tnur
mured Hugh. "Ah I and tho re' b Carl."
Jle grinned cheerfully, and Laklng
fou struck him on tho mouth.
'"You cun stop that style of con
versatlon, Captain Drummond," be re
marked. "I dislike It."
Hugh stared at the striker In si
lencc.
"Accept my congratulations," ho
uld nt length, In a tow voice which,
despite himself, shook a little. "You
niv the first man who has ever done
that, and I shall 'treasure tlio memory
of that blow." .
4Td hate it to be a lonely memory,"
remarked Laklngton. "So here's an
other, to keep It company." Again ho
struck him, then with a laugh ho
turned on his heel. "My compliments
to Miss Ilcnton," ho said to a man
jfltumllng near tho door, "and ask her
to bo good enough to come down for
ii lew mlnutes."
The volns stood out on Drummond's
forehead ut tho mention of thu girl,
but otherwise he gavo no sign; and,
lii gilenco, they wulted for her arrival.
She came almost nt once, a villain-
OUH-Iooklng blackguard with her, and
h sho saw Hugh sho gave a pitiful
liftlo moan nnd held out her baud to
him.
"Why did you come, boy?" sho cried.
"Didn't you know It was oidy a for-
fiery" Unit noto?"
"All! wns It?" said Hugh softly.
"Was It, Indeed?"
"An Inicresilng point," murmured
' (Luklngton, "Surely If a churmlng girl
'an tillable or unwilling to write her
teelf to her fiance, her father Is u
Jvery ublo porson to supply the doll
ieleiicy. Especially If ho has been kind
lly widowed by Nature with a special
taputudo ror-er iniimiing writing
' "Hut time presses. And I don't
mint to go without telling you a ltttlo
ttbout the program, unptain Drum
Inidud. Unfortunately both Mr. Peter
Uon nnd I have to leave you for to
Light; but wo shall bo returning to
-morrow morning or, nt any rate, i
Ufcnll- y will bo left In chnrge of
fiaelnrJch you remember tho filthy
ifcoelui? with whom you hud words
ti''61her ulclu. A you may expect,
he entertains feelings of great friend
ship and 'affection for you, so you
should not lack for any bodily com
forts, such as may be possible In your
present somowltot cramped position.
Then tomorrow, when I return, I pro
pose to try a few experiments on you,
and, though I fear you will find them
painful, It's a great thing to suffer In
the cause of science. . . . You will al
ways have the satisfaction of knowing
that dear little Phyllis will be well
cared for." With a sudden, quick
movement, lie seized the girl and
kissed her before she realized his In
tention. The rope round Drummond
creaked us he struggled Impotently,
and Laklugton's sneering face seemed
to swim In a red glow.
Thnt Is quite In keeping, Is It not,"
ho snarled, "to kiss the lady, and to
strike the man like this and this
and this? ..." A rain of blows came
down on Drummond's face, till, with
a gasping sigh, the girl slipped faint
ing to the floor.
'That'll do, Laklngton," said Peter
son, Intervening once again. "Have
the girl carried upstairs, and send for
TIelurlch. It's time we were off."
With an effort Luklngton let his
hand fall to bis side, and stood back
from his Victim.
"Perhaps for the present, It will,"
ho said slowly. "But . tomorrow to
morrow, Captain Drummond, you shall
scream to heaven for mercy, until I
take out your tongue and you can
screnm no mom" He turned as the
Herman came Into the room. "I leave
them to you, Ilclnrlch," ho remarked
shortly. "Use tho dog-whip If they
shout, and gag them."
The German's eyes were fixed on
Hugh gloatingly.
"They will not shout twice," ho snld
In his guttural voice. "The dirty Boche
to It himself will sec."
TWO
"Wo appear," remarked Hugh quiet
ly, u few minutes later, "to be In for a
cheery night."
For a moment the Gorman hud left
tho room, and three motionless, bound
figures, sitting grotesquely In tholr
chairs, wore alone.
"How did they got you, Toby?"
"Half a dozen of 'em suddenly ap
peared," answered Slnclnlr shortly,
"knocked me on thcliend, and the next
thing I knew I was here In this d d
chair."
"Is that when you got your face?"
asked Hugh,
"No," said Toby, nnd his voice was
grim. "We share In tho matter of
faces, old man."
"Laklngton again, was It?" said
Hugh softly. "Dear Heaven I If I could
get one hand on that . . ." He broke
off and laughed. "What about you,
Algy?"
"I went blundering In over the way,
old bean," returned thnt worthy, "und
some dam' fellow knocked my eye
glass off. So, an I couldn't see to kill
him, I had to Join the picnic here."
Hugh laughed, and then suddenly
grew serious.
"Uy the way, you didn't see a man
chewing gum on Uie horizon, did you,
when I mndo my entrance? Dogrob-
her suit, and fnee like a motor-mas
cot."
"Thank God, I was spared that I" re
marked Algy.
"Good I" returned Hugh. "Ho'sprob
ubly away with It by now, and he's
no fool. For I'm thinking It's only
Peter nnd him between us and " He
left his remark unfinished, and for a
while Uiere was silence. "Jerry Is
over In Franco still, putting stamp
paper on his machine; Ted's gone up
to seo that Potts is taking nourish
ment."
"And here wo sit like three well
preserved sjwclmens In a bally
museum," broko In Algy, with n rue
nil laugli. "Wliut'U they do to us,
Hugh?"
But Drummond did not unswer, and
the speaker seeing tho look on his
fuce, did not press tho question.
Slowly the- hours dragged on, until
the last gleams of daylight had faded
from the skylight above, and a soli
tary electric light, hung centrally,
gave the only Illumination. Period
leally Uelnrich hnd come In to see
Unit thoy were still secure: but from
tho sounds of the hoarse lautrhtor
which came at frequent Intervals
through the hulf-open door, It was evl
dent thnt tho German hnd found other
and more congenial company. At
length ho appeared carrying n trny
with bread and water on It, which ho
placed on a table nenr Hugh.
"Food for you, you English swine,"
he remarked, looking gloatingly at
each In turn. "Herr Laklngton the or
der gave, so that you will fit bo to
morrow morning. Fit for the torture."
Ho thrust his flushed face close to
Drumniond's, nnd then deliberately
sput at him.
Algy Longworth gnve a strangled
grunt, but Drummond took no notice.
With a quiet smile, ho looked up nt
the German,
now mucn, my menu," lie re
marked, "are you getting for this?"
Tho German leered nt him.
"Enough to seo that you tomorrow
are here," he said.
"And I always believed that yours
1
Copyright by Geo. XL Doran Co.
was u business notion," laughed Hugh.
"Why, you poor fool, I've gbt a thou
sand pounds in notes In my cigarette
cuse."
"You hof, hof you," tho Germnn
grunted. "Then the filthy Boche will
for you of them take enre."
Hugh looked nt him angrily.
"If you do," he cried, "you must let
mo go."
The German leered still more.
"Naturllch." You shall out of tlo
house nt once walk."
He stopped up to Drummond nnd
rnn his hnnds over his cont, while the
others stared nt one another in amaze
ment. Surely Hugh didn't Imagine
the swine would really let him go; he
would merely take the money and
probably spit In his face ngaln. Then
they heard lilin speaking, and a sudden
gleam of comprehension dawned on
tholr faces.
"You'll have to undo one of the
ropes, my friend, before you can get
at It," said Hugh quietly.
For a moment the Germnn hesitnt
ed. He looked nt the ropes carefully;
the one thnt bound the arms nnd the
upper part of the body was separute
Irom the rope round the legs. Even If
he did undo It the fool Englishman
wns still helpless, nnd he knew that he
was unarmed. Had he not himself re
moved his revolver, as he lay uncon
scious In the hnll? What risk was
there, after nil? Besides, If he called
some one else In he would have to
share the money.
And, as he wntched the German's
Indecision, Hugh's forehend grew
damp with sweat. . . . Would he undo
the rope? Would greed conquer cau
tlon?
At last the Boche mndc up his mind,
nnd went behind the chnlr. nugh
felt htm fumbling with the rope, nnd
flashed nn urgent look of caution at
tho other two.
"You'd better be careful, Helnrlcb,"
he remarked, "that none of the others
nee, or you might have to share.1
riie German ceased undoing the
knot, nnd grunted. The English swine
hnd moments of brightness, and he
went over nnd closed the door. Then
ho resumed the operation of untying
the rope; nnd, since It wns performed
behind the chair he wns In no position
to see the look on Drummond's face.
Only the two spectators could see
that, and they had almost censed
breathing In their excitement. That
he had a plan they know ; what It was
they could not even guess.
At last the rope fell clear and the
German sprang back.
"Put the case on the tnble," be cried, L
having not the slightest Intention of
coming within range of those formld-
nblo arms.
"Certainly not," sold Hugh, "until
you undo my legs. Then you sunn
have it."
Quito loosely he
wns holding the
case in one nnmi;
but the others,
watching his face, saw
strained and tense.
that It ns
"First I the notes must have." The
Germnn strove to spenk conversation
ally, but nil the time he was creeping
nearer and nearer to the back of the
chnlr. "Then I your legs undo, nnd
you may go.'
Algy s warning cry rang out slmul-
tnneously with the lightning dnrt of
tho Boche's hand ns he snatched at the
With a Sudden, Quick Movement He
Seized the Girl and Kissed Her Be
fore She Realized His Intention.
elgnrette-caso over Drummond's shoul
der. And then Drummond laughed a
low, triumphant laugh. It wns the
move he hnd been hoping for, and the
German's wrist was held fast In his
vlse-llko grip. His plan had suc
ceeded,
And Longworth nnd Sinclair, who
had seen many things In their lives,
the remembrance of which will be with
them till their dying day, had never
Keen and are nevor likely to see any
thing within measurable dlstnnce of
what they Bnw In the next few min
utes. Slowly, inexorably, the German's
arm was being twlsfed, while he ut
tered gasping cries, nnd bent Impo
tently at Drummond's bend with his
free hand. Then nt last there was a
dull crack as the arm broke, and a
screnm of pain, ns he lurched round
the chair and stood helpless In front
of the soldier, who still held the cig
arette case In his left hand.
They saw Drummond open tho cig
arette case nnd take from it what
looked like a tube of wood. Then he
felt in his pocket and took out u
match-box, containing a number of
long thin splinters. And, having fitted
one of the splinters into the tube ho
put the other end In his mouth.
With a quick heave they saw him
Jerk tho German round and catch bis
unbroken arm with his free left hand.
And the two bound watchers looked at
Hugh's eyes us he stared nt tho moon
ing Boche, nnd saw that they were
hard nnd merciless.
There wns a sharp, whistling hiss,
and the splinter flew from the tube
Into the German's face. It hung from
his check, and even the ceaseless move
ment of his head fulled to dislodge
it.
"I have broken your arm, Boche,"
said Drummoud at length, "and now I
have killed you. Pin sorry nbout It;
I wasn't particularly anxious to end
your life. But it hnd to bo done."
The German, hardly conscious of
what he bad said owing to the pnln In
his arm, wns frantically kicking the
Englishman's legs, still bound to the
choir; but the Iron grip on his wrists
never slackened. And then quite sud
denly came the end. With one dread
ful, convulsive heave the German
Jerked himself free, nnd fell doubled
up on the floor. Vnsclnnted, they
watched him writhing nnd twisting,
until nt Inst, be lay still. . . . The
Boche was dead. . . .
"What was that blow-pipe affair?"
cried Slnclnlr hoarsely.
"The thing they tried to finish me
with In Paris "Inst night," answered
Hugh grimly, taking n knife out of his
waistcoat pocket. "Let us trust that
none of his pals come in to look for
him."
A minute later he stood up. only to
sit down ngnln abruptly, as his legs
gave way. They were numbed and
stiff with the hours he hnd spent In the
snme position, nnd for a while he could
do nothing but rub them with his
bands, till the blood returned nnd he
could feel once more.
Then, slowly and painfully, he tot
tered across to the others and set them
free as well. They were In nn even
worse condition thnn be had been;
and It seemed ns If Algy would never
be able to stand ngnln, so completely
(lend wns his body from the waist
downwnrds. But, nt length, after what
seemed nn eternity to Drummond, who
realized only too well thnt should the
gnng come In they were nlmost as help-
loss In their present condition ns If
they were still bound In their chairs.
the other two recovered.
"All fit now? Good 1 We've got to
think what we're going to do, for we're
not out of the wood yet by two or
three miles.'
"Let's get the door open," remarked
Algy, "nnd explore."
Cnutlously they swung it open, nnd
stood motionless. The house was In
nbsolute silence; the hnll was de
serted.
"Switch out the light," whispered
Hugh. "We'll wander round."
They crept forwnrd stealthily In the.
dnrkness, stopping every now and then
to listen. But no sound came to their
ears; It might have been a house of
the dead.
Suddenly Drummond, who wns In
front of the other two, stopped with a
warning hiss. A light was streaming
out from under a door at the end of a
pnssnge and, as they stood watching
It, they heard a man's voice coming
from tho same room. Some one else
answered him nnd then there was
silence once more.
At length Hugh moved forward
again, and the others followed. And
It was not until they got quite close to
the door that a strange, continuous
noise begun to be noticeable u noise
which came most distinctly from the
lighted room. It rose nnd felt with
monotonous regularity; at times It rq
Kcmblcd n brass band at others It
died away to a gentle murmur. And
occasionally It wus punctuated with a
strangled snort. . . .
"Great Scott 1" muttered Hugh ex
cltedly, "the whole boiling bunch uro
asleep, or I'll eat my nnt."
"Then who was It spoke?" said Algy.
"At least two of 'em are awake right
enough."
And, as If In answer to his question,
there came the voice again from In
side the room.
"Wal, Mr. Dnrrell, I guess we can
pass on, nnd leave this bunch."
With one lnugh of Joyful amazement
Hugh flung open the door, and found
himself looking from tho range of a
yard Into two revolvers.
"I don't know how you've done It,
boys," he remarked, "but you cun put
those guns away. I hate looking nt
thorn from that end."
"What the dovll have they done to
nil your dials?" snld Dnrrell, slowly
lowering his arm.
"We'll leave that for the time, re
turned Hugh grimly, ns he shut tho
door. "There nro other more pressing
mutters to be discussed."
no" glanced round the room, nnd a
slow grin spread over his fnco. There
were some twenty of the gang, all of
them fast asleep. They sprawled gro
tesquoly over the table, they lollfcd In
chairs ; they lay on the floor, they hud
died In comers. And, without excep
tlon, they snored and snorted.
"A dnndy bunch," remarked tho
American, gazing nt them with satis
faction. Then ho" turned to Drum
mond. "Say now, Captain, we've got
a lorry lond of the boys outside; your
friend here thought we'd hotter bring
'em along. So It's up to you to get
busy."
"Mulllngs and his crowd," said Dar
rell, seeing the look of mystification on
Hugh's fuce.
For a few moments Drummond
stood, deep in thought; then once
again the grin spread slowly over his
face. "Get the boys in, Peter; and
get these lumps of meat carted out to
the lorry. And, while you do it, we'll
go upstairs and mop up."
THREE.
Even In his wildest dreams Hugh
hnd never imnglned such a wonderful
opportunity. To be In complete pos
session of the house, with strong
forces at his beck nnd call, wns a state
of affairs which rendered him almost
speechless.
"Keep your guns handy," whispered
Hugh. "We'll draw each room In
turn till wo Hnd the girl."
But they were not to be put to so
much trouble. Suddenly a door oppo
site opened, and the man who had
been guarding Phyllis Benton peered
"And Now I Have Killed You. I'm
Sorry About It."
out suspiciously. His jaw fell nnd a
look of nghnst surprise spread over
his face as he saw the four men In
front of hlra.
Hugh stepped past him nnd wns
smiling at the girl who, with n little
cry of joyful wonder, had risen from
her chair.
"Your face, boy," she whispered, as
he took her In his nrms, regnrdless of
t)ie others, "your poor old face! Oh,
that brute, Laklngton I"
He lnughed gentty, and for a mo
ment she clung to him, unmindful of
how he hnd got to her, glorying only
In the fact that he had. It seemed to
her that there was nothing which this
wonderful man of hers couldn't mini
nge; nnd now, blindly trusting, she
waited to be told whmt to do. The
nightmare was over; Hugh was wiUi
her. . . .
"Are there nny cars outside?" Hugh
turned to tho American.
"Yours," answered that worthy.
"And mine Is hidden behind Miss
Benton's greenhouse unless they've
moved It," remarked Algy.
"Good," said . Hugh. "Algy, take
Miss Benton nnd her fnther up to Half
Moon street nt once. Then come bnck
here."
"But. Hugh " began the girl ap
pealtngly. "At once, dear, please." He smiled
nt her tenderly, but his tone was de
cided. "This Is going to be no placo
for you In the near future."
With no further word of protest the
girl followed Algy, und Hugh drew
a breath of relief.
"Now, you ugly-looking blighter,"
he remnrked to the cowering rufllnii,
who was by this tlmo shaking with
fright, "we come to you. When does
Lnklngton return?"
"Tennorrow, sir," stammered the
other.
"Where Is he now?"
The man hesitated for u moment,
but the look in Hugh's eyes gnlvnn
Ized him Into speech.
"He's nfter the old woman's pearls,
sir the duchess of Lampshlre's."
"Ah!" returned Hugh sofUy. "Of
course he Is. I forgot. When does
Peterson come bnck?"
"Terniorrow, too, sir, s far ns I
knows," answered the man.
"And what's he doing?" demanded
Drummond.
"On tho level, guvnor, I can't tell
yer. Strlte, I can't."
At that moment Dnrrell's voice came
up from the hall.
"The whole bunch are stowed away,
Hugh. What's the next Item?"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Wifely Requirements.
The Spanlnrds have a saying that a
wife should reserablo threo things, und
yet differ from these same things.
First, sho should be like a snail, which
always guards its house, but she
should not carry the house with her
whenever sho goes out. Second, sha
should lie like nn echo, which speaks
only after the other Is finished, but
she should not always have tho last
word, nnd last, she should bo like tho
town clock, which always sounds tho
hours with regularity, but she should
nnt sound so loud that tho whole tows
shall hear It. u H--J
TOTS LOCKED IN
CLOSET 90 HOURS
Playmate Innocently Shut Them
Up and Forgot to Tell
Searchers About It.
Paterson, N. J. Missing for 00 hours,
Stella Weiner, five years old, und her
playmate, Harry Barber, seven, wcro
found, suffering from hunger nnd ex
haustion, In tho clothes closet of n
vncnnt apartment In which they had
been Imprisoned. After they hnd been
revived, the children explained they
entered the closet while playing hide
nnd seek, but hnd not closed tho door.
Soon afterward, they said, Ethel Bell
lnofsky, another playmate, slammed
tho door, and they did not realize
they were sealed up until after sho
Saw tho Partly Conscious Form of
His Little Sister.
had left the room. Ethel, who Is only
four, cither forgot to mention that she
had closed the door, or else did not
realize they were In the closet.
When the children fulled to cine
home to supper, the distracted parents
began an exhaustive search for them.
Police and neighbors combed the vi
cinity, but found no . trace of them.
A few days luter Jacob Weiner and
Samuel Miller visited the vacant apart
ment for a game of cards. Strange
noises from u clothes closet startled
them and they opened the door. On
the floor Weiner saw the partly con
scious form of his little sister, and
huddled in n corner was her boy play
mate. Doctors summoned soon re
vived the children. The fact that the
closet door did 'not fit closely, thus '
permitting a slight circulation of air,
saved their lives, tho doctors who at
tended them said.
GIRL SWIMS FLOODED RIVER
Indian Maiden Travels 40 Miles to
Reach Lover Waiting for Her
on Colorado Ranch.
Durango, Col. Undaunted by tho
40 miles which separated her homo on
the reservntlon from the ranch on
which John Miller, her Navajo lover,
worked, nn Indian maid, ward of tho
United States on a reservation near
Durango, Col., walked the entire dis
tance, lending n goat as gift to her
betrothed.
When she reached tho La Plata
river It was out of bounds and there
was no bridge for many miles. Sho
staked the goat In a grassy plot, re
moved her clothing and swam the
river.
The Navajo and his dusky sweet
heart were married on the Wlllard
Wyatt ranch nfter the employer of tho
Indian had. secured a marriage license
for the pair.
. s
Mother Mouse Built Her
Home With Greenbacks
While plumbers were laying a
gns line Into Uio S. W. Klser
restnurnnt, at Speucervllle, 0
thoy found In the comer of a
dnrk closet a large greenish
looking paper ball. Investiga
tion 'proved It to be the homo
of a mother mouse nnd her
brood. Closer examination
showed the ball to be nmde up
of greenbacks of denominations
from one to ten. Part of tho
bills were chewed up, but three
one-dollnr nnd one five-dollar
bill can still be redeemed.
Dove From Train Going Mile a Minute
Pann, 111. A negro passenger, be
lieved to bo tho Rev. F. E. Clark, of
Hope, Ark., leaped head foremost
through the window of a coach of a
passenger train, running 00 miles an
hour, east of here. He wns picked
up unconscious but without any
broken bones.
Man's Head Offered as Evidence.
Orlando, Fin. Tho head of Georgo
Bryant, severed at the request of tho
prosecuting attorney, was offered as
evidence in tho trial of John It,
Bryant, son of the dead man, and
charged jointly with bis wlfo with
murder.