Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-01-19
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shaken creature, with his lean and
pasty face and desperate, glaring eyes,
this man in rough, stained, soiled and
shapeless garments, could be identical
with the well-set-up, prosperous and
confident man OF affairs he remem-
bered as Drummond. And yet they
were one. Appalling to contemplate
the swift, devastating course of moral
degeneration, that had spread like gam
creme through all the mans physical
and mental fiber
'"Take q good look" Ember advised
grimly. "How about that pet myth
thing now? What price the astute
sleuth-eh? Perhaps you'd like to
take few more funny cracks at my
simple faith in hallucinations.
81 had a notion he'd be hanging
around" Ember went on; II thought 1
saw somebody hiding in the woods this
afternoon; and then was sure l saw
him skulking round the edges of the
clearing after dinner. So l set Sum
Fat to watch, drove back to the village
to mislead him, left my car there and
walked back. And sure enough
Without comment, Whitaker, unable
to stand any longer without discom-
fort. hobbled to chair and sat down.
'Well?" Drummond demanded harsh
ly in a quavering snarl. "Now that
you've got me, what're You going to
do with met"
There was high, hysterical accent
In his voice that struck unpleassntly
on Ember's ear. He cooked his bead
to one side. studying the man intently.
Drummond flung himself a step
away from the table. paused, and again
faced his captors with bravado.
"Well?" he cried again. "WellP
Ember nodded toward Whitaker.
ASK him." he said briefly.
Whitaker shook his head. It was
difficult to think how to deal with this
trapped animal, so wildly different
from the cultivated gentleman he al
ways had in mind when he thought of
Drummond. The futility of attempting
to deal with him according to any code
recognized by men of honor was
wretchedly apparent.
"Drummond," he said slowly, 81 wish
to God YOU hadn't done this thing"
Drummoad laughed discordantly.
Keep your meaiymouthed compassion
for yourself" he retorted, sneering.
Whitaker gave a gesture of despair.
'If you'd only been content to keep out
of the way If only you'd let
me alone"
"rhen you let Sara Law alone, d'you
hear?"
The interruption was little short of
a shrek. Ember motioned to Sum Fat,
who quietly drew nearer.
II swear don't know what to do or
say"
'Then shut up"
"That'n be about ALL" Ember inter-
posed quietly. At a glance from him,
Sum Fat closed in swiftly and caught
and pinioned Drummond's arms frcn
behind.
A disgusting change took place in
Drummond. In an instant he was strug-
Cling, screaming, slavering; his face
congested, eyes staring, features work
ing wildly as he turned and twisted in
his efforts to free himself. Sum Fat
held him as he would have held an I'M
ruly child. When a break in Drum
mOnd's rawlings came at length, together
with a gradual weakening of the mans
struggles, the detective turned TO Whit
aEer.
Sorry" be said. 81 didn't dare take
any fur er chances. He'd have been
at YOU throat in another minute. It
isn't as if we had simply an everyday
crook to deal with" Ember went on,
approaching the man. He's not to
| be trusted or reasoned with. He's just
short of raving morphomaniac, or /
miss my guess"
With a quick movement he caught
DrummOnd's left arm, pulled the sleeve
Of his coat back to the elbow, unbut.
toned and turned back his cuff
"Hmm-yes," he continued, bending
over to inspect the exposed forearm, IL
spite of Drummond's efforts to twis
away. Deadly work of the busy littl,
needle. Good Lord, he's fairly riddleC
with puncturesp'
'That explains :" Whitake
muttered, sickened.