The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-07-09
CHAPTER u.
In Which He Journeys to Godaln1Ino
and the Game BOoInS
ONE.

| got journey In 'front.' OF me tOo9y'
and l require a large breakfast"
James Denny supplied the def
cheney from a dish that was standing
on an electric heater.
Are you going for long, sirr'
II don't know, James. 1t all de-
ponds on circumstances. Which,
when you come to think Of 1t, is
undoubtedly one Of the most fatuous
phrases in the English language. Is
there anything in the world that
doesn't depend on circumstances"
xviii you be motoring. sir. or going
by train? asked James prosaically.
Dialectical arguments did not appeal
to him.
by car" answered Drummond.
"PajamaS and a toothbrush"
You won't take evening clothes,
sir?"
mo. l want my visit to appear I'M
premeditated James, and If one goes
about completely encased in boiled
shirts, while pretending to be merely
out for the afternoon, people have
doubts as to ones intellect"
James digested this great thought in
silence.
"Will you be going far, Sirf" he
asked at length, pouring out a second
cup of coffee.
ITO Godalming. A charming spot,
l believe, though I've never been there.
Charming inhabitants, too, James. The
lady / met yesterday at the Carlton
lives at Godalming."
Indeed, sir" murmured James nom
committally.
"You id old humbug," laughed
Drummond, you know you're itching
to know all about II. l had a very
long and interesting talk with her, and
one of two things energies quite clear
iy from our conversation. Either,
James, l am a congenital idiot, and
don't know enough to come in out of
the rain; or we've hit the goods. That
Is what ] propose to find out by my
little excursion. Either our legs, my
friend. are being pulled till they will
never resume their normal shape; or
that advertisement has succeeded be-
yond our widest dreams"
There are a lot more answers in
this morning, sir" Denny made a
movement toward the letters he had
been sorting. lone from a lovely
widow with two children"
Lovely" cried Drummond. "How
forward Of her" He glanced at the
letter and smiled. care, James, and
accuracy are essential in a secretary.
The misguided woman calls herself
lonely, not lovely. She will remain 50,
as far as / am concerned. until the
other matter is settled"
"WIn it take long, SIR, do you
think1"
ITO get it settledr' Drummond Lit
q cigarette and leaned back In his
chair. Listen, James. and / will out
line the case. The maiden lives at a
house called The Larches, near God
aiming. with her papa. Not far away
Is another house called The Elms,
owned by a gentleman Of the name
of Henry Lakington-a nasty man,
James, with a nasty face-who was
also at the Carlton yesterday after
noon for q short time. And now we
come to the point. Miss Benton
that Is the lady's name-accuses Mr..
Lexington Of being the complete 1T
In the criminal line. She went even
so far as to say that he was the sec
ond most dangerous man in England"
Indeed, sir. More coffee, drT
"Will nothing move you, JamesT'
remarked his master plaintively.
This man murders people and does
things like that, you know"
Personally, sir, prefer a picture
palace. But suppose there amt no
accounting for 'obbies. May 1 clear
away, sirT'
"No, James, not at present. Keep
quite still while I go on, or l shall
get 1t wrong. Three months ago there
arrived at The Elms, the most dan
gerous man In England-the 1T of
IT'S. This gentleman goes by the
name Of Peterson, and he owns a
daughter. From what Miss Benton
said, have doubts about that daugh-
ter, James" He rose and strOlled over
to the window. "Grave doubts. How
ever. to return to the point. it APP
pears that some unpleasing conspiracy
is being launched by 1T. the TT of
IT'S, and the doubtful daughter, into
which Papa Benton has been unwill-
ingly drawn. AS far as l can make
out. the suggestion is that I should
unravel the tangled skein Of crime
and extricate papa"
In a spasm of uncomfortable ex-
element James sucked his teeth.
"Lumme, 1t wouldn't 'alf go on the
movies, would itr he remarked. BET
ter than them Red Indians and
things"
81 fear, James. that you are not In
the habit of spending your spare time
at the British museum, as I hoped"
said Drummond. "And your brain
doesn't work very quickly. The
point 70 not whether this hide0us AZ.