Evening star., 1921-04-12
Continued from yesterdays Starr
CHAPTER ".
In Which He Spends a Quiet Night
at the Elms.

In Which He Spends a Quiet Nigh
at the Elms.
1T is little difficult to know wha
to do with you, young man." SAT-
Peterson. gently. after long silence
Il knew you had no tact"
Drummond leaned back in his chat
and regarded his host with fain
smile.
i must come to you for lessons
Mr.. Peterson. Though l frankly ad
mit," he added, genially, that l hav'
never been brought up to regard thu
forcible abduction of a harmless in
dividual and a friend who is sleep
ing off the effects of what low people
call a jag as being exactly typica
of that admirable quality"
Peterson's glance rested on the dis
heSeled man still standing by tn,
he leaned forward and pressed bell
Take that man away" he sale
abruptly to the servant who cam,
into the room. and put him to bed.
will consider what to do with him IL
the morning."
Consider be damned" howled Null.
ings, starting forward angrily. You'll
consider a thick ear. Mr.. Blooming
know-all. What l wants to know
The words died away in his mouth
and he gazed at Peterson like a bird
looks at a snake. There was some
stare of the gray-blue eyes that the
ex-soldier who had viewed going over
the top with comparative equanimity
as being part of his job. quailed and
looked apprehensively at Drummond
DO what the kind gentleman tells
20 bed" He smiled at the man reas-
suringly. "And if you're very. very
good, perhaps. as great treat, he'll
come and kiss you goodnight"
night"
door closed behind them. els what
call tact
He lit a cigarette, and thoughtfully
blew out a cloud of smoke.
stop this fooling." snarled Peter
son. Where have you hidden Potts.
"Tush. tush." murmured Hugh. You
surprise me. I had formed such a
charming mental picture of you, Mr.
Peterson. as the strong. silent man
who never lost his temper. and here
YOU are. disappointing me at the be-
ginning of our acquaintance"
For a moment he thought that
Peterson was going to strike him. and
llfs own fist clenched under the table.
Il wouldn't, my friend" he said,
Quietly. indeed. I wouldn't Because
if you hit me. shall most certainly
hit you And it will not improve
your beauty
Slowly Peterson sank back in his
chair. and the veins which had been
standing out on his forehead became
normal again. He even smiled: only
the cease1ess tapping Of his hand on
his left knee betrayed his momsntary
loss OF composure. Drummond's fist
unclenched. and he stole look at the
girl. She was In her favorite atti-
tude on the sofa. and had not even
4 suppose that IT is quite useless
for me to argue with you" said Peter
son after a while.
II was a member of my school de-
batting society,"" remarked Hugh rem
iniscently. But I was never much
good Tn too obvious for argument.
You probably realize from what
has happened tonight" continued Pc
terson. that am in earsest"
Il should be sorry to think So" an
sword Hugh IF that is the best you
can DO: I'd cut it right out and start a
The girl gave a. little gurgle Of
laughter and LIT another cigarette.
will you come and do the danger
ous part of the work for US. Mon
sieur Hugh?" she asked.
II
fellows. I'll water them with pleas
ure." returned Hugh, lightly.
Peterson rose and walked over to
the window, where he stood motion
less. staring out into the darkness.
For all his assumed fiippancy. Hugh
in military phraseology might be
termed critical. There were in the
house pro baby half a dozen men who,
like their master. were absolutely un-
scrupuloUs. II it suited Petersons
hook to kill him he would not hesi-
tate to do so for a single second. And
Hugh realized. when he put it that
way In his own mind. that it was no
eXaggeration, no facon de par1er but
a plain. unvarnished statement of
fact Peterson would no more think
twice of killing a man II he wished to
OF crushing a wasp.
For a moment the thought crossed
his mind that he would take no
chances by remaining in the house;
that he would rush Peterson from be-
hind and escaoe into the darkness of
the garden But it was only monfen-
tafy-gone almost before it had come.
for Hugh Drummond was not that
manner of man-gone even before he
noticed that Peterson was standing in
evnry detail of the room behind him
reflected in the glass through which
he stared
A fixed determination to know what
lay In that sinister brain replaced his
temporary indecision. Events up to
had hardly had time to get his bear
ings; even now the last twenty-four
hours seemed almost a,dream And
as he looked at the broad back and
massive head Of the man at the WIN
dow: and from him to the girl idly
Sm0kinD he loN
i!e grimiy: He had just remembered
the thumbscrew of the preceding
evening Assuredly the demobiIized
officer who found peace dull was get
mond had shrewd suspicion that the
entertainment was only just begin
ming.
4 sudden sound outside in the gar
den made him look up quickly. He
saw the white gleam Of a shirt front
and the next moment a man pushed
open the window and came unsteadily
into the room. 1t was Mr. Benton,
and quite obviously he had been seek
ing consolation in the bottle.
Have you got him. he demanded
thickly. steadying himself with hand
Il have not" said Peterson. short
~. eyeing the swaying figure in front
OF him contemptuously.
Where is he?"
feIhapS II you ask your daughters
friend. Capt. Drummond. he might tell
YOU For heavens sake, sit down,
man, before you fall down." He
pushed Benton roughly into a chair
and resumed his impassive stare into
the darkness.
The girl took not the slightest no.
tice OF the new arrival. who gazed
stupfdly at Drummond across the ia
Bile.
We seem to be moving in an at.
mosphere Of cross-purposes. Mr.. Ben.
tom said the soldier affably. "Oul
host will not cot rid of the idea tina,
i am a species Of bandit. I hope youl