The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-06-16

nave very many VISITORS mere, Dut j
hope you'll find everything you re
Quire. Breakfast at nine"
Drummond closed the door behind
him, and stood for a moment In
silence, looking round the hall. It
was deserted, but he wanted to get
the geography of the house firmly i'm
printed on his mind. He stepped
across toward the drawing-room. In
side. as he hoped, he found the girl.
She rose the instant he came In,
and stood by the mantelpiece with her
hands locked.
what was it7' she half whispered
that awful noise at dinnerT'
He looked at her gravely for a
while, and then he shook his head.
Shall we leave 1t as a night-bird for
the PRESENT." he said quietly. Then
he leaned toward her. and took her
hands In his own go to bed, little
girl" he ordered; this " my show.
And, may I say. I think you're just
wonderful. Thank God you saw my
advertisement !"
Gently he released her hands, and
walking to the door, held 1t open for
her. "If by any chance you should
hear things In the night-turn over
and go TO sleep again"
But what are you going to do?"
she cried.
Hugh grinned. II haven't the re-
hottest idea" he answered. Doubt
less the Lord will provide"
The instant the girl had left the
room Hugh switched off the lights, and
stepped across TO the curtains which
covered the long windows. He pulled
them aside, letting them come to-
gether behind him then, cautiously,
he unbolted one side Of the big CEN
ter window. Silently he lodged across
the lawn toward the big trees at
the end, and leaning up against n
of them, he proceeded to make a more
detailed survey Of his objective, The
Films. 1t was the same type Of house
as the M he had just left, and the
grounds seemed about the same size.
A wire fence separated the two places,
and In the darkness Hugh could just
make out a small wicket-gate, clos
ing a path which connected both
houses. He tried 1t, and found to his
satisfaction that 1t opened silently.
Save for one room on the ground
floor the house was In darkness, and
Hugh determined to have a look at
that room. There was a chink In the
curtains, through which the light was
streaming out, which struck him as
having possibilities.
Keeping under cover, he edged
toward it and, at length, he got into
a position from which he could see
inside. And what he saw made him
decide to chance 1t, and go even closer.
Seated at the table was a man he
did not recognize; while on either
side of him sat Lexington and Peter
o n Lying on a sofa smoking q
cigarette and reading a novel was a
tall dark girl. who seemed completely
uninterested In the proceedings Of
the other three. Hugh placed her
at once as the doubtful daughter Irma,
and resumed his watch on the group
at the table.
A paper was in front Of the man,
anG Peterson, who was smoking q
large cigar, was apparently suggest
ing that he should make use Of the
pen which darlington was Obligingly
holding In Yna6inasc Tn oil vnoDno<1
a harmless tableau, save for one small
thlIg-the expression on the mans
face Hugh had seen 1t before often
only then 1t had been called she'll
shOd. The man vas dazed, semi
UNCONSCIOUS. Every now and then he
stard round the room, as II be-
wilhred; then he would shake his
heao and pass his hand YEARLY over
his .Orehead. For a quarter Of an
hour the scene continued; then LAX.
ingtH produced an instrument from
his pocket. Hugh saw the man
shrink back in terror, and reach for
the pen. But what impressed him
mos In that momentary flash Of
actin was Peterson. There was
s%onsthing inhuman In his complete
pasivlty. Even as he watched the
man signing his name, no trace Of
emoon showed on his face-whereas
on hkington's there shone a flendish
s%atifaction.
Te document was still lying on
the table. when Hugh produced his
revdser. He knew there was foul
playabout, and the madness Of what
he Id suddenly made up his mind
to . never struck him; being that
maIier Of fool, he was made that
way But he breathed a pious prayer
that he would shoot straight-and
Their he held his breath. The crack
Of ie shot and the bursting Of the
only electric light bulb In the room
wer almost simultaneous, and the
mex second, with a roar of "Come
on, toys," he burst through the win
dow At an immense advantage
oveithe others. who could see moth
ingfor the moment. he blundered
roud the o He timed the blow
at Arlington to a nicely; he hit him
str,ght on the point Of the jaw and
no ilt tho man 90 down like a log.