The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-09-08
CHAPTER x
In Which the Hun Nation Decreases
by One.
ONE

by One.
Drummond had yielded to impulse
the blind, all-powerful impulse Of any
man who Is a man to get to the wOm-
an he loves If she wants him. AS he
had dashed across the lawn to The
ElmS, with the Americans warning
cry echoing in his ears, he had been
incapable of serious thought. Subcon-
sciously he had known that, from w
cry point of view, it was the act Of a
mailman, that he was deliberately put
ting his head into what, in all prob
ability, was a carefully prepared
moose; that. from every point Of view,
he could help Phyllis better by re-
manning a free agent outside. But
when a girl shrieks, and the man who
loves her hears it, arguments begin
to look tired. And what little caution
might have remained to Hugh COM
pletely vanished as he saw the girl
her face, from an upstair window, as
he dashed up to the house. 1t was
only for a brief second that he saw
her; then she disappeared suddenly,
as if snatched away by some invisible
person.
Pm coming, darling" He had given
one wild shout, and hurled himself
through the door which led into the
house from the garden. A dazzling
light of intense brilliance had shOne
in his face, mOmentarily binding him
then had come "a crushing blow on the
back OF his head. One cropping, wild
step forward, and Hugh Drummond,
dimly conscious Of men all round him,
had pitched forward on his face into
utter oblivion.
Its too easy" Lakington's sneer-
ing voice broke the silence, as he
looked vindictively at the unconscious
man.
$50 you have thought before.
Henry" chuckled Peterson. "And he
always bobs up somehow. If you take
my advice you'll finish him off here
and now, and run no further risks"
xiii him while he's unconscious?"
darlington laughed evilly. mo, Carl,
not under any circumstances what
ever. He has quite a lengthy score
to pay, and by God he's going to pay
1t this time" He stepped forward
and kicked DrummOnd twice In the
ribs with a cold, animal fury.
"Well, don't kick him when he's
down, guv'nor. You'll ave plenty O.
time after" A hoarse voice from the
circle Of men made Lexington looH up.
"YOu cut 1t out, Jem Smith," he
snarled, "or I might find plenty Of
time after for others beside this young
swine" The ~ex-pugilist muttered IN
easily under his breath, but said no
more, and it was Peterson who broke
the silence.
what are you going to do with
him?'
Lash him up like the other two"
returned Lexington, land leave him
to cool until I get back tomorrow.
But I'll bring him round before I 60,
and Just talk to him for q little. I
wouldn't like him not to know what
was going to happen to him Antc-
ipatiOn is always delightful" HA
turned to two Of the men standing
near. Garry him into my room" he
ordered, land another Of you get the
rope"
And SO 1t was hat Algy LongwOrth
and Toby Sinclair, with black rage
and fury In their hearts, watched the
ried into the central Swathed
In rope, they sat mOtionless n i'm
potent, in their respective chairs,
while they watched the same process
being performed on Drummond. lie
was no amateur at the game, was the
rope-winder, and by the time he had
finished, Hugh resembled nothing so
much as a lifeless brown mummy.
Only his head was free, and that lolled
forward h~elpleSsly.
darlington watched the performance
for a time; then, wearying OF it. he
strolled over to Algy's chair.
"Well, you puppy" he remarked
are you going to try shouting agalnF
He picked up the rhinoceros-hide rid
ing-whip lying on the floor, and
bent 1t between his hands. THAI
vale on your face greatly improves
your beauty. and next time you'll gel
two, and a gag as we'll"
"How's the jaw, you horrible bit o.
dreg?" remarked Algy i~nsultingly, ant
Toby laughed.
Don't shake his nerve, Algy," M
implored. For the first time In hi'
filthy life he feels safe In the same
room as Hugh"
The taunt seemed to madden LAX
ington, who sprang across the room
and dashed Sinclair over the face. Blu
wen after the sixth cut no sound cam'
from the helpless man, though tn
blood was streaming down inside nj
collar. His eyes, calm and sneerine
} mot thooo ~ tho ravinU man In from