The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-08-11
SYNOPSIS.

PROLOGC En- December, 1918. fouI
men gathered in a hotel in Berne and
heard one of the quartet outline plan
20 paralyze Great Britain and at the
same time seize world power The other
three Hooking. American. and 6teineman
and Won Gratz. Germans. all millionaires
agree 10 the scheme, providing another
nan. Hiram Potts. an American. is taken
IA The iusJigatOr OF the plot gives his
name Comte de Guy. but when he
Aoaves for England with his daughter he
decides 10 use The name Carl Peterson.
CHI rI-Is /. - Capt Hugh 1BulldcgJ
D. DrumnlO-.d. a retired officer, advertises
for wCr~ that VIII give him excitement
signing ''-[iC." AS a result lac meets
Phyllis Benton. a young who an
sweIe1 ..is I'd. she tells him Of strange
murders and rObberies OF which she sus-
poets band headed by Carl Peterson and
Henry LakingtOn OF being the leaders
CHAPTER u-Drummond decides 10
20 TO The Iarches. Miss Benton's home.
An attempt Is made on the road TO wreck
his m..-Hlnc when another. occupied by
Petersen. "a. iEStcn and a strange man,
blocks the read. While dining With Phyl-
lie Benton and her father Druumond
hears d terrible shrek at The Ems. Dur
ing the nisHJ Drummond leaves The
I-arcLSs ana explores The E!ns lie dis
covers Iaii;t-ton and Peterson using
thumbscrrw On American who signs
q paper. DrummCnd reScCes tie Amerl-
car after o. struggle and takes him TO
his home. Tine man is Hiram g. Potts
There was something 81 Incredibly
menacing in the soft. quiet voice that
Drummond looked ar the speaker fas-
cinatcd. He had sudden feeling that
he must be dreaming-that in a mo-
ment or two he would wake up and
find that they had really been talking
q,
Then the cynical CLEAN of triumph in
PeterSon's eyes acted on him like Il
cold douche.
Your candor is as refreshing" he
answered genially, las your SMILES
are apt. / shudder TO think of that
poor little fly, Mr.. Peterson. especial
ly with your chauffeur grinding his
gears TO pieces" He held open the
door for his visitor, and followed him
into the passage. AT the other end
stood Denny, OstentatiOusly busting II
bookshelf, and Peterson glanced at
him casually. Ii was characteristic
OF the man that no trace Of annoyance
showed on his face. He might have
been an ordinary visitor taking his
leave.
outside which Denny was busting
there came a low moaning and an in
coherent babble. A quick frown
passed over DrummOnd's face, and
Peterson regarded him thoughtfully
IAN invalid in the houseT" he re-
marked. How incOnvenient for you 20
He laid his hand for a moment on the
soldiers arm. 81 sadly fear you're
going 10 make a fool OF yourself. And
1t will be such pity" He turned
toward the stairs. Don't bother,
please; can find my own way out"
THREE
Hugh turned back into his own
room, and lighting particularly noisy
pipe, sat down I'm his own special
chair. He was under no decisions as
10 the risks he was running, Under
rating his opponent had never been a
fault Of his, either i'm the ring or in
France. and he had no intention Of
beginning now. The man who could
abduct an American millionaire, and
drug him till he was little better than
a baby, and then use a thumbscrew
TO enforce his wishes, was not likely
TO prove Over-scrupulous in the fu-
ture.
After a while he began half-uncon-
sciously to talk aloud TO himself. 1.-TWO
alternatives, old buck" he remarked,
stabbing the air with his pipe. One
give the Potts bird up at Berners
street; twO-do not. Number one
out Of court at once. Preposterous-
- - l.
the field" He rang the bell
James" he said, as the door OPP
ened, take a piece OF paper and a
pencil-if there's one with a point
and sit down at the table. I'm going
to think, and I'd hate to miss out any
thing"
His servant complied, and for a
while silence reigned.
First" remarked Drummond, put
down-'They know where Potts is
Two-'They will try TO get Potts."
Eyes, sir" answered Denny writing
busily.
''Three-They viii not get Potts
Now, James. you've got to do some
thing else. Rise and with your we'll
known stealth approach the window,
and see If the watcher still watcheth
without"
The servant took a prolonged sur
vey, and finally announced that he
failed to see him. H.
3 Then that proves conclusively that
he's there" said Hugh. write it down,
James: Four-'Owing to the watcher
without, Potts cannot leave the house
without being SEEN F1ve-Potts must
leave the house without being seen
] want him. James. ] want him all to