Middletown transcript., 1921-09-17
BULLDOG
DRUMMOND

lie replaced the receiver and turned
to the American.
"Mr. Ditchling will be here for the
meeting at two, and Peterson will be
late" he announced slowly.
"What's DitchliEg when he's at
homer" asked the other.
"One of the so-called leaders," an
swered Hugh briefly, turning over the
pages of the ledger. Here's his dos
sier, according to Peterson. Ditchling,
Charles. Good speaker; clever; un-
scrupulous. Requires big money; worth
it. Drinks"
For while they stared at the brief
summary, and then the American burst
into guffaw of laughter.
'The mistake you've made, Captain,
in this country, is not giving Peterson
a seat in your cabinet. He'd have the
whole caboose eating out of his hand !;
and if you paid him few hundred
thousand year, he might run straight
and grow pigs as hobby. ="
TWO.
It was a couple of hours later that
Hugh rang up his rooms in Half Moon
street. From Algy, who spoke to him,
he gathered that Phyllis and her IA
ther were quite safe. He also found
out another thing-that Ted Jerning-
ham had just arrived with the hapless
Potts in tow, who was apparently suf-
ficiently recovered to talk sense. He
was weak still and dazed, but no long
er imbecile.
''Tell Ted to bring him down to The
Films at once," ordered Hugh. "There's
a compatriot of his here, waiting to
welcome him with open arms"
"Potts is coming, Mr.. Green" he
said, putting down the receiver. "Our
Hiram G. And he's talking sense. 1t
seems to me that We may get little
light thrown on the activities of. Mr..
Hooking and Herr Steinemann. and
the other bloke."
The American nodded slowly.
"Von Gratz," he said. Il remember
his name now. Steel man. Maybe
you're right, Captain, and that he
knows Something; anyway, l guess
Hiram G. Potts and I stick closer than
brothers till restore him to the bosom
Of his family" -. = -. - \. - =
But Mr.. Potts, when he did arrive,
exhibited no great inclination to stick
close to the detective; in fact, he
showed the greatest reluctance to en-
ter the house at all. AS Algy had
said, he was still weak and dazed, and
the sight of the place where he had
suffered so much produced such an ef-
feet on him that for while Hugh
feared he was going to have a relapse.
At length, however, he seemed to get
back his confidence, and was persuad-
ed to come into the central room.
"It's all right, Mr.. Potts." Drummond
assured him over and over again.
''Their gang is dispersed, and Laking-
ton is dead. We're all friends here
now. You're quite safe. This is Mr..
Green, who has come over from New
York especially to find you and take
you back to your family"
The millionaire stared in silence at
the detective, who rolled his cigar
round in his mouth.
''That's right, Mr.. Potts. There's the
little old sign" He threw back his
coat, showing the police badge, and
the millionaire nodded. II guess you've
had things humming on the other side,
and if it hadn't been for the Captain
here and his friends, they'd be hum
ming still"
'Tm obliged to you, SIR" said the
American, speaking for the first time
to Hugh. The words were slow and
hesitating, as if he was not quite sure
Of his voice. 81 seem to remember
your face" he continued, "as part OF