Evening star., 1921-04-06
Bulldog Drumm0nd
BY CYRIL McNE1E ("Sapper
A Novel Of Mystery, Love and Adventure.
-
CONTINUED from yesterdays star.)
BY CYRIL McNE1IE (''Sapper'


!, Continued from yesterdays star.)
~ Indeed. sir. More coffee, sir?'
viii nothing move you. James,?
remarked his master. plaintively
This man murders people and does
things like that. you know"
Personally. sir. prefer picture
palace. But I suppose there amt
no accounting for 'obbies. May
clear away. sfr:~
No. James, not at present. Keep
quite still while I go on. or I shall shall
there arrived at the E1ms the most
dangerous man in England-the IT
Of ITS. This gentleman goes by the
name of Peterson. and he owns
daughter. From what Miss Benton
ter, James" He rose and strolled
over to the window. Grave doubts
However, to return to the point. II
appears that some unpleasing con-
spiracy is being Matched by 1T. the IT
of ITS. and the doubtful daughter
into which Papa Benton has been
ppwillingly drawn. AS far as l car
make out, the suggestion is that
should unravel the tangled skein OF
crime and extricate papa"
In SpdSm OF unCOntEOildUiC ca
citement- James sucked his teeth
"Lumme, 1t wouldn't 'alf go on the
movies, would it?" he remarked
Better than them red Indians and
things"
7 fear. James. that you are not
in the habit of spending your spare
time at the British Museum. as
hoped" said Drummond. And your
brain doesn't work very quickly. The
point is not whether this hideous
affair is better than red Indians ano
thiugs-but whether it's genuine. Am
] to battle with murderers. or shall
] find a house party roaring with
laughter on the lawn?"
"As long as you laughs like ell
yourself, sir. I don't see as ,ow II
makes much Odds, answered James
."The first sensible remark you've
made this morning." said his mas
ter. hopefully. Il will go prepared
TO laugh" ,
He picked up a pipe from the man
while James Denny still waited II
"A lady may ring up today" Drum.
mond continued. Miss Benton, tc
be exact. Don't say where I've gone
If she does; but take down any mes
sage. and wire it to me at Godalmins
post oflce. If by any chance you
don't hear from me for three day:
get In touch with Scotland Yard. and
tell 'em where Eve gone. That Gov.
ers everything If it's genuine. II II
on the other hand. it's hoax, anG
the house party is a good one, shall
probably want you to come down
more kit"
Very good. sir. I win clean your
small Colt. revolver at once.
Hugh Drummond paused in the
act Of lighting his pipe, and q
grin spread slowly over his race
~ExceIient." he said. And see
SQUIRT pistol I used to have-a son OF
q gun they called it. That ought te
raise q laugh. when I arrest the mur.
dsrer with it"
The thirty-horsepower two-seafeI
made short work Of the run to Go
halming. Under the dickey seat be
hind lay q small bag. containing tht
bsxp necessaries for the night, ane
- Drummond thought Of the two
guns rolled up carefully in his
pa1amas-the harmless toy and the
wicked little aatomatic-he grinned
gently to himself. The girl had not
rung him up during the morning and
after q comfortable lunch at his club
he md started about o'clock The
hedges. fresh with the glory OF
sprfnE. flashed past: the smell OF the
country came sweet and fragrant on
the air. There was a gentle warmth
. ba1miness in the day that made i,
good to be alive. and once or twice
he sang under his breath through
sheer lightheartedness OF spirit. Sur
rounded by the peaceful beauty OF
the fields. with an occasional village
tHA frnyv az
which the tiny houses peeped out, II
seemed impossible that crime could
exist-laughableL OF course. the thing
was . hoax, an elaborate leg-pull, but
being not guilty of any mental sub
terfuge. Hugh Drummond admitted
to himself quite truly that he didn't
care a damn il 1t was. Phyllis Benton
was at liberty to continue the jest
wherever and whenever she liked
Phyllis Benton was a very nice girl
and very nice girls are permitted a
lot Of latitude.
A persistent honking behind aroused
him from his reverie. and he pulled
into tho side Of the road Under nor
mai circumstances he would have lei
his own car out. and. as she could
toxch ninety with ease, he ver5
rarely found himself passed. But thit
afternoon he felt disinciined 30 race
he wanted TO go quietly and think
Blue eyes and that glorious coIorine
tinctly dangerous. Most engrossine
10 a healthy bachelors thoughts
An open cream-colored Rol1s-R Royce
drew level. with five people on board
and he looked mp as II passed There
were three people in the back-two
men and woman-and for a moment
I, his eyes met those of the man near
est him. Then they drew ahead. and
] Drmmond pulled up to avoid the
thick cloud of dust.
With q slight frown he stared at the
retreating car: he saw the man lear
over and speak to the other man; he
. saw the other man look around. Their
bend in the road hid them from
sight. and. still frowning, Drummond
pulled out his case and lit cigarette
; for the man whose eye he had caught
, as the Rolls went by was Henry
Iakington. There was no mistakina
that hard Tipped. cruel face.
Presumably, thought Hugh. tnt
! other two occupants were Mr.. Peter
a and the doubtful daughter. lrma
the Elms. And incidentally there
seemed no pronounced reason why
they shouldn't But. somehow. the
, suddsn appearances Of Lakington had
upset him: he felt irritable and an
, noyed. What little he had seen Of the
man he had not liked: he did not wan
to Be- reminded Of him. especially
jast ~ he was thinking Of Phyllis.
I He watched the white dust-clout
/ rise over the hill in front as the ca,
' topped It: he watched II settle and
h driff away in tho faint breeze Ther
he let in his clutch and followed quit,
slowly in tho big cars wake.