The Raymer enterprise., 1921-10-06

TITS pretty obvious. old boy" said
Hugh grimly. Y should say that
about dve hours ago Peterson found
out that our one and only Hiram @
Potts was upstairs."
"Good Lord!". spluttered Darrell,
BY now very wide, awake. 'what do
we do, sergeant-majorr
1--WE take It In turns-two at
time-to sit up with Potts." Hugh
glanced at the other three. "D-n It
You blighters-wake up"
Il don't know what It is." Darrell
said, rubbing his eyes. Il feel most In
fernally sleepy"
"Well. listen to -confound you
Tobyi"
sSorry. old man." With a start Sim
clair sat up In his chair and blinked
at Hugh.
They're almost certain to Try and
get him tonight" went on Hugh.
"Having given the show away by
leaving a clue on the wretched secre-
tary, they must get the real man as
soon as possible. It's far too danger
Gus to leave the-leaye the" His
head dropped forward on his chest:
short, half-strangled snore came
from his lips. It had the effect Of
waking him for the moment. and he
staggered to his feet.
The other three, sprawling in their
chairs, were openly and unashamedly
asleep; even the dogs lay in fantastic
attitudes. breathing heavily, inert like
logs.
"Wake upw shouted Hugh wildly.
"For Gods sake - wake upl We've
been drugged'
An Iron weight seemed to be press
Ing down On his eyelids: the desire
for sleep grew stronger and stronger.
For a few moments more he fought
against II, hopelessly, despairingly;
while his legs seemed not to belong
to him, and there was roaring noise
In his ears. And then. just before
Inconsistencies overcame him. there
came to his bemused brain the sound
Of a whistle thrice repeated from out
side the window. With q last stu.
pendous effort he fought his way to-
ward It, and for q moment he stared
Into the darkness. There were dim
figures moving through the shrubs,
and suddenly one seemed to detach
Itself. It came nearer, and the light
fell on the mans face. His nose and
mouth were covered with 4 sort Of
pad, but the cold, sneering eyes were
unmistakable.
darlington |" gasped Hugh, and
then the roaring noise increased In
his head: his legs struck work alto
gether. He collapsed on the fioor and
lay sprawling, while Lakington, his
face pressed against the glass outside,
watched In silence.
DRAW the curtains" Lakington
was speaking. his voice muffled be-
hind the pad, and one Of the men did
as he said. There were four in all,
each with 4 similar pad over his
mouth and nose. "Where did you put
the generator. Brownlowr'
I'm the coal-scuttle." A man whom
Mrs. Denny would have had no Diff
Guilty in recognizing. even with the
mask on his face. carefully lifted a
small black boz out Of the scuttle from
behind some coal, and slseck It gent
~. holding It to his ear. ''It's I'm
ished," he remarked. and darlington
nodded.
IAN ingenious inveation IL gas"
he said. addressing smother Of TIE
men. I'VE owe your nation quite a
debt Of gratitude fsr the Idea"
A cultural grunt left no doubt a.
to what that nation was. and Laksag-
ton dropped the box into his pocket.
"Go get him." he ordered briefly,
and the others left the room.
Contemptuously Lakington kicked
one Of the dogs; u rolled over and
| lay motionless In tts new position.
Then he went In turn to each Of the
three men sprawling In the chairs.
With no attempt at gentleness he
turned their faces up to the light, and
studied them deliberately; then he let
their heads roll back again with a
thud. Finally. he went to the window
land stared down at Drumm0nd. In
his eyes was q look Of cold fury, and
he kicked the Unconscious man say
sgely In the ribs.
"You young swine," he muttered.
"Do you think I'll forget that blow
on the jaw?"
He took another box eut sf his
pocket and looked 1t It lovingly.
"Shall II" With Z short laugh he
replaced It. "It's too good q death
for you, Captain Drummoad, D. s. O..
NC. Just to snuff out 10 your sleep.
No. my friend. l think I can devise
something better than that; some
thing really artistic"
Two other men came In as he
turned away. and Lakington looked
at them.
"Well," he asked, 'have you got the
old womanfe
"Bound and gagged In the kitchen, y
answered one Of them laconically.
"Are you going to Ao fhis crowd inr'