Middletown transcript., 1921-07-16
BULLDOG DRUMMOND
The of a Dennobiized & BV CYRIL MCNEILE
Dull =

la short, half-strangled snore came
from his lips. It had the effect o.
waking him for the moment, and HI
staggered to his feet.
The other three, sprawlhg in theil
chairs, were openly and unashamealy
asleep; even the dogs lay in fantastic
attitudes, breathing heavily, inert like
logs.
wake up!" shouted Hugh wildly
"For Gods sake - wake up! 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 it, hopelessly, despairingly
while his legs seemed not to belong
to him, and there was roaring noise
in his ears. And then, just before
unconsciOusness overcame him, there
came to his bemused brain the sound
Of whistle thrice repeated from out
side the window. With last stu
pendous effort he fought his way to-
ward it, and for a 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 a sort OF
pad, but the cold, sneering eyes were
unmistakable.
'Lakington!" gasped Hugh, and
then the roaring noise increased in
his head; his legs struck work alto
gether He collapsed on the floor 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 a similar pad over his
mouth and nose. "Where did you put
the generator, Brownlow?
"In 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 box out of the scuttle from
behind some coal, and shook it gent
ly, holding it to his ear. Its fin
ished," he remarked, and LakingtOn
nodded.
can ingenious invention is gas"
he said, addressing another of the
men. "We owe your nation quite a
debt of gratitude for the idea.'
A cultural grunt left no doubt as
to what that nation was, and Laking-
ton dropped the box into his pocket.
"Go get him." he ordered briefly,
and the others left the room.
ContemptuousIy Lakington kicked
one of the dogs;. it rolled over and
lay motionless in its 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
thud. Finally, he went to the window
and stared down at Drummond. In
his eyes was look Of cold fury, and
.he kicked the unconscious man say
agely in the ribs.
"You young swine," he muttered.
"Do you think I'll forget that blow
on the jaw"
He took another box out of his
pocket and looked at it lovingly.
"Shall II" With a short laugh he
replaced it. Its too good death
for you, Captain Drummond, D. S. O.,
NC. Just to snuff out in your sleep.
No. my friend, 1 think 1 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 woman?"
"Bound and gagged in the kitchen"
answered one Of them lacOnically.
"Are you going to do this crowd in?"
The speaker looked at the uncon-
scious men with hatred in his eyes.
"They cucumber the earth-this
breed Of puppy"
'They will not cucumber it for
long," said Lakington softly. "But
the one in the window there is not
going to die so easily. I have a small
unsettled score with him. ~
"All right; he's in the ear" A
voice came from outside the window,
and with last look at Hugh Drum
mond, Lakington turned away.
"Then We'll CO." he remarked. eau
revoir, luy blundering young bull. Be
fore I've finished with you, you'll
scream :or mercy. And you won't
Through the still night air there
came the drumming Of the engine Of
powerful car. Gradually it died
away and there was silence And
then, with a sudden crack, Peter OAR
rell's head rolled over and hit the arm
of his chair.