Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1921-11-09


urgent. A message from mead
quarters"
He sealed the envelope and handeu
1t with the necessary five shlillnss
for postage to the man. Then ne sal
down to wait After what seemed an
interminable delay he saw the mes
senger crossing the lounge.
"Mr Potts will see you, sir.
Hugh followed his guide along
corridor, and paused outside door
while he went into a room. he hearu
murmur of voices, and then the
man reappeared.
"This way. sir he said, and Hugh
stepped inside, to stop with an lnvol-
untary gasp of surprise. The man
seated in the chair was Potts TO an
intents and purposes. The likeness
was extraordinary, and had ne not
known that the real article was at
Goring he would have been COM
pletely deceived himself.
The man waited till the door was
closed: then he rose and stepped
forward suSpiciously.
81 don't know YOU" he said. who
are your
"Since when has every one EN-
pIoyed at headquarters known one
anOther?' Drummond returned guard
edly. "And, incidentally, your ike
ness to our lamented friend is won
derful. 1t very nearly deceived even
me-"
The man, not ill-pleased, gave
short laugh.
"It'Il pass | think But It's risky.
These cursed reporters have been
badgering the whole morning.
And if his wife or somebody comes
over, what then? 1t wasn't like
Rosca to bungle in Belfast. He's
never left a clue before, and he had
plenty of time to do the job prop
erly'
"A name inside breast-pocket
might easily be overlooked" remarked
Hugh, Selling the obvious clue.
"Are you making excuses for himY
snarled the other. "He's failed, and
failure is death. Such is our rule.
w Oulu you nave IL dllclCO'
"Most certainly not. The issues are
far too great for any weakness.
you're right, my friend-you'rs
right. Long live the Brotherhood"
He stared out of the window with
smouldering eyes, and Hugh preserved
a discreet silence. Then suddenly the
other broke out again. "Have
they killed that insolent puppy of
soldier yet?''
"Er-not yet" murmured Hugh
mildly.
'They must find the American at
once The man thumped the table
emphatically. cit was important be-
fore-at least his money was. Now
with this blunder-it's vital"
Precisely" said Hugh. precise
ly."
1--WE already interviewed one man
from Scotland Yard, but every hour
increases the danger. However, you
have a message for me. What is it?"
Hugh rose and casually picked up
his hat He had got more out of the
interview than he had hoped for, and
there was nothing to be gained by
prolonging it, But it struck him that
Mr.. Potts impersOnator was a man
of unpleasant disposition, and that
tactically thanking movement to the
door was indicated And, being of
an open nature himself, it is possible
that the real state of affairs showed
for a moment on his face. Be that
as it may something suddenly aroused
the others suspicious and with
snarl of fury he sprang past Hugh to
the door.
"Who are you?" He spat the words
out ven0mously. at the same time
whipping an ugly-looking knife, out of
his pocket.
Hugh replaced his hat and stick
on the table and grinned gently.
81 am the insolent puppy of a sol
der. dear old bird" he remarked,
watching the other warily. "And if
was you I'd put the toOthpick away.
You might hurt yourself"
AS he spoke he was edging, little by
little, toward the other man, who
crouched snarling by the door. His
eyes. grim and determined, never left
the others face; his hands, apparently
hanging listless by his sides, were
tingling with the joy of what he knew
was coming.
"And the penalty of failure is death,
isn't it, dear oneT' He spoke almost
dreamly; but not for an instant did
his attention relax. Almost imper-
ceptibly, he crept toward the other
man, talking gently.
"Such is your rule. And / think
you have failed, haven't you, you I'M
pleasant specimen of humanity? How
will they kill you, l wOnderY
L ~ L.,