The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-07-14

Of resigned anguish, the perfectly or
binary man ceased chatting ant
looked at him. Hugh caught his ey'
for a fleeing second; then the con
versati0n continued. And as he turned
to pull out the pad Of forms, it STRUCK
him that the man had looked away
just a trifle too quickly. .
A grin spread slowly over his face
and after q moments hesitation hs
proceeded to compose a short wire
He wrote 1t In black letters for add
tional clearness; he also pressed his
hardest, as BETTING a blunt pencil.
Then with the form In his hand he ad'
vanced to the counter.
"How long will 1t take to deliver
In London?" he asked the girl.
The girl was not helpful. 1t de-
pended, he gathered, OF q variety OF
circumstances, Of which not the least
was the perfectly ordinary man who
talked 81 charmingly.
II don't think I'll bother, then."
he said, thrusting the wire into his
pocket. Good morning. . ;"
He walked to the door, and shortly
afterward his car rolled down the
street.
With what the girl considered pecu-
liar abruptness. the perfectly ordinary
man concluded his conversation with
her. and decided that he too would
send a wire. And then. after a long
and thoughtful pause at the writing
bench, she distinctly heard an unmis-
taxable oh" Then he walked out,
and she saw him no more.
Moreover. 1t Is to be regretted that
the perfectly ordinary man told a lie
a little later In the day, when giving
his report to some one whose neck ap-
parently Inconvenience him greatly.
But then a lie Is frequently more
tactful than the truth, and to have
announced that the sole result Of his
mornings labors had been to decipher
a wire addressed to The Films, which
contained the cryptic remark, "Stung
again, sin neck, stung again." would
not have been tactful. SO he lied,
as has been stated. thereby showing
his wisdom.
But though Drummond chuckled to
himself as the car rushed through the
fresh morning air, once or twice q
CLEAN that was not altogether amuse-
ment shone In his eyes. For four
years he had played one game where
no mistakes were allowed; the little
incident Of the postoflce had helped
to bring to his mind the certainty
that he had now embarked on another
where the conditions were much the
same. That he had scored up to date
was luck rather than good manage
ment, and he was far too shrewd not
to realize It. Now he was marked,
and luck with q marked man cannot
be tempted too far.
Alone and practically unguarded be
had challenged a gang Of international
criminals; a gang not only utterly un-
scrupulous, but controlled by a mas.
ter mind. OF its power as yet he had
no clear idea; Of its size and imme-
date object he had even less. Per.
haps 1t was as well. Had he realized
even dimly the immensely Of the is
sues he was up against, had he had
but an inkling Of the magnitude Of
the plot conceived in the sinister brain
OF his host Of the previous evening
then. CHEEKY optimist though he was
even Hugh Drummond might have
wavered. But he had no such inkling
and SO the CLEAN In his eyes was but
transitory. the chuckle that succeeded
1t more whole-hearted than before
Was 1t not sport In q land flowing
with strikes and profteers; sport such
as his soul loved7
II am afraid, Mullings," he sale
as his car stopped in front Of his
club. "that the kindly gentleman with
whom we spent last night has re
pudiated his obligations. He refuses
to meet the bill / gave him for your
services. Just wait here q moment
He went inside, returning In a few
moments with q folded check.
Round the corner, Mullings. and
an obliging fellah In a black coat will
shovel you out the necessary Brad
burys."
The nan glanced at the check.
FIFTY pounds, sir" he gasped
"Why-lt's too much. sir.
! :"
1.-THE laborer. Mullings. Is worth,
Of his hire. You have been Of tn,
very greatest assistance to me: and
incidentally. II Is more than likely tina
I may want you again. Now, wher
can / get hold Of your
"13 Green Street. 'Oxton. sir. II al
ways find me. And any time. sir. q!
you wants me, I'd like to come Jus
for the sport Of the thing"
Hugh grinned.
"Good lad. And II may be sooner
than you think"
TWO.
Inside the Junior Sports club. Hugl
Drummond was burying his nose In
large tankard Of the ale for which
that CHEEKY pot-house . still fam
QUA. A waiter was arranging th,
Nrat oditlOus NJ tina %ovenin1 DaDorI