The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-08-06
Bulldog Drummond
The Adventures of a DemaobiLzed Cyril McNeile
Officer Who Found Peace Dull


no sound on the heavy pile carpet.
Like q huge shadow he vanished into
the blackness, feeling his way forward
with the uncanny instinct that comes
from much practice. Every now and
then he paused and listened intently'
but the measured ticking of the CLOCK
below and the occasional creak OF
board alone broke the stiffness.
To the left lay the room in which he
had spent the evening, and Drummond
turned to the right. AS he had gone
I'D to bed he had noticed a door
screened by heavy curtain when ne
thought might be the room Phyllis
Benton had spoken of-the room
where Henry darlington kept his i'll
gotten treasures. He felt his way
along the wall, and at length his hand
touched the curtain-Only to drop 1t
again at once. From close beside MIN
had come a sharp, angry hiss.
He stepped back a pace and stood
| rigid, staring at the spot from which
the sound had seemed to come-but
he could see nothing. Then he leaned
forward and once more moved the
curtain. Instantly it came again.
sharper and angrier than before.
Hugh passed a hand over his fore
head and found it damp. Germans he
knew, and things on two legs, but
what was this that Kissed so viciously
| in the darkness? At length he deter
mined to risk it, and drew from his
pocket a tiny electric torch. Holding
| it we'll away from his body, he
switched on the light. In the center
of the beam, swaying gracefully to
and fro, was a snake. For moment
he watched 1t, fascinated as 1t spat at
the light angrily; he saw the fiat mood
where the vicious head was set on the
upright body; then he switched on the
torch and retreated rather faster than
he had come.
"a convivial household" he NUT
tered to himself through lips that were
a little dry. "a hooded cobra is an
unpleasing pet"
Hugh had just determined to recon
hotter the curtained doorway again to
see if 1t was possible to circumvent
the snake, when a low chuckle came
distinctly to his ears from the landing
above.
He flushed angrily in the darkness
There was no doubt whatever as to
the human origin of that laugh, and
Hugh suddenly realized that he was
making the most profound fool Of him.
self. To be laughed at by some dirty
swine whom he could strangle in hall
mlnute-was impossible. His fists
clenched, and he swore softly under
his breath. Then as silently as he
had come down, he commenced t.
climb the stairs again. He had hay
idea that he would like to hit some
thing-hard.
There were nine stairs In the frs
half of the flight, and it was as h
! stood on the fifth that he again hearC
the low chuckle. At the same instan
, something whizzed past his head 81
low that 1t almost touched his hair
+ and there was a clang on the wall be
side him. He ducked instinctively
and regardless of noise raced up tn
! remaining stairs, on all-fours. Hi
, Jaw was set like a wise, his eyes wert
blazing; in fact, Hugh DrummOnd wa
. seeing red.
: He paused when he reached the TOP
! crouching in the darkness. Close t
; him he could feel some one else, an
, holding his breath, he listened. The
T he heard the man move-only the ger
n faintest sound-but II was enough
= without a seconds thought he spranl
o and his hands closed on human flesf
He laughed gently; then he fought i
I silence.
o His opponent was strong above tn
Q average, but after a minute he wa
Q like a child in Hugh's grasp. Fl
r choked once or twice and muttere
something; then Hugh slipped hi
| right hand gently onto the man
throat. His fingers moved slowl
round, his thumb adjusted itself lO0
ingly, and the man felt his head bein
forced back irresistibly. He gave on
strangled cry, and then the pressur
relaxed.
zone half-inch more, my gentle h,
morist," Hugh whispered In his ca
"and your neck would have bee
/ broken. As 1T Is, It will be very sti
| for some days. Another time-dOn
| laugh. It's dangerous"
Then, like a ghost, he vanishe
! along the passage in the direction (
A his own room.