The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-10-29
CHAPTER xlI-contInued.

rang the bell. Il had hoped ne mur-
INJURED, "f0r a larger gathering. but
one cannot have everything"
Save to Peterson, who understood,
II only dlmly, what had happened, the
thing had come as such a complete
surprise that even the sudden entrance
Of twenty masked men, who ranged
themselves In single rank behind their
chairs, failed to stir the meeting. 1t
merely seemed in keeping with what
had gone before.
II shall not detaln you long, gentle
men" began Hugh. suavely. "Your gem
'eral appearance and the warmth OF the
weather have combined to produce In
me q desire for sleep. But before /
hand you over TO the care Of the
apOrtBmen VINO stand so patiently be
hind Jon, there are one or two remarks
I wish 10 make. Let me say at once
that on the subject Of Capital and La
Dor am supremely ignorant. You
win therefore be spared any disserta-
ton On the subject. But from an ex-
haustive study Of the ledger which now
lies upon the table, and a fairly init
mate knowledge Of Its authors move
ments. / and my friends have been put
to the Inconvenience Of treadlng on
you.
There ere many things. we know,
which are wrong In this jolly old coun-
try Of ours: but given time and the
right methods I am sufficiently Op-
timlstie to believe that they could be
put right. That. however, would not
suit your book. You dislike the right
method, because 1t leaves all Of you
much where you were before. Every
single one oc you--with the sole pos
sible exception OF you. Mr.. Torrance,
and you're maids playing with reyo-
luton for his own ends: to make mon
ey out Of it=-to gain power. -.
"Let Us start with Peterson-your
leader. How much did you say he de.
manded, Mr.. Potts, as the price Of rev.
oiutlcn7"
With q strangied cry Peterson
sprsng up as the American millionaire,
remDving his mask. stepped forward.
Two hundred and fifty thousand
pounds. you swine. was what you asked
me-" The millionaire stood confront.
Ing his tormentor. who dropped back
in hls chair with groan. .And when
j refused. you tortured me. Look at
any thumb"
VITA q cry Of horror the others sit.
ting ut the table looked at the mangied
flesh. and then at the man who had
done u This. even to their mind, was
going too FAR.
Then there was the same sum"
continued Drummond. ito come from
Hooking. the American cotton man
zlaif German By birth; Steinemann
the German coal man: Won Gratx. the
aiorman steel man. Il that not 80
Peterson1' Il WINS an arrow at q
venture. but It hit the mark. and Pc
terson nodded.
so one million pounds vas chs
stake this benefactor Of humanity
was playing for" sneered Drummond
lone million posads. as the mere
price ofaa nations life-blood.
But at any rate he had the merit Of
playing big, whereas the rest Of yot
scum, and the other beauties so abl,
catnlogued In that book, messed sbou
at his beck and call for packets o.
bulls eyes. Perhaps you labored un
der the delusion that You were fool
ing him. but the whole lot of you ar
80 id crooked that you probabI,
thought Of nothing but your own filth,
skins.
~Llsten to me-" Hugh Drummohd'
voice took on a deep. commandin
ring. and against their win the fou
men looked At the broad. powerful
soldier. whose sincerity shone clea
In his face. 'Not by revolutions an
direct action win you make this islam
Of ours rlghtAthough I am full
aware that that Is the last thing yo
would wish 70 see happen But wit
your brains. and for your own IN
scrupul0us ends. you gull the work
ingman lnfo believing Il. And ne. BE-
CAUSE you can talk with your tongue
IN your cheeks. IL led away. He be
>.lieves you win give him Utopia
whereas. IN reality. you are leadIn
him to h--l. And you know 1t. Evs
luton II our only ehance--not revt
tuition; but you. and others lik
you, stand to gain more by Ii
latter.
His hand dropped to his side, an
he grinned.
~Quits break for me" he r
marked. srm getting hoarse. r
now going to hand you four over (
the boys. There's an admirable, b
somewhat muddy pond outside. al
I'm sure you'd like 10 look for newt
II any Of y0u want to summon me {,
assault and battery, my name
Drummond- Captain Drpmm0nd
Half Moon street. But / warn "
that that book will be handed IA
Scotland Yard tonight. Out with 'er
boys. and give EN- h--l.
eAnd now, Carl Peterson" he r
marked. as Ehe door closed behind 4
lest Of the struggling prophets Of
new World. III Il time that you and
settled our little account. isn't Itr
The ster-c1iminal rose and TO,
facing him. Apparently be had on
Dletsly recovered himself; the has