Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-05-17

Hugh griInly. -"I should say that
about five hours ago Peterson found
out that our one and only Hiram G.
Potts was upstairs"
"Good Lord" spluttered Darrell,
by now very wide awake, "what do
we do, sergeant-major"
eve take 1t in turns-two at a
time-to sit up with Potts" Hugh
glanced at the other three. "D'-n It
YOU blighters-wake up!"
"I don't know what 1t is," Darrell
said, rubbing his eyes, II feel most in
fernally sleepy"
"Well, listen to me-confound you
... Toby!"
"Sorry, old man." With start Sin
clair sat up in his chair and blinked
at Hugh.
"They're almost certain to try and
get him tonight" went on Hugh;
"Having given the show away by
leaving a. clue on the, wretched .secre.
tary, they must get the real man as
soon as possible. It's far too danger
ous to leave the-leave the" His
head dropped forward on his chest :
q short, half-strangled snore came
from his lips. It had the effect OF
waking him for the. moment, and he
staggered to his feet.
The other three, sprawling in their
chairs, were openly and unashamedl5
asleep; even the dogs lay in fantastic
attitudes, breathing heavily, inert like
logs.
"Wake up!" shouted Hugh wildly.
sFor Gods sake - wake up! We've
been drugged!"
An iron weight seemed to be press
Ing down on his eyellds: the desire
for sleep grew stronger and stronger.
For q few moments more he fought
against it, hopelessly, despalringly
while his legs seemed not to belong
to him, and there was a roaring noise
In his ears. And then, just before
Inconsistencies overcame him, there
came TO his bemused brain the sound
of n whistle thrice repeated from out
side the window. With a last stu
pendous effort he fought his way to-
ward 1t, 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
Tell on the mans face. His nose and
mouth were covered with sort Of
pad, but the cold, sneering eyes were
unmistakable.
"Iakington !" 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"
I'm the coaI-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 1t gent
ly, holding it to his ear. It's fin
ished," he remarked, and Lakington
nodded.
"An 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.
eco get him." he ordered briefly
and the others left the room.
Contemptuously 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