The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1921-05-03

office here. Not that it would hor.
made any difference. l should ha' .'
come, anyway"
An Involuntary smile lowered rom,
her lips for moment; then She gro'N
serious again. Its very dangerous f.,
you to come here" she remarkaa
quietly. IF once those men suspec,
anything, God knows what viii hsu
peD.'
1t was ON the tip Of his tongna =.
tell her that it was too late to vorrv
about that; then he changed his mind
'And what is there suspicious" no
asked, Gin an old friend who hannons
to be in the nefghborhood dropninp IN
to call? Wherefore your telephona
message? What's the worry?"
She bit her lip and drummed with
her fingers on the arm of the chat,
IF I tell you," she said at sength
will you promise me, on your word
Of honor, that you won't go bunder.
ing into The Films, or do anything
foolish like that?''
AT the present moment I'm varv
comfortable where I am, thanks" ra
marked Hugh.
81 know" she said; ''but Tn so
dreadfully afraid that you're the typs
of person who who
She paused, at loss for word.
"Who bellows like a bull. and
charges head down." interrupted
Hugh with grin. She laughed with
him, and just for moment their eyes
met, and she read in his something
quite foreign to the point at issue
In fact, it is to be feared that the
question Of Lexington and his com.
paniOns was not engrOssing Drum
mOnd's mind, as it doubtless should
have been, to the exclusion Of all
else
''They're so utterly INSCRIPTIONS"
she continued hurriedly, $50 fiendishly
clever, that even you would be child
in their hands,"
Hugh endeavOred to dissemble his
pleasure at that little word seven"
and only succeeded in frowning hor-
ribly.
II will be discretion ITSELF" he as.
sured her firmly.
II suppose I shall have to trust
you she said. "Have you seen the
evening papers tOday?"
II looked at the ones that come out
in the morning labeled six D. M be-
fore I had lunch'' he answered. rs
there anything Of interest?'
She handed him copy of the
Planet. "Read that little paragraph
in the second column" She pointed
to it, as he took the paper, and Hugh
read it aloud.
"A1r. Hiram c. Potts--the celebrat-
ed American milliOnaire-is progress
ing favorably. He has gone into the
country for few days, but is suf-
ficiently. recovered to conduct business
as usual" He laid down the paper
and looked at the girl sitting opposite
zone is pleased" he remarked in a
puzzled tone, "for the sake of Mr..
Potts. To be ill end have a name
like that is more than most men
could stand. But I don't quite
see :"
'"That man was stopping at the
Carlton, where he met Lakington"
said the girl. Gle is a Elulti-miI-
llOnaire, over here in connection with
some big steel trust and when multi
milliCnaires get friendly with Laking
ton, their health frequently does SUI
fer"
But this paper says he's getting
better" objected DrLmmond. "'Suf-
flciently recovered TO conduct business
as usual"
eff he is sufficiently recovered to
conduct business as usual. why did he
send his confidential secretary away
yesterday morning on an urgent mis-
sion to Belfast?''
Search me- said Hugh 'Inci-
dentally, how do you know he did,
Y asked at the Carlton THIS morn
ing. she answered. 81 said ID come
after q job as typist for Mr.. Potts.
! They told me ut the inquiry Office that
he was i'll in bed and unable to see
anybody. SO 1 asked for his secrt,
talE. AMI they told me what I've lust
told you-that he had left foi. Belfast
that morning ard would be away sew
eral days. It may be that there's
nothing in it; on the other hand. it
may be that there's lot. And it's
only by following UP every possible
clue" she continued fercely. chat 7
can hope to beat those fiends and get
daddy out of their clutches"
Drummond nodded gravely, and did
not speak. For into his mind had
flashed suddenly the remembrance Of
that sinister, mOtionless figure seated
by the chauffeur. The widest guess
work certainly-no vestige of proof
end yet, having once come. the
thought stuck. And as he turned it
over in his mind, almost prepared to
laugh at himself for his credulitv-
milliOnaires are not removed against
their will. in broad daylight. from one
OF the biggest hotels in London. to sit
in immovable silence in an open car
the door opened and an elderly man
came in.
Hugh rose. and the girl introducpd