The Lamar register., 1921-07-20
CHAPTER SIX.

CHAPTER SIX.
In Which a Very Old Game Tskss
Place on the Hogs Bsek.
A thick grey mist lay over the
Thames. 1t covered the water and the
low fields to the west like a thick
white carpet; 1t drifted sluggishly
under the old bridge which spans the
river between GOring and Streatley.
II was the hour before dawn, and
sleepy passengers, rubbing the win
dows of their carriages as the Ply
mouth boat express rushed on toward
London, shivered and drew their rugs
closer around them. 1t looked cold
cold and dead.
Slowly. almost imperceptibly. the
vapor rose, and spread outwGrds up
the wooded hills by Basildon. 1t
drifted through the shrubs and rose
bushes OF little garden, which
stretched from Il bungalow down TO
the waters edge, until at length wisps
Of 1t brushed gently round the bunga-
low itself. Suddenly the window OF
one OF the downstair rooms was flung
open, and IA man with white hag-
gard face leaned out drawing great
gulps of fresh air into his lungs.
Three other men lay sprswling un-
couthly In chairs. and two dogs lay
motionless on the hearthrug.
After a moment or two the man
withdrew. only TO appear again with
one of the others In his arms. And
then, having dropped his burden
through the window on to the lawn
outside, he repeated his performance
with the remaining two. Finally he
pitched the two dogs after them, and
then, with his hand to his forehead.
he staggered down to the waters
edge.
Holy smokel" he muttered to him
self, as he plunged his head into the
cold water, talk about the morning
afteri"
After while, with the water still
dripping down his face, he returned
to the bungalow and found the other
three In various stages Of partial in
sensibility.
Wake up. my heroes" he remarked,
"and go and put your great fat heads
In the river. We were all of US
drugged or doped somehow. And
now" he added bitterly. we've all
got heads. and we have not got Potts"
81 don't remember anything" said
Toby Sinclair. except falling asleep.
Have they taken himT'
"Of course they have" said Hugh.
"Just before / went OF l saw 'em
all In the garden. and that swine
Lakington was with them. However
while you go and put your nuts in the
river. I'll go up and make certain"
With a grim smile he watched the
three men lurch down to the water;
then he turned and went upstairs to
the room which had been occupied
by the American millionaire. It was
empty. as he had known II would be,
and with a smothered curse he made
his way downstairs again.
TWO.
HAS 1t struck you fellows" re-
marked Hugh, at the conclusion OF
lunch, ''that seated around this table
are four officers who fought with some
distinction and much discomfort In
the recent historic struggleT'
How beautifully you put It, old
fiick !" said Darrell.
'.Has 1t further struck you fellows"
continued Hugh, that last night we
we're done down, trampled on, had
for mugs by a crowd Of dirty black
guards composed largely Of the dregs
Of the universeT'
"A veritable Solomon" said Algy.
gazing at him admiringly through his
eyeglass. 81 told you this morning /
detested your friends"
"Has It still further struck you"
went on Hugh. trihe grimly, that
we aren't standing for itl / propose
that we should tackle the blighters
| tonight"
Tonight /" echoed Darrell. "Where?"
AT The Elms, OF course. That's
where the wretched Potts is for 4
certainty"
"And how do you propose that We
should set about it7" demanded Sin