Middletown transcript., 1921-06-04

Son of a Gun, they called it. That
ought to raise laugh, when l arrest
the murderer, with it."
TWO.
The 80 h.p. two-seater made short
work of the run to Godalming. AS
Drummond thought of the two guns
rolled up carefully in his pajamas-
the harmless toy and the wicked little
automatic-he grinned gently to him
self. The girl had not rung him up
during the morning, and after COM
Portable lunch at his club. he had
started about three o'clock. The
hedges, fresh with the glory Of spring,
flashed past the smell Of the country
came sweet and fragrant on the air.
There was gentle warmth, a balm
mess in the day that made 1t good to
be alive, and once or twice he sang
under his breath through sheer light
heartedness Of spirit. Surrounded by
the peaceful beauty of the fields, with
an occasional village half hidden by
great trees from under which the tiny
houses peeped out, it seemed impos-
sible that crime could exist-laugh-
able. OF course the thing was hoax,
an elaborate leg-pull, but being not
guilty Of any mental subterfuge. Hugh
Drummond admitted to himself quite
truly that he didn't care d-n II
it was. Phyllis Benton was at liberty
to continue the jest. wherever and
whenever she liked. Phyllis Benton
was a very nice girl. and very nice
girls are permitted lot of latitude.
A persistent honking behind aroused
him from his reverie. and he pulled
into the side of the road.
An open cream-colored Rolls-Royce
drew level, with five people on board,
and he looked up as it passed. There
were three people in the back-two
men and q woman, and for moment
his eyes met those of the man near
est him. Then they drew ahead. and
Drummond pulled up to avoid the
thick cloud Of dust.
With q slight frown he stared Mt
the retreating car; he saw the man
lean over and speak to the other
man; he saw the other man look
around. Then bend in the road hid
them from sight. and still frowning.
Drummond pulled out his case and
lit a cigarette. For the man whose
eye he mad caught as the Rolls went
by was Henry Lakington. There was
no mistakins that hard-lipped. cruel
face.
Presumably, thought Hugh. the
other two occupants were MIR. Peter
son and the doubtful daughter. Irma;
Presumably they were returning to The
Elms. And incidentally there seemed
no pronounced reason why they
shouldn't. But, somehow, the sudden
appearance of Lakington had upset
him: he felt irritable and annoyed.
What little he had seen Of the man
he had not liked; he did not want
to be reminded Of him, especially just
as he was thinking of Phyllis.
He watched the white dust-cloud
rise over the hill in front as the car
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drift away in the faint breeze. Then
he let in his clutch and followed
quite slowly in the big cars wake.
There had been two men in 'front.'
the driver and another, and he Won
dered idly if the latter was Mr.. Ben
ton. He accelerated up the hill and
swung over the top; the next mo-
ment he braked hard and pulled up
Just in time. The Rolls, with the
chauffeur peering into the bonnet, had
stopped in such position that it was
impossible for him to get by.
The girl was still seated in the back
of the car, also the passenger in
front, but the two other men were
standing in the road apparently watch
ing the chauffeur, and after while
the one whom Drummond had recog-
nized as Lakington came toward him.
"Tm sorry" ha be2an-and then
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