Middletown transcript., 1921-06-18


his room"
James, with a curt Every good
SIR" left the room. Almost at onc'
he returned, and flinging open tn
door, announced Mr.. Peterson.
Drummond looked up quickly ant
rose with a smile.
"Good morning." he cried. "This /!
a very pleasant surprise, MIR. Peter
son." He waved his visitor to q
chair. Hope you've had no more
trouble with your car"
Mr.. Peterson drew off his gloves
smiling amiably. "NOne at all, thanh
you, Captain Drummond. The chauf
feur appears to have mastered the
defect"
1T was your eye on him that die
it. Wonderful thing-the human
optic, as said to your friend, Mr.
Mr.. Lakington. hope that he's quite
we'll and taking nourishment."
"Soft food only" said the other
genially. ''Mr. Lakington had most
unpleasant accident last night-most
unpleasant"
Hugh's face expressed his sympa'
| thy. "How very unfortunate he
murmured. II trust nothing serious.
II fear his lower jaw was fractured
in two places" Peterson helped him.
self to cigarette from the box be-
side him. ''The man who hit him
must have been boxer"
mixed up in a brawl, was hep
said Drummond. shaking his head. 81
should never have thought, from what
little I've seen of Mr.. Lakington, that
he went in for painting the town red.
I'd have put him down as most
abstemiOus man-but one never can
tell, can one? l once knew a fellah
who used to get fighting drunk on
three whiskies, and to look at him,
you'd have put him down as a parsOn.
Wonderful amount of cheap fun that
chap got out of life"
Peterson fiicked the ash from his
cigarette into the CRATE. "Shall we
come to the point, Captain Drum
monde" he remarked affably.
Hugh looked bewildered. ''The
point, Mr.. Peterson? Er-by all man.
ner Of MEANS"
Peterson smiled even more affably.
Il felt certain that you were young
man Of discernment," he remarked,
''and l wouldn't like to keep you from
your paper minute longer than nee
essary."
"Not a Bit" cried Hugh. my time
is yours-though I'd very much like
to know your real opinion Of The
Juggernaut for the Chester cup. 1t
seems to me that he cannot afford
to give Sumatra seven pounds on
their form up to date"
"Are you interested in gambling?"
asked Peterson politely.
"A mild flutter. Mr.. Peterson. every
now and then," returned Drummond
Strictly limited stakes"
IF you confne yourself to that
you will come to no harm," said Pc
terson. 1T is when the stakes be-
come unlimited that the danger Of a
crash becomes unlimited too"
THAT Is what my mother always
told me-" remarked Hugh. "She even
went further, dear good woman that
she was. Never bet except on a GER
tainty, my boy was her constant ad-
vice, and then put your shirt on =
1 can hear her saying it now, Mr..
Peterson, with the golden rays of the
setting sun lighting up her sweet
face"
Peterson leant forward in his chair.
young man." he remarked, we've
got to understand one another. Last
night you butted In on my plans, and
l do not like people who do that. BY
an act which, 1 must admit, appealed
to me greatly, you removed something
l require-something, moreover, which
1 intend to have. Breaking the cleo
trio bulb with revolver shot shows
resource and initiative. The blow that
smashed Henry Lakingtons jaw in two
places shows strength. All qualities
which admire, Captain Drummond-
admire greatly. 1 should dislike hav-
ing to deprive the world of those quail
tiles"
Drummond gazed at the speaker
open-mouthed. "My dear SIR" he pro-
tested feebly. "you overwhelm me.
Are you really accusing me Of being
sort Of wild west show?" He wag-
gled a finger at Peterson. You know
you've been to the movies too much,
like my fellah. James. He's got re-
volvers and things on the BRAIN"
Peterson's face was absolutely i'm
passive; save for slightly tired
smile it was expressionless. "Final-
ly, Captain Drummond. you tore in
half a piece Of paper which l re-
quire-and removed a very dear old
friend Of my family, who is now in
this house. I want them both back,
please, and If you like I'll take them
now"
Drummond shrugged his shoulders
resinedly. There is something about
you, Mr.. Peterson" he murmured,
(which like. So masterful, so COM
pelling, so unruffled. I feel sure
when you have finally disabused your
mind of this absurd hallucinat
that we shall become real friends.
'Tell me, why did you allow this |
scoundrel to treat you in such an
Offhand manner?'
"Unfortunately bullet intended |
for him just missed" answered Peter
son casually. "A pity-because there |
would have been no trace of him by |
nOv0