Middletown transcript., 1921-07-30

"Then he's probably. over 1T Deli
toms house. l will go and see.''
Hugh watched the thick-set. mas
sive figure stroll down toward the
wicket gate, and he laughed gently
to himself. Then he grew serious
again, and with slight frown he
pulled out his watch and peered at it.
Half-Dast one two more hours
before dawn. And in those two hours
he wanted to explore the house from
on top; especially he wanted to have
a look at the mysterious central room
Of which Phyllis had spoken to him
the room where Lakington kept his
treasures. But until the excited
throng below went indoors, it was
unsafe to move. Once out of the
shadow. any one would be able to
see him crawling over the roof in the
moonlight.
At times the thought Of the help
less man for whose death he had in
enc way been responsible recurred to
him, but he shook his head angrily.
It had been necessary, he realized:
you can carry someone upstairs in
normal house without him having
his neck broken-but still >. AEd
then he wondered who he was. 1t
had been one of the men who sat
round the table-of that he was toler-
ably certain. But which >. Vas
it the frightened bunny, or the Rus
sian, or the gentleman with the blood
shot eye? The only comfort was that
whoever 1t had been, the world would
not be apprecably the poorer for his
sudden decease. The only regret was
that it hadn't been dear Henry.
He had distate for Henry which
far exceeded his dislike of Peterson.
"Hes not over there" Peterson's
voice came to him from below. "And
we've wasted time enough as it is"
The men had gathered together in
group, just below where, Hugh was
sitting, evidently awaiting further Or
ders.
'Do you mean to say we've lost the
young swine again?" said Lakington
angrily.
mot lost-merely mislaid,' MUIR
| INJURED Peterson. "The more l see of
him the more do l admire his initia-
tive"
Lakington sncrted.
1T was that id fool Ivolsky's own
| fault" he snarled; "why didn't he
keep still as he was told to do?"
"Why, indeed" returned Peterson
his cigar glowing red. "And I'm
afraid we shall never know. He is
very dead" He turned toward the
house. "That concludes the enter
tainment, gentlemen, for tonight.
think you can all go to bed"
He disappeared into the house, and
the others followed slowly. For the
time being Hugh was safe, and with
sigh of relief he stretched his
cramped limbs and lay back against
the sloping roof. If only he had dared
to light a cigarette.
THREE.
| It was half an hour before Drum.
mond decided that it was safe to start
exploring. First he took off his shoes
and tying the laces together, he slune
them around his neck. Then, as si
lently as he could, he commenced tC
scramble upward.
It was not an easy operation; one
slip and nothing could have stopped
him sliding down and finally crash
ing into the garden below, with 6
broken leg, at the very least, for his
pains. In addition, there was the
risk of dislodging a slate, an unwise
proceeding in a house where most OF
the occupants slept with one eye open
But at last he got his hands over the
ridge of the roof, and in another mo
ment he was sitting straddleyist
across it.
A sudden rattle close to him made
him start violently; only to curse him
self for nervous ass the next no
ment, and lean forward eagerly. One
of the blinds had been released from
inside the room. and a pale, diffuse(
light came filtering out into the nigh
from the side Of the glass roof. HI
was still craning backward and for
ward to try and find some chinl
through which he could see, when
with kind of uncanny deliberation
one of the panes of glass slowly
opened. 1t was worked on ratche
from inside, and Hugh bowed his
thanks to the unseen operator below
Then he leant forward cautiously, enc
Eeered in.
The whole room was visible to him
and his jaw frightened as he took il
the scene. In an armchair, SmOkin.
as unconcernedly as ever, sat Peter
son. He was reading letter, ant
occasionally underlining some poin
with a pencil. Beside him on table
was big ledger, and every now ant
then he would turn over a few page:
and make an entry. But it was no
Peterson on whom the watcher above
was concentrating his attention; i
was Lakington, taking a red velve
box out of drawer in the desk. H,
opened it lovingly, and Hugh saw th'
flash of diamonds. LakingtOn let tn,
stones run through his hands, glitter
ing with a. thousand flames. while Pc
terson watched him contemptuously.
"Baubles," he said, scornfully
"Pretty baubles. What will you ge
for them?"
'Ten, perhaps fifteen thousand" re
turned the other. "But it's not thu
money I. care about; it's the deligh
in having them, and the skill required
| rot fhorp