Evening star., 1921-05-01
CONTINUED from Yesterdays Starr

next time and then
the seventh wave of several seventh
waves arrived. He had a f1eeting
glimpse of the scoundrel Drummond,
apparently on the other end of d
secsaw, watching him delightedly
from outside; then, with drc>lful
groan. he snatched his new basin,
just supplied by a phleEmatic stew
ard from the scoundrel next him. who
had endeavored to appropriate it.
".
Walk right in. Mr.. Green" said
Hugh. as. three hours later. they got
out of a taxi in Half Moon street. This
is my little rabbit hutch
He followed the American up tho
stairs. and produced his latchkey. But
before he could even insert it in the hole
the door was flung open. and Peter Oar
rell stood facing him with evident relief
in his face
son. he cried. with a brief look at the
detective. There's something doing
down at Godalming I don't like
He followed Hugh into the sitting
room.
AT twelve o'clock today Toby rang
up. He was talking quite ordinarily
you know the sort of rot he usually gets
off his chest-when suddenly he stopped
quite short and said. My God. What
do you want" l could tell he'd looked
up, because his voice was muffied. Then
there was the sound of scutfie. heard
Toby curse. then nothing more. l rang
/ and rang and rang-no answer
What did you do?" Drummond. with
a letter in his hand which he had taken
off the mantelpiecc, was listening grimiy.
'Algy was here. He motored straight
off to see if he could find out what was
wrong. stopped here to tell YOU
"Anything through from him.
"NOt a word There's fOul Dlay or
I'll eat my hat
But Hugh did not answer With a
look on his face which even Peter had
never seen before. he was reading the
letter 1t was short and to the point,
but he read it three times before he
spoke.
when did this Gomez he asked.
AN hour ago." answered the other.
Il very nearly opened it"
Read it." said Hugh. He handed it
to Peter and went to the door
Denny" he shouted, Il want my car
round at once" Then he came back
into the room. "If they've hurt one
hair of her head" he said, his voice
full of smoldering fury. 'l'n murder
that gang one by one with my bare
hands"
Say, captain, may see this letter?''
For PHYS sake. come at once, y
read the detective aloud. 1.-The bearer
of this is trustworthy He thoughtfully
picked his teeth. Girls writing. Do
you know her?'
MY fiancee." said Hugh shortly.
"Certain?" snapped the American
"Certain.' cried Hugh OF course
am. l know every curl of every
letter.
"There is such thing as forgery
remarked the detective dispassionately.
Damn it, man." exploded hugh; 30
II my G
writing?"
"A good many bank cashiers have
mistaken their customers writing before
now" said the other. unmoved i don't
like it, captain. A girl in real trouble
wouldn't put in that bit about the
bearer"
You go to hell" remarked Hugh
briefly. I'm going to Godalming.'
We'll" drawled the American. not
knowing Godalming, l don't know VINO
scores But, if you go there-l come.
too
Hugh grinned.
Not you, old son. If Mr.. Green
will come. I'll be delighted; but
want YOU here at headquarters
He turned round as his servant put
his head in at the door.
Gar here, sir. Do you want a bag
packed"
ready. Mr.. Green?"
'.Sure thing" said the American.
81 always am.
Then We'll move" And Peter
watching the car resignedly from the
window, saw the American grip his
them suddenly in silent prayer. while
an elderly charlady fed with scream
to the safety of the. area. below.
They did the trip in well under
the hour. and the detective got out
of the car with faint sigh OF re-
lief.
you've missed your vocation. cap
tain" he murmured "If you pushed
a bath chair it would be safer for
all parties. 1 bolted two bits of gum
in that excursion"
But Drummond was already out of
earshot, lodging rapidly through the
bushes on his way to the Larches:
and when the American finally over
took him. he was standing by side
door knocking hard on the panels.
Seems kind of empty" said the
thoughtfully, as the minutes
went b. and no one came. why not
try the front door,
Because it's in sight of the other
said Hugh briefly. I'm going
to break in"
He retreated a yard from the door,
then, bracing his shoulder. he charg-
ed it once. And the door. as a door.
was not. Rapidly the two
men went from room to room-bed
rooms, servants quarters, even the
bathroom. Every one was empty:
not a sound could be heard in the
house. Finally, only the dining room
and as they stood by the
door looking round. the American |
shifted his third piece of gum to a
new point of vantage.
Somebody has been rough housing. |
by the look of things" he remarked |
iudicially. Looks like a boozing den j
after a thick night"
"It does" remarked Hugh grimly, |
taking in the disorder of the room. |
The tablecloth was pulled off. the
telephone lay on the floor. China and !
glass, smashed to pieces, Uttered the
carpet; but what caught his eye and
him suddenly to step forward
and pick it up was plain circle of
glass with a black cord attached to
it through small hole.
"Algy Longworth's eyeglass," he
so he's been caught too"
And it was at that moment that, |
clear and distinct through the still
evening air. they heard woman's
scream. 1t came from the
house next door, and the American,
for brief space. even forgot to chew
his gum.
The next instant he darted forward.
stop. you young fool" he shouted,
but he was too late
He watched Drummond. running
like stag, cross the lawn and dis
appear in the trees. For a second he
hesitated: then, with shrug of
square shoulders. he rapidly left the
house by the way they had entered.
And few minutes later Drummond's
car was skimming back towards Lon
don. with grim faced man at the
wheel. who had apparently felt the
seriousness Of the occasion so acutely
as to deposit his third piece of spear
mint on the underneath side of the