Evening star., 1921-04-24
CONTINUED from Yesterdays Star.)

| clear and still. commenced to sink
rapidly. Fascinated, Hugh watched
was empty human body had COM
pletely disappeared without leaving a
trace. 1t seemed to him as if he must
have been dreaming-as II the events
of the whole night had been part of
And then. having pinched himself to
make sure he was awake. he once
more glued his eyes to the open space
| Of the window. Lexington was swab-
| bing out the bath with some liquid
| chin sunk on his chest, was still
| pacing slowly up and down; tho girl.
her neck and shoulders cleaning
white in the electric light. was light
ing a second cigarette from the stump
Of the first. After a while Lakington
finished his cleaning operations and
put on his coat.
"What," he asked. curiously, docs
| he think you are?"
"A charming young girl" answered
his life in the war. and who at pres
| ent ekes out a precarious existence in
government office. At least, that's
what he told Lady Frumpley-she's s
the woman Of unassailable virtue. She
was profoundly sentimental and
scents a romance. in addition to being
snob and scenting a future duke. to
! say nothing of future duchess. By
the mercy of Allah she's on COM
; mittee with his mother for distribu-
! ting brown paper underclothes to des-
titute Belgians. and SO Freddie
wangled an invite for her VOLTA tout.
! Splendid" said Lakington, slowly.
Splendid. Young Laidley comes OF
age in about week. doesn't he?"
| Monday. to be exact. and so 1 20
day"
Lakington nodded his head as if
satisfied. and then glanced at his
watch.
what about bed.' he remarked.
Not, Not yet" sal said Peterson, hating
the Yank before go to Paris. Wen
have him down here now"
my dear Carl. at this hour" LAX
| ington stihed q yawn.
Yes. Give him an injection. Henry
and. BY God. well make the fool
| sign. Then l can actually take 1t
over to the meeting with me-"
He strobe to the door. followed by
Lakington; and the girl in the chair
stood up and stretched her arms above
her head. For a moment or two Hugh
watched her; then he too stood up
Make the fool sign" The words
echoed through his brain, and he
stared thoughtfully at the gray light
, which showed the approach of dawn.
What was the best thing to do?
Make" with Peterson generally i'm
! piled torture il other means failed.
and Hugh had no intention of watch
ing any man tortured. At the same
time something Of the nature Of the
diabolical plot conceived by Peterson
was beginning to take definite shape
| in his mind. though many OF the most
important links were still missing.
And with this knowledge had come
the realization that he was no LONGER
| q free agent. The things had ceased
to be mere sporting gamble with
himself and q few other chosen spirits
matched against a gang Of criminals:
correct-a national affair. England
herself-her very existence-was
threatened by one Of the vilest plots
ever dreamed of in the brain of man
And then. with a sudden rage at his
own impotence. he realized that even
now he had nothing definite to go on.
He must know more: somehow or
other he must get to Paris: he must
attend that meeting at the Ritz. How
he was going to do 1t he hadn't the
faintest idea: the furthest he could
set as he stood on the roof. watching
the first faint streaks Of orange in
the east. was the definite decision that
II Peterson went to Paris. ne would
80. too. And then q sound from the
room below brought him back to his
vantage point. Inc american was
sitting in chair, and Lexington. with
a hypodermic syrinse in his hand. was
holding his arm.
He made the Injection, and Hugh
watched the millionaire. He was still
undecided as to how to act. but for
the moment. at any rate. there was
nothing to be done. And he was very
curious to hear what Peterson had to
say to the wretched man. who up to
date mad inquired SO largely in every
round.
After a while the American ceased
staring vacantiy in front of him. and
passed his hand dazedly over his fore
head. Then he half rose from his
chair and stared at the two men sit
ting facing him. His eyes came round
to the girl, and with a groan he sank
back again. plucking feebly with his
hands at his dressing gown.
Better. Mr.. Potts?" said Peterson,
suavely.
where am II"
At the Elms. Godalming. If you
wish to know"
swayinE. What do you want with
me? Damn you!"
'Tush, tush," murmured Peterson.
There is a lady present. Mr.. Potts.
And our wants are so simple Just
your signature to a little agreement,
ices you promise to join US in our
er-labors in the near future"
II remember" cried the millionaire.
Now l remember. You swine-you
fiithy swine. refuse abso-
The trouble is. my friend. that you
are altogether too big an employer
OF labor to be allowed to refuse, as
pointed out to you before You must
be in with US. otherwise you might
wreck the scheme. Therefore, I re-
Quire your signature. / lost it once,
unfortunately-but 1t wasn't q very
good signature; SO perhaps it was all
for the best"
"And when you've got it," cried the
American. what good will it be to
you? shall repudiate it,"
"Oh! no. Mr.. Potts" said Peterson
with a thoughtful smile; II can as
sure you. you won't. The distressing
malady from which you have recently
been suffering will again have you in
its grip. My friend Mr.. Lakington is
an expert on that particular illness.
1t renders you quite unfit for busi-
ness
For a while there was silence, and
the millionaire stared round the room
like a trapped animal. II refuse" he
cried at last. ITS an outrage against
humanity. You can do what you
like"
Then we'll start with a little more
thumbscrew," remarked Peterson.
stroilins over TO the desk and OPEN
ing a drawer. AN astonishingiy ef-
fective implement. as you can see II
you look at your thumb" He stood
in front Of the quivering man. ball
| aneing the instrument in his hands
1T was under it's influence you gave
us the first signature. which we SO
regrettably lost. ] think we'll try IT