Middletown transcript., 1921-08-20
BULLDOG
DRUMMOND
The Adventures of a
De110bilized Officer
Who Found Pe1ceDuU
Bv CYRIL McNEILE
"SAPPER"
Copyright BY Geo. q. Doran O.

wood and carefully placed them in an
empty matchbox: the tube he put IN
to his cigarette-case.
might come in mandy: you never
know" he remarked casually.
"They might if you stand quite STILL"
said the American, with sudden,
sharp command in his voice. Don't
move"
Hugh stood motionless, staring at
the speaker, who with eyes fixed on
his right forearm, had stepped for
ward. From the loose sleeve OF MS
pajama coat the detective gently pulled
another dart and dropped it into the
matchbox.
"Not far off getting you that time,
captain" he cried cheerfully. NOW
you've got the whole blamed outfit
It was the COmte de Guy who
boarded the boat express at the Care
du Nord the next day; it was Carl
Peterson VINO stepped off the boat ex-
press at Boulogne. And it was only
Drummonds positive assurance which
convinced the American that the two
characters were the same man.
He was leaning over the side OF the
boat reading telegram when ne nrst
saw Hugh ten minutes after the boat
had left the harbor; and If he had
hoped for a different result to the in
cident of the night before, no sign OF
it showed on his face. Instead he
waved a cheerful greeting to Drum
mond,
''This is a pleasant surprise" he re-
marked affably. "Have you been to
Paris, too?"
For a moment Drummond looked at
him narrowly. Was it a stupid bluff,
| or was the man so sure of his power
of disguise that he assumed with GER
tainty he had not been recognized?
And it suddenly struck Hugh that,
save for that one tell-tale habit-a
habit which, in all probability, Peter
son himself was unconscious of-he
would not have recognized him.
"Yes," he answered lightly. Il came
over to see how you behaved your
self"
"What pity I didn't know!" said
Peterson, with a good-humored chuckle.
He seemed in excellent spirits, as he
carefully tore the telegram into tiny
pieces and dropped them overheard.
"We might have had another of our
homely little chats over some supper
Where did you stay?"
"At the Ritz. And you"
II always stop at the Bristol" an
swered Peterson. "Quieter than the
Ritz, Think
"Walk right in, Mr.. Green" said
Hugh, as, three hours later, they got
out of taxi in Half Moon street.
''This. is my little rabbit-hutch."
He followed the American up the
stairs, and produced his latchkey. But
before he could even insert 1t in the
hole the door was flung open, and
Peter Darrell stood facing him with
evident relief In his face.
"Thank the Lord you've come, old
son." he cried, with a brief look at
the detective. "There's something do
ing down at Godalming l 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?' I could tell he'd
looked up, because his voice was muf.
fled. Then there was the sound Of q
scuffle, heard Toby curse, then moth.
ing more. rang and rang and rang
no answer"
"What did you do?" Drummond
with q letter In his hand which he
had taken off the mantelpiece, was lis
tening grimly.
"Algy was here. He motored straight
off to see if he could find out what
was wrong. I stopped here to tel
you."
Anything through from him?"
"Not a word. There's foul play, OF
I'll eat my hat"
: But Hugh did not answer. With 6
, look on his face which even Peter hat
never seen before, he was reading the
| letter. 1t was short and to the point
but>-ne read 1t three times before HI
> spoke.
, "When did this Gomez" he asked.
! "An hour ago." answered the other
! II very nearly opened it."
! "Read it, said Hugh. He handed i
/. to Peter and went to the door.
: Denny" he shouted, Il want m,
. car round at once" Then he cam
}. back into the room. IF they've hur
? one hair of her head" he said, hi
voice full of smoldering fury, "I'l
e murder that gang one by one with m,
bare hands,"
/ "Say, captain, may I see this let
' ter?" said the American; and Hugl
! nodded.
' "'For PHYS sake, come at once
read the detective aloud. "'The beare
: of this Is trustworthy He thought
t fully picked his teeth. "Girrs writ
It ing. Do you know herr"
n "My fiancee," said Hugh shortly.
It "Certain?" snapped the American.
IS "Certain!" cried Hugh. "Of cours
d l am. I know every curl of every lei
e ter"
'There is such thing as forgery,
r remarked the detective dispassionatel!
y On it, man." exploded Hugh; I'd
d you imagine don't know my ow
| ~