The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-09-15

"And Now I Have Killed You. I'm
Sorry About It."
have killed you. I'm sorry about II
I wasn't particularly anxious to end
your life. But it had to he done"
The German, hardly conscious OF
what he had said owing to the pain In
his arm, was frantically kicking the
Englishman's legs, still bound to the
chair; but the iron grip or his wrists
never slackened. And then quite sud
denly came the end. With one dread
ful, convulsive heave the German
jerked himself free, and fell doubled
up on the floor. Fascinated, they
watched him wrlthing and twisting,
until nj last, he lay still. The
BOche was dead. -.
"What vas that blOw-pipe AFFAIR.""
cried Sinclair hOarsely.
"The thing they tried to finish me
with In Paris last night" answered
Hugh grimly, taking a knife out OF his
waistcOat pocket. LET us trust that
none Of his pals come in to look for
him"
A minute later he stood up. only to
sit down again abruptly, as his legs
gave way. They were numbed and
stiff with the hours he had spent In the
same position, and for n while he could
do nothing but rub them with his
hands, till the blood returned and he
could feel once more.
Then, slowly and painfully, he tot
tered across to the others and set them
free as well. They were In an v
worse condition than he had been (;
and 1t seemed as If Algy would v
be able to stand again, so completely
dead was his body from the waist
,dOwnwards. But. Mt length, after what
seemed an eternity to DrummOnd, who
gang come In they were almost as help
less In their present condition as II
they were still bound In their chairs.
the other two recovered.
"All fit now? Good! We've got to
think what we're going to do. for we're
not out Of the wood yet by two or
three miles"
Lets get the door open," remarked
Algy, land explore"
Cautiously they swung II open, and
absolute silence; the hall was de-
serted.
'Switch ont the light" whispered
Hugh. "WelI wander round"
They crept forward stealthily In the
darkness. stopping every now and then
10 listen. But no sound came to their
ears; II might have been a house Of
the dead.
Suddenly DrummOnd, who was in
front Of the other two, stopped with a
out from under Il door at the end Of a
passage and, as they stood watching
IT, they heard a mans voice coming
from the same room. Some one else
answered him and then there was
silence once more.
AT length Hugh moved forward
again. and the others followed. And
It was not until they got quite close to
the doOr that a strange. continuous
noise began TO be n~oticeable-a noise
which came most distinctly from the
lighted room. IT rose and fell with
monofonous regularity at times 1t re-
sembled a brass band-at others 1t
died away 10 a gentle murmur. And
occasionally II was punctuated with a
strangled snort. ...
"Great Scott" muttered Hugh ex-
citedly, 1.-THE whole boiling bunch are
asleep, or I'll eat my hat"
Then who was 1t spOke?" said Algy.
AT least two Of 'em are awake right
enough"
And, as If In answer to his question,
there came the voice again from in
side the room.
oval, Mr.. Darrell, I guess we can
pass on, and leave this bunch"
With n laugh of joyful amazement
Hugh flung open the door, and found
himself looking from the range Of q
yard into two revOlyers.
IL don't know how you've done 1t,
boys" he remarked, "but you can put
those guns away. l hate looking at
them from that end"
"What the devil have they done to
all your dialsT' said Darrell, slowly
lowering his arm,