Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-05-10
THREE.


hot water and. a. cup; Of tea. AS ne
pulled up the blinds the light fell full
on his battered; rugged face. and sud-
denly Hugh sat. up In bed, and stared
at him. %:f'ir, r2';nr
:"Good Lord!" he cried, "arent you
lem Smith ?"''G':i;i ~; ;" 80
The man swung round }ike a flash
and glared at tfesbed.t 90
:"Wot the ell ,'as that got to do wiv
you?'' he snarled, and then his face
changed. ,"Why, strike me pink, if it
amt young: DruHmond."s
Hugh grfhnsd.k ssfNfsf
aRight in one. Jem. What in the
name of fortune are you doing in this
outfit? Given up. the gamer" q
''It give msaup, @tfeG that cross-eyed
son of gun Young Baxter fought that
cross down st '0xton. >Gawd! If I could
get the swine-just once again
s'welp me. I'd" Words failed the ex-
bruiser; he could only niutter.
Hugh smiled. by, the way, has any
one gotta stiff neck in the, house this
morningT'
"Stiff neck!" Aecli0ed the man.
"Strike me pink, If, that. amt funny
your asking, + mean, ,Ehelbloke's sit
ting up in is bed swearing awful.
Can't move rs 'ead at all:
I"And who, might I ask, is the
bIoke?" said Drummond. .,:.
.''Why, Peterson, o course. 90 else?
Breakfast at nine. ~.~
The door closed behind him.. and
Hugh lit a cigarette thoughtfully.
Most assuredly ne was starting in
style: Lakington's jaw one night, Pet
erson's neck the second, seemed a suffi-
ciently energetic, opening to the game
for the veriest glutton. Then that
cheerful optimism which was the en-
w Of his frtendsssnsseHed itself.
("Supposln' I'd killed 'em," he muir
mured, aghast. "Just supposln'. Why,
the baliy show would have been over,
and I'd have had to advertise again"
Only Peterson was in the dining
room when Hugh came down. He had
examined the stairs on his way, but
he could see nothing unusual which
would account for the thing which had
whizzed past his head and clanged sui
lenly against the wall. Nor was there
any sign of the cobra by the curtained
door: merely Peterson standing in a
sInny room behind q bubbling coffee
ma chine.
He turned politely toward his host,
and paused in dismay. Good heavens,
Mr.. Peterson, is your neck hurting
you?' g
ut is," answered Peterson grimly.
"a nuisance, having stiff neck.
Makes every one laugh, and one gets
no sympathy. Bad thing-laughter.
At times, anyway"
Curiosity is a great deal worse,
Captain Drumm on:d." It was touch and
20 whether I killed. you last night"
'sI think I might: say; the; same" re-
turned Drummond. ~.
"Yes and no." said Peterson. "From
the moment you left the bottom of the
stairs, I had your life. tr:the palm OF
my hand. Had T chosen to take It,
my young friepd,, I should not have
had this stiff" neck" .;
Hugh returned to his breakfast un-
concenedly. ''' "
"Granted, laddie,,. granted. But had
I not been ofssuch': a kindly and for
bearing nature, you wouldn't have
had It, either" :. He looked at Peter
son critically. "I'm inclined to think
it's a great pity I didn't break your
neck while I was about it.'' Hugh
sighed and drank some coffee. II see
that shall have to do it some day,
and probably Lakington's as we'll. =.
By the way, how is our Henry? ]
trust his jaw Is not unduly incon.
yeniencing him." -. ''"rF" :
Peterson, with his coffee cup In his
hand, was staring down. the drive
"Your car IS little; early, Captain
Drummond," he said at length. "How-
ever, perhaps it can walt two or three
minutes while we get. matters perfect
" clear. T should dislike you not
knowing where you stand."' He turned
round and faced the soldier. you
have deliberately. against my advice
elected to fight me and the interests
!. represent. Sc be T.. From now on
the gloves are off. You embarked on
this course from a spirit Of adventure
at the instlgatlon Of the girl next
door. She, poor little fool, is corr
cerned over that drunken waSter-hel
father. She asked you to help her
you agreed. and, amazing though II
may seem, up to now yoi have scored
q certain measure of success. ad
nit 1t, and admire you for it.
apologize now for harlng played the
fool with you last night; you're the
type Of man whom one should Kill out
right-or leave alone"
He set down his coffee cup and care
fully shipped the end off cigar.
"You are also the type of man who
will continue on the path he has start
ell. You are completely in the dark
you have no idea whatever what you
are up against" He smiled grmly