The Lamar register., 1921-09-21
THREE.

Dfummond hunched low over the
wheel. in his endeavor to conceal his
identity from the man behind. knew
nothing OF THAI ri the lime. And LAX
with the chauffeur
One snarling curse as they had
started, for not having done as he had
been told. WIS the total of their con-
versation during the trip. During the
rest OF the time the transforma tion
TO the normal kept Laklngton busy, and
Hugh could see him reflected in the
wlnd-screen removing the makeup
from his face. and changing his
clothes.
Even now he was not quite clear
how the trick had been worked. That
there had been two cabinets, that was
clenr-one false, the other the real
one. That they had been changed at
the crucial moment by the girl Irma
WIS also obvious. But how had the
pearls disappcHred Ia the first case,
ana then apparently reupprared again?
For one thing he was quite certain.
Whatever was inside the parcel Of
gold and silver tissue which. for all
lie knew. they might be still staring
AT, 1t was not the historic necklace.
And he was still puzzling IL over in
his mind when the ear swung into the
drive AT The Elins
Change the wheels as usual"
snapped Lakington Us he got out. and
Hugh bent forward to conceal his face
''rhen report to me In the central
room"
And out OF the corner OF his eve
Hugh watched him enter the house
with the Chinese cabinet clasped In
his hand.
Toby he remarked TO that worthy.
whom he found muurnfully eating u
ham sandwich in the gnrHge. Let's
90 on the roof"
Silently they both climbed The lad
der which had been placed In readl-
hess. 10 md Peter Darrell and the
American detective already Ia posi-
tlon. A brilliant light strenmed out
through the glass dome. and the in
Side nf the central room was clearly
~ Wv thNiHf Nul Alf
motionlcss. hound figures So swathed
in rope that only the tops Of their
heads were visible just a. Lnlington
had left him and Toby and Aigy earli-
er In the evening The only moving
thing In the room wns the criminal
himself. and AT tie moment lie was
seated AT the table with the Chinese
cabinet In front Of him with quick
turn Of his wrist he pried open two
flaps of wood. and folded them back
against the side. Then he lifted out
a parcel Of gold and silver tissue from
underneath
MY hatf muttered Hugh, what a
fool l was not to think OF IL Just
false bottom actuated by closing
the lid"
But the American. whistling gently
to himself, had his eyes fixed on the
rope OF wonderful pearls which LAX
lngton was holding lovingly in his
hands.
$50 easy. you scum" continued Lax
ington, ''and you thought to pit your
selves against me'-he rose and stood
In front Of the chair where he had
last left Drummond. That fool of a
chauffeur failed to carry out my or
ders. and create diversion. You
VIII see what happens to people who
fail to carry out my orders, In a min
ute. And after that you'll never see
anything again"
Say, he's IA dream-that guy" NUT
tered the American. what pearls
are those he's gotf"
THE duchess OF Lampshire's." whis-
pered Hugh. Lifted right under the
nose Of the whole bally house party"
The four watchers on the roof glued
their eyes TO the glass. And the sight
they saw II moment or two afterward
stirred even the phlegmatic Mr.. Green.
heavy door was swinging slowly
open. apparently Of Its own volition.
though Hugh, stealing a quick glance
at LakingtOn. saw that he was press
ing some small studs In niche in
(Contirued on Page Fiye)