Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1921-11-02
Bulldog
DrumnOnd
The Adventures of a
Demobilized Officer Who
Found Peace Dull
BY CYRIL McNEILE
"SAPPER"
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
IRWIN MYERS
TWO.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
IRWIN MYERS

done many dangerous things. The or
binary joys of the infantry subaltern's
life--such as going over the top, and
carrying out raids-had not proved
sufficient for his appetite. He had
specialized in peculiar stunts of his
own: stunts over which ne was sin
gularly reticent; stunts over which
his men formed their own conclusions,
and wOrshiped him accordingly.
But DrummOnd was no fool, and he
had realized the vital Importance of
fitting himself for these stunts to the
best of his ability. Enormous physical
strength is a great asset, out it car
ries with it certain natural disadvan-
tages. In the first place, it's possessor
is frequently clumsy: Hugh had prac-
ticed In France till he could move over
ground without a single blade of grass
rustlng. Van Dyck-a Dutch trap
per--had first shown him the trick, by
which a man goes forward on his ell
bows like snake, and is here one
moment and gone the next, with no
one the wiser.
Again, it's pOssessor is frequently
slow: Hugh had practiced in France
till he could kill man with his bare
hands in a second. Olaki--a Japa-
neSe-had first taught him two or
three of the secrets of his trade, and
in the intervals Of resting behind the
lines he had perfected them until it
was even money whether the Jap or
he would win in a practice bout.
And there were nights in No Mans
Land when his men would hear strange
sounds, and knowing that Drummond
wRS abroad on his wanderings, would
peer eagerly over the parapet into the
desOlate tOrn-up waste in front. But
they never saw anything, even when
the green ghOstly flares went kissing
up into the darkness and the shadows
danced Enthusiastically. All was silent
and still; the sudden shrill Whimper
was not repeated.
Perhaps patrol coming back would
report a German, lying huddled in
shellhOle, with no trace of a wound,
but only a broken neck perhaps the
patrol never found anything. But
whatever the report, Hugh DrummOnd
only grinnned and saw to his mems
breakfast. Which is why there are in
England today quite a number of
civilians who acknowledge only two
rulers-the King and Hugh Drum
mond. And they would willingly die
for either.
The result on Drummond was not
as nearly as man may be
he was without fear. And when the
idea came to him as he sat on the
edge of his bed thoughtfully pulling off
his shoes, no question of the possible
risk entered into his mind. To explore
the house seemed the most natural
thing in the world, and with character
istic brevity he summed up the stu
alton as it struck him.
"They suspect me anyhow: in fact,
they know l took Potts. Therefore,
even if they catch me passage creep
ing, I'm no worse off than l am now.
And l might find something of inter-
est. Therefore, carry on, brave heart"
It was dark in the passage outside
as he opened the door of his room and
crept toward the top of the stairs. The
collar of his brown lounge coat was
turned up, and his stocking feet made
no sound on the heavy pile carpet.
Like huge shadow he vanished into
the blacknesS, feeling his way forward
with the uncanny instinct that comes
from much practice. Every now and
then he paused and listened intently,
but the measured ticking of the clock
below and the occasional creak of a
board alone broke the stiffness.
TO the left lay the room in which he
had spent the evening, and Drummond
turned to the right. AS he had gone
up to bed he had noticed a door
screened by a heavy curtain which he
thought might be the room Phyllis
Benton had spoken of-the room
where Henry darlington kept his ILL
gotten treasures. He felt his way
along the wall, and at length his hand
touched the curtain-only to drop it
again at once From close beside him
had come sharp, angry hiss.
He stepped back pace and stood
rigid, staring at the spot from which
the sound had seemed to come-but
he could see nothing. Then he leaned
forward and once more moved the
curtain Instantly it came again,
sharper and angrier than before.
Hugh passed hand over his fore
head and found it damp Germans he
knew, and things on two legs, but
what was this that Kissed so viciously
in the darkness? At length he deter
mined to risk it, and drew from his
pocket tiny electric torch. Holding
1t well away from his body, he
switched on the light. In the center
OF the beam, swaying gracefully to
and fro, was a snake. For a moment
ne watched it, fascinated as it spat at
the light angrily; he saw the fiat hood