The Lamar register., 1921-09-07

have killed you. I'm sorry about 1t
] wasn't particularly anxious to end
your life. But 1t had 10 be 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 on 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 writhing and twisting,
until al last. he lay still The
Boche was dead.
What was that blow-pipe AFFAIR."
cried Sinclair hoarsely
"The thing they tried TO finish me
with In Paris last Night" answered
Hugh grlmly. taking knife out OF his
waistcoat pocket Let us trust that
none Of his pals come In 10 look for
him."
A minute later he stood up. only to
sit down again abruptly. as his legs
gave way. They were numbed and
stlff with the hours he had spent In the
same position. and for while he could
do nothing hut rub them with his
hands, till the blood returped 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 even
worse condition than lie had been !;
and II seemed as II Algy would never
he able to stand again, so completely
dead was his body from the waist
downwards. But. at length, after what
seemed an eternity TO Drummond, who
realized only too well that should the
gang come I'm they were almost as help
less in their present condition as II
they were still bound in their chairs.
the other two recovered.
"All ft now? Good We've got to
think what we're going to do. for we're
three miles"
Lets get the door Open" remarked
Algy. "and explore"
Cautiously they swung It open. and
stood motionless. The house was In
absolute silence; the hall was de
serted.
switch out the light" whispered
Hugh. Wen wander round"
They crept forward stealthily In the
darkness. stopping every now and then
I" listen. Bur no sound came to their
ears; 1t might have been a house OF
the dead.
Suddenly Drummnnd. who was In
front OF the other two. stopped with u
warning hiss. A light was streaming
out from under n door al the end of a
passage and. as they stood watching
IL, they heard mans voice coming
from the same room. Some one else
answered him and then there was
silence once more
Al length Hugh moved forward
again. and the others followed And
II was not until they got quite close to
the door that strange continuous
noise began to be noticeable-a noise
which came most distinctly from the
lighted room. II rose and fell with
monotonous regularity: at times 1t re-
sembled a brass band-at others II
died away TO a gentle murmur. And
occasionally IL Was punctuated with 4
strsngied snort.
Great Scotti" muttered Hugh ex-
cifediy. the whole boiling bunch are
asleep, or IN eat my hat"
Then who was II Spoken said Algy.
AT least two Of em are awake tight
enough"
And. as II in answer to his question,
there came the voice again from liz
side the room
wal, Mr. Darrell. l guess we can
pass on. and leave this bunch"
With one laugh of joyful amazement
Hugh flung open the door, and found
himself looking from the range Of a
yard into two revOlvers.
Il don't know how you've done 1t,
boys" he remarked, but you can put
those guns away. | hate looking at
them from that end"
What the devil have they done to
all your dials?' said Darrell slowly
lowering his arm.
'We'l leave that for the time,- re-
turned Hugh grimly. as he shut the
door. There are other more pressing
matters tn he iISaItS-.f