The Lamar register., 1921-06-29

8hellhole, with no trace or 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 q 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
surprising; 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 OF
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 situ-
alton as 1t struck him.
They suspect me anyhow: in fact.
they know l took Potts. Therefore,
even II they catch me passage creep
ing. I'm no worse off than l am now.
And ! might find something of inter
est. Therefore. carry OH, brave heart"
1t 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 u 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
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 heavy curtain which he
thought might be the room Phyllis
Benton had spoken of-the room
where Henry Lakington kept his ILL
gotten treasures. He felt his way
along the wall. and at length his hand
touched the curtain-only to drop 1t
again al once. From close beside him
had come a 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 1t came again.
sharper and angrier than before.
Hugh passed u hand over his fore
head and found II damp. Germans he
knew. and things on two legs. bur
what was this that Missed so viciously
mined to risk II, and drew from his
pocket = tiny electric torch. Holding
II well away from his body. he
switched on the light. In the center
Of the beam. swaying gracefully to
and fro. was q snake. For q moment
he watched II, fascinated as II spat at
the light sngrily; he saw the nat hood
where the vicious head was set on the
upright body: then he switched on the
torch and retrested rather faster than
he had come.
tered to himself through lips that were
u little dry. "A hooded cobra IL an
unpleasins pet"
Hugh had just determined to recon-
noiter the curtsined doorway again to
see If 1t was possible to circumvent
the snake. when u low chuckle came
distinctly to his ears from the landing
above.
He flushed angrily in the darkness.
There was NO doubt whatever a. to
the human origin Of that laugh, and
Hugh suddenly realized that he was
making the most profound fool Of him
self. To be laughed at by some dirty
swine whom he could strangie In half
q minute-was impossible. His fsts
clenched. and he swore softly under
his breath. Then as silently as he
had come down, he commenced to
climb the stairs again. He had q hazy
idea that he would like to hit some
thing-hard.
There were nine stairs In the nrst
half Of the flight. and 1t was a. he
stood on the NTH that ne again heard
the low chuckle. Al the same instant
something whizzed past his head so
low that II almost touched his hair.
and there was 4 clang on the wall be-