The Lamar register., 1921-09-14


Hugh. Tomorrow morning as ever
Is. But he's going TO get the shock
Of his young life before 1t happens"
He pulled the ear up silently In the
deep shadows of some trees, and the
two men got out.
Now, old boy, you take her back
to The Elms"
''But confound 1t ALL" spluttered
Toby Sinclair. Don't you want me
to help your
81 do: by taking the buzz-box back.
This little show is my shout"
For a moment or two Hugh stood
watching the car as 1t disappeared
down the road along which they had
just come. while his thoughts turned
to the girl now safely asleep In his
fiat In London. Another week-per-
haps q fortnlght-but no more. Not
a day more. .. ;. And so delightful
was the train Of thought thus con
jured up, that for IL while Peterson
and Lakington were forgotten. The
roseate dreams of the young about to
wed have been known TO act similarly
before.
Wherefore to the soldiers instinc-
tive second nature, trained in the war
and sharpened by his grim duel with
the gang. must be given the credit OF
preventing the ringing OF the wedding
bells being postponed for good. The
sudden snap OF twig close by. the
sharp hiss OF u compressed-air rifle,
seemed simultaneous with Hugh hurl-
ing himself fiat on his face behind q
sheltering bush. In reality there was
that fraction of a second between the
actions which allowed the bullet TO
pass harmlessiy over his body instead
OF finishing his career there and then.
He heard It go dipping through the
underground as he lay motlonless on
the ground; then very cautiously he
turned his head and peered about
n A shrub was shaking few yards
Away, and Oh II Hugh fixed his half
closed eyes. II he lay quite still the
man, whoever he was. would probably
assume the shot had taken effect. and
come and investigate. Then things
would be easier. AS two or three
Boches had discovered to their cost
In days gone by.
For two minutes he saw no one:
then very slowly the branches parted
and the white face OF man peered
through. II was the chauffeur who
usually drove the Rolls Royce. and
he seemed unduly anxious to satisfy
himself that all was Well before com
ing nearer. The fame OF Hugh Drum
mond had spread abroad amongst the
satellites of Peterson.
AT last he seemed to make up his
mind, and came out into the open
Step by step he advanced toward the
motionless figure, his weapon held in
movement. But the soldier lay
sprawllng and inert. and by the time
the chauffeur had reached him there
was no doubt In that worthy's mind
that, at last, this wretched meddler
with things that concerned him not
had been laid by the heels. Which
WAS as unfortunate for the chauffeur
as 1t had been for unwary Huns In
the past.
Contemptuously he rolled Drum
mond over; then, noting the relaxed
iuusCics anu inert llluDs, ne lulu his
gun on the ground preparatory to run
ming through his victims pockets. And
the fact that such an action was a
little more foolish than offering IA man
eating tiger a peppermint lozenge did
not trouble the chauffeur. In fact,
nothing troubled him again
He got out one gasping cry of ter
ror as he realized his mistake; then
he had a blurred consciousness of the
world upside down. and everything
was over. 1t was Olaki's most danger
Gus throw. carried out by gripping the
victims wrists and hurling his body
over by a heave OF the legs. And nine
times out OF ten the result was a
broken neck. This was one of the
nine.
For while the soldier stared at the
Sody, frowning thoughtfully. To have
killed the chauffeur was inconvenient,
but since 1t had happened it neces-
Stated little Encouragement of his
plans. The moon was setting and the
night would become darker, SO there
was good chance that Lakington
would not recognize that the driver
Of his car had changed. And II he
did-well, 1t would be necessary to
forego the somewhat theatrical enter.
tainment he had staged for his benefit
at The Elms. Bending over the dead
man he removed his long grey driv-