The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-01-20

she cried
Hugh grinned. II haven't tkD ~.
hottest idea" he answered. doubt
less the Lord will provide"
The instant the girl had left the
room Hugh switched OF the lights and
stepped across to the curtains which
covered the long windows. He pulled
them aside. letting them come. to-
gether behind him: then, cautiously,
he unbolted one side of the big CEN
ter window. Silently he lodged across
the lawn toward the big trees at
the end, and leaning up against one
Of them. he proceeded to make more
detailed survey Of his objective. The
Films. 1t was the same type Of house
as the one he had just left, and the
grounds seemed about the same size.
A wire fence separated the two places,
and In the darkness Hugh could just
make out small wicket-gate. clos
ing path which connected both
houses. He tried 1t, and found to his
satisfaction that 1t opened silently.
Save for one room on the ground
floor the house was In darkness, and
Hugh determined to have q look at
that room. There was a chink In the
curtains, through which the light was
streaming out, which struck him a.
having possibilities.
Keeping under cover, he edged
toward 1t, and, at length, he got into
position from which he could see
inside. And what he saw made him
decide to chance it. and go even closer.
Seated at the table was a man he
did not recognize; while on either
side Of him sat Lexington and Peter
son. Lying on a sofa smoking a
cigarette and reading a novel was a
tall dark girl. who seemed completely
uninterested In the proceedings of
the other three. Hugh placed her
at once as the doubtful daughter Irma,
and resumed his watch on the group
at the table.
A paper was In front Of the man,
and Peterson, who was smoking q
large cigar, was apparently suggest
ing that he should make use of the
pen which Lexington was Obligingly
holding In readiness. In all respects
a harmless tableau, save for one small
thing-the expression on the mans
face. Hugh had seen II before often
only then 1t had been called she'll
shock. The man was dazed. semi
unconscious. Every now and then he
stared round the room, as II be-
wildered; then he would shake his
head and pass his hand YEARLY over
his forehead. For quarter Of an
hour the scene continued; then LAX.
ington produced an instrument from
his pocket. Hugh saw the man
shrink back in terror, and reach for
the pen. But what impressed him
most in that momentary flash Of
action was Peterson. There was
something inhuman In his complete
passlvity. Even as he watched the
man signing his name, no trace Of
emotion showed on his face---whereas
on Laklngton's there shone fiendish
satisfaction.
The document was still lying on
the table, when Hugh produced his
revolver. He knew there was foul
play about, and the madness Of what
he had suddenly made up his mind
to do never struck him; being that
manner Of fool, he was made that
way. But he breathed d pious prayer
that he would shoot straight---and
then he held his breath. The crack
of the shot and the bursting Of the
only electric light bulb in the room
were almost simultaneous, and the
next second, with a roar Of "Come
on, boys" he burst through the Will
dow. At an immense advantage
over the others, who could see moth
ing for the moment, he blundered
round the room. He timed the blow
at darlington to nicely; he hit him
straight on the point Of the jaw and
he felt the man go down like log.
Then he grabbed at the paper on the
table, which tore In his hand, and
picking the dazed slgner up bodily,
he rushed through the window onto
the lawn. There was not an instant
to be lost; only the impossibllity Of
seeing when suddenly plunged into
darkness, had enabled him to pull the
thing Off so far. And before that adj
vantage disappeared he had to be back
at The Larches with his burden, no
light weight for even a man Of his
strength to carry.
But there seemed to be no pursuit.
no hue and cry. AS he reached the
little gate he paused and looked back.
and he fancied he saw outside the
window CLEAN Of white, such as a
shirt front. He fingered for an instant,
peering into the darkness and recover
ing his breath, when with q vicious
phut something buried Itself In the tree
beside him. Drummond fingered no
more; long years of experience left
no doubt In his mind as to what that
something was.