The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-08-21

But the other merely smiled quietly.
Il admit it," he murmured. "Up
to date they had scored faint mea-
sure of success exaggerated, my
friends, greatly exaggerated by the pa
pers. Tonight came the reckoning.
which incidentally is the reason why
I am little late. Tonight"-he leaned
forward impressively- leader of
the gang himself honored me with a
visit. And the leader will lead no
more"
"You killed him." said the girl,
helping herself to champagne.
II did," answered the count "And
without the leader l think we can ig-
more the gang"
That's all right as far as it goes"
said the Reverend Theodosius in a
slightly Modified tone. "But have you
covered all your traces? In this coun-
try the police get peevish over muir
der"
The count gave a self-satisfed
smile.
"Not only that" he remarked, "but
l have made it appear as if he had
killed himself. Listen, my friends,
and I will give you brief statement
of the events of the past few days.
1 suddenly found out that the leader
of this gang had discovered my head
quarters in Hoxton. I was actually
talking to Latter in my Office at the
time, when / heard outside the call
of an owl. Now from the informa-
ton had received, that was the rail-
lying call of their gang, and dashed
into the passage. Sure enough.
standing by the door at the end was
huge man covered from head to
foot in black. Whether it was bravado
that made him give the cry, or wheth-
er it was ruse to enable him to see
me, is immaterial now. AS / say
he is dead. But-ahd this is the point
it made me decide that the Office
there, convenient though it was, would
have to be given up.
Il was completing the final sorting
out of my papers with my secretary,
when the electric warning disc on my
desk glowed Now, the Office was
empty, and the red light meant that
someone had opened the door outside.
L heafd nothing, which only made it
all the more suspicious. So between
us we gathered up every important
paper, switched off all lights and went
out through the secret door. Then
we waited"
He turned to the clergyman, who
sat motionless save for a ceaseless
tapping of his left knee with his hand.
"As you, know, monsieur" he pro-
ceeded, there is an opening in that
door through which one can see into
the room. And through that opening
I watched developments. After
while torch was switched on at the
further door, and heard voices. And
then the man holding the torch came
cautiously in. He was turning it into
every corner, but finally he focused
it on my desk. / heard him speak to
one of his companions, who came into
the beam Of light and started to pick
the lock. And it was then that +
switched on every light, and closed
the other door electrically. They were
caught-caught like rats in a trap"
The hunchback paused dramatical-
ly, and drained his champagne. If he
was expecting any laudatory remarks
on the part of his audience he was
disappointed. But the Reverend
hic sxH%
have been carved out Of marble, save
for that ceassless tapping by the man
of his left knee. In fact, had Count
Zadowa been less pleased with him
self and less sure of the effect he
was about to cause he might have had
a premonition of coming danger There
was something almost terrifying in the
big clergymans immobility.
Like rats in trap" repeated the
hunchback gloatingly. 1.-TWO men ]
didn't know, and-well, you know
who the other was. True he had his
mask on by way of disguise, but
recognized him at once. That huge
figure couldn't be mistaken-it was
the leader of the Black Gang him
self"
sand what did you do, Zadowa?
How did you dispose of one or all
those men so that no suspicion is like
ly to rest on you?"
The hunchback rubbed his hands to-
gether gleefully.
"By an act which, 1 think you will
agree, is very nearly worthy Of your
self. monsieur. To shoot was impos-
sible-because / am not sufficiently
expert with a~revolver to be sure of
killing them. No-nothing so ordinary
as that. They saw me watching them:
L can see his eyes, Hugh, said one
of them to the leader. and remem-
bered suddenly that in the passage not
far from where I stood were haH a
dozen bombs What is 1t, monsieur?"
He paused in alarm at the look on
the clergyman's face as he slowly rose
1 iii