The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-11-13

your humor appeals to some people; it
does not to me. Moreover, l am in
rather hurry. do not propose, Cap
tain Drummond, to take you to the
bridge and endeavor to make your
head impinge on wall, as you call it.
There Is another far simpler method
OF producing the same result. The i'm
pinging will take place in this house.
AS "a soldier you should know the re-
suit Of blow over the head with the
butt Of rife. And / can assure you
that there will be no bungling this
time. Yulowski is an expert in such
matters, and I shall stay personally
to see that 1t is done.
Drummond passed his tongue over
his lips, and despite himself his voice
shook little.
"Am I to understand" he said after
moment, shat you propose to let
that man butcher US herein this
housewife rifle?'
"Just So" answered Peterson.
''That is exactly what you are to un-
derstand."
"You are going to let him bash my
wife over the head with rifle butt?"
Il am going to order him to do So"
said Peterson mildly. "And very short
ly, at that. We must not have any
mistakes over the length of time
you've both been dead. confess 1t
sounds drastic, but can assure you
it will be quite sudden. Yulowski, as
told you. is an expert. He had a
lot Of experience in Russia"
"You inhuman devil" muttered
Drummond dazedly. "You can do what
you like to me, but for Heavens sake
let her OFF,
He was staring fascinated at the
Russian, who had risen and crossed
to cupboard in the wall. There was
something almost maniacal in the look
on his face-the look of savage.
brute beast, confronted with the prey
it desires.
Impossible, my dear young FRIEND"
murmured Peterson regretfully. 1T
affords me no pleasure to have her
killed. but / have no alternative. To
see you dead, would cross two con-
tinents." he snarled suddenly, but
and his voice became normal again
"only bitter necessity compels me to
adopt such measures with Phyllis.
You see. she knows too much"
Yulowski handled his rife lovingly,
and his teeth showed in wolfish grin.
(Which shall take first, chief?" he
said carelessly.
''The point is immaterial," returned
Peterson. II think perhaps the
woman"
Drummond tried to speak and failed.
His tongue was clinging to the roof Of
his mouth: everything in the room
was dancing before his eyes. Dimly
he saw the red-headed brute Yulowski
swinging his rifle to test It: dimly he
saw Phyllis sitting bolt upright. with
a calm. scornful expression on her
face, while two men held her by the
arms so that she could not move. And
suddenly he croaked horribly.
Then he saw Yulowski put down the
rifle and listen intently for moment.
whats the matter?" snapped Pc
terson irritably.
do you hear the different note to
that dynamo?" said Yulowski.
what the HIS that got to do with
it?" roared Peterson. Get on with it.,
d-n you-and attend to the dynamo
afterward."
Yulowski nodded. and picked up his
rifle again.
''The last time" he said, turning on
Drummond with a dreadful look Of
evil in his face. shat this rifle was
used by me was In a cellar in Russia
on even more exalted people than you.
brought 1t specially with me as a
memento, never thinking should have
the pleasure Of using 1t again."
He swung 1t over his head, and
Drummond shut his eyes-to open
them again a moment later. as the
door was flung open and man dis
traught with terror dashed in.
"The Black Gangl" he shouted Wild
ly. Hundreds of them-all round the
house. They've cut the wiresr
With a fearful curse Peterson
leaped to his feet, and the men hold
ing Drummond. dumfounded at the
sudden turning the tables. let go his
arms. Yulowski stood staring foolish
ly at the door, and what happened
then was so quick that none of the
stupefied onlookers raised finger to
prevent it.
With the howl of an enraged beast,
Drummond hurled himself on the Rus
sian-blind mad with fury. And when
two seconds later a dozen black
cowled, black-hooded figures came
swarming in through the door, for one
instant they paused in sheer horror.
Pinned to the wall with his own
bayonet, which stuck out six inches
beyond his back was a red-headed,
red-bearded man gibbering horribly in
strange language; whilst creeping
toward benevolent-lo looking clergy
man who crouched in n cornar xvas n