Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-12-31
CHAPTER XIV
In Which a Murderer Is Muir
dered at MAVERICK Hall


friend" remarked Peterson two min
rtes later, gazing benevolently at
Drummond over his clerical collar.
"YOu can't imagine the unpleasant
surprise it gave me-" Peterson con-
tlnued gently, when your charming
wife hailed my car. So unexpected:
SO delightful And when 1 realized
that you were running about in our
grounds here instead of being drowned
as that fool No. 10 told me over the
telephone. Ely the way, where
is No. 10F"
He turned snarling on the Russian,
but it was one of the men behind
Drummond's chair who answered.
Hes dead. This guy threw him on
the live wires"
do you mean to say" said the Rus
sian in his harsh voice, "that it was
only this man Drummond outside
thereY
you have guessed it, Adolph," an
swered Drummond, speaking mechan-
lcally. 1t had seemed to him, sudden
ly, that, unseen by the others, Phyllis
was trying to convey some message
"Alone l did it, to say nothing Of that
squib-faced bird upstairs with the long
arms. In fact, without wishing to ex-
Rggerate, think the total bag is five"
What was she trying to make him
understand?
And then suddenly she began to
laugh Historically, and he half rose
from his seat, only to sit down again
abruptly as he felt the cold ring of a
revolver pressed into the nape of his
neck
'Three and two make five," said
Phyllis, half laughing and half crying,
sand one makes six. l worked it out
tonight, and it all came right"
She went on aimlessly for while
In the same strain, till the Russian
swung round on her with a snarl, and
told her to shut her mouth. He was
talking in low tones to Peterson, and,
with one searching look at Hugh, she
relapsed into silence. There was no
hysteria in that look, and his heart
began to pound suddenly in his excite
ment. For 1856 Mayfair was the num-
Der of Peter Darrell's telephone, and
she could only mean one thing-that
she had got through to Peter before
she stopped the car. And if that was
so there was still hope, if only he
could gain time.
First-how long did he want? Two
hours at least: three if possible. To
round up all the gang and get cars in
the middle of the night would take
time-two hours at the very least
Secondly and there was the crux-
how was he going to get such a
respite? For this time he could not
hope for another mistake 1t was the
end and n knew it.
No trace of mercy showed in the
faces of the three men opposite him.
He caught occasional remarks, and
after a while he realized what the
matter under discussion was. Evil
IDENTIFY the red-headed Russian was in
favor of killing him violently, and at
once-and it was Count Zadowa who
was advocating caution, while Peter
son sat between them listening impas-
Tively, with his eyes fixed on Drum
mond.
Il know the Black Gang" Zadowa
was saying. "You don't. And they
know me-" Then he heard the word
accident" repeated several times, and
at length Yulowski shrugged his shout
ders and leaned back in his chair.
Have it your own way" he re-
marked. II don't care how they're
killed, as long as they are killed If
you think It's necessary to pretend
there has been an accident, we'll have
an accident. The only point is what
sort of an accident"
1t was left to Carl Peterson to de-
eide matters.
Nothing is easier" he remarked
suavely, and his eyes were still fixed
on Drummond. eve are discussing,
my young friend" ne continued, rails
Ing his voice slightly, 'the best way of
getting rid OF you and your charming
wife. l regret that she must share
your fate, but see no way out Of It,
TO keep her permanently about the
premises would be too great an incon-
venience; and since we can't let her
go without myolving ourselves in I'M
pleasant nOtoriety, fear-as l said
that she must join you. Nv friend
Yulowski wishes to bayonet you both,
and bury you in the grounds. He has
done a loe Of that sort of thing in his
time, and I believe / am right in stat
Ing that bis hand has not lost its cum
ming since leaving Russia. A little
out Of practice, perhaps but the re-
suit IL tae same. On the other hand
CounI Z;dowa, whom you know of
old, quite rightly points out that there
are the Vlembers of your ridiculous
gang, who know about him, and might
very easily find out about me. And
when in few days your motor car is
hoisted out Of the water, and is traced
by the registration number as being
yours, he fears that not only may le
End things very awkward, but that
certain amount Of unenviable and un-
desirable limelight may be thrown on
this part of the country, and incider-
tally on this house. AS nv friend
Gadowa most justly observed-we
want an accident: real good bona
Ode accident, which will relieve the
world Of your presence and will bring
no scorching glare of publicity upon
this house or any of my confreres
who remain in England. You may re-
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