, 1925-10-07
"what are you going to doa" said
Copyright BY GEORGE II. DORM &C
ID. N. U. Service

Wv sohhS u wv oaib
Ted.
Exactly what he suggests" an
swered Hugh. go round and see him
ut the RitZ-nOw, at once l shan't
take the diamonds with me, but there
will be no worry owe the exchange
as far as I'm concerned. It's just like
his dirty method of fighting to go for
a girl" he finished savagely.
He crossed to the door and
opened it.
"In case l don't come back by six,
the diamonds are in my sponge bag
In the bathrOom-and go straight to
Scotland Yard. Tell Tum-tum the
whole yarn"
At the Ritz he was shown into the
sltting-rOom where the Reverend Theo-
dOsius LongmoOr vas busily working
on Austrian famine accounts. He
rose as Hugh entered, and his daugh-
ter, still knitting busily, gave him a
charming girlish smile.
"Ah! my dear young friend" began
Mr.. Longmoor, 81 see you've had my
message"
Yes" answered Hugh affably, II
was standing next door to the fellow
you were talking to. But before we
come to business, so to speak, must
really ask you o to send Shocks
round again. I don't like him. Why,
my dear Carl, l preferred our late la
mented Henry Lakington."
There was a m of dead ST.
lence, during which the Reverend
TheOdosius stared at him speechlessly
and the busy knitter ceased to knit.
The shock was so complete and sud
den that even Carl Peterson seemed
at a loss, and Drummond laughed
gently us he took a chair.
I'm tired of this dressing-up busi-
ness, Carl" he remarked in the same
affable voice. "And it's so stupid to
go on pretending when everybody
knows. SO l thought we might ms
well have all the cards on the table.
Makes the game much easier"
The clergyman found his voice.
Are you mad. sir?" he spluttered.
"Are you insane? How dare you come
into this room and insult me? l shall
ring the bell, sir. and have you re-
moved"
He strobe across the room. and
Drummond watched him calmly.
1--WE just called one bluff this after
noon. Carl" he said lazily. Now I'll
call another. Go on, push the bell.
Send for the police and say I've in
suited you. Go and see dear old Tum-
tum yourself: he'll be most awfully
braced mt meeting you"
The others hand fell slowly to his
side. and he looked at his daughter
with a resigned expression in his face.
Really, my dear. l think that the
heat-or perhaps He paused ex-
pressively. and Drummond laughed.
"You were always n good actor,
Carl, but is II worth while? There
are no witnesses here, and I'm rather
pressed for time. Through n series
%; accidents you have become aware
Of the fact hat l nm the leader Of
the Black Gang. You car go and tell
the police If you like-in fact. that
horrible little man who came round
to see me threatened to do so. But,
~ gou w. 4 NhtAi Atii tutin WIN soh
are, and l shall also inform them Of
the secret history of the bomb. So
that. though 1t will be awkward for
me. Carl. it VIII be far more awkward
for you and Mademolselle Irma and
II will be positively unhealthy for
Shocks. You take me so far, don't
you? Up to date | have been dealing
In earfufnffao . pnxr xtn nnnnA M nnn-
~tingencies. II strikes me that there
nre two doubtful points. old friend Of
my youth-just two. And those two
points are the whereabouts respec-
lively OF my wife and your diamonds.
Now. Carl. do we talk business or
not?"
my dear young man," said the 9TH
err reslgnediy, II intended to talk
business with you when you arrived II
you had given me n chance. But as
you've done nothing but talk the most
unmitigated drivel since you've come
into the room I haven't hnd n chance.
You appenr pbsessed with this absurd
delusion that ! am some person called
Carl. and But where are you go
lngf'
Drummond paused at the door.
II am going straight to Scotland
Yard. ] shall there tell Sir Bryan
tombstone the whole story from A to
u. ut the same time handing him a
little bag containing diamonds which
has recently come into my posses.
SION
you admit you've got them"
snapped the other. letting the mask
drop for n moment.
THAT'S better, Carl-much better"
Drummond came bnck Into the room.
II admit I've got them-but they're
In n place where you cnn never find
them, and they VIII remain there I'M
III six o'clock tonight. when they go
straight 10 Scotland Yard-unless,
Carl-unlcss my wife Is returned to
me absolutely unscnthed and unhurt
before that hour. II Is five O'Clock
now"