Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-11-12
Che BLACK GANG
BY CYRIL NcNEILE
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become acquainted with the ridiculous
hallucination that / am the leader of
the Black Gang" answered Drum
mond. THAT was for your ears alone,
ready you won't get fat on it, will
you? No, my intentions-since we
are having a heart-to-heart talk-are
as follows: Once the exchange is eff
fected we will start quite fair and
square-just like last time, Carl 1t
doesn't pay you to go to the police:
1T doesn't pay me, so We'll have a
single on our own. / am frightfully
anxious to add you to my collection
Of specimens, and I can't believe you
are burning with zeal to go. But We'll
see, Carl, we'll see. Only-no more
monkey-tricks with my wife. Don't
let there be any misunderstanding on
that point"
The clergyman smiled benevolently,
"How aptly you put things!" he
murmured. Il accept your terms, and
l shall look forward afterward to the
single on our own that you speak
about. And now-as to details. You
must bear in mind that just as hrs.
Drummond is more valuable to you
than diamonds, she is also somewhat
larger. In other words, it will be OBJ
vious at once whether those whom '
represent have kept their side Of the
bargain by producing your wife. 1t
will not be obvious whether you have
kept yours. The diamonds may or may
not be in your pocket, and once you
have your wife in your arms again the
incentive to return the diamonds
would be diminished. So / suggest,
Captain Drummond, that you should
bring the diamonds to me-here in
this room, before six o'clock as a proof
of good faith. You may keep them
in your possession; all that / require
is to see them. l will then engage on
my side to produce Mrs. Drummond
within a quarter of an hour.
For a moment Drummond hesitated,
fearing trick. And yet it was per-
fectly reasonable request, as he adj
mitted to himself. From their point
of view it was quite true that they
could have no proof that he would
keep his word, and once Phyllis was
in the room there would be nothing
to prevent the two of them quietly
walking out through the door and tell
ing the Reverend Theodosius to go to
HI
Nothing can very well happen at
the Ritz, can TT" continued the clergy
man suavely. "And you see am even
trusting you to the extent that / do
not actually ask you to hand over the
diamonds until your wife comes. I
have no guarantee that even then you
will not get up and leave the room
with them still in your possession.
You are too big and strong a man,
Captain Drummond, to allow of any
horseplay-e specially-er-in a clergy
mans suite of rooms"
Drummond laughed. "Cut it out,
CARL" he exclaimed. "Cut it out, for
heavens sake! ALI right. 1 agree.
I'll go round and get, the stones now"
He rose and went to the door.
"But don't forget. Carl-if there are
any monkey-tricks, heaven help you
The door closed behind him, and
with snarl the clergyman spun round
on the girl.
"How the devil has he spotted us?''
His face was convulsed with rage.
Hes the biggest fool in the world,
and yet he spots me every time
However, there's no time to worry
about that now; we must think"
He took one turn up and down the
room, then he nodded his head as ii
he had come to satisfactory de
cision. And when he spoke to the
girl, who sat waiting expectantly on
the sofa, he might have been the head
of big business firm giving orders
to his managers for the day,
Ring up headquarters of A branch, "
he said quietly. "Tell them to send
round No. 10 to this room at once. He
must be here within a quarter of an
hour"
Number 49," repeated the girl
making a note. That's the man who
is such wonderful mimic, isn't iii
Well?"
| &'Number 10 and the Italian are to
come with him, and they are to wait
below for further orders"
THAT all?" She rose to her feet as
the Reverend Theodosius crossed rap
idly to the door which led to the bath
room, what about that silly little
fool-his wife,"
For a moment the man paused
genuine amazement on his face.
"My dear girl, you don't really i'm.
agine l ever intended to produce her,
do you? And any lingering doubt ]
might have had on the matter disap.
peared the moment l found Drum.
mond knew us. There's going to be
no mistake this time over that young
gentleman, believe me-"
With a slight laugh he disappeared
| into the bathroom, and as little Janet
put through her call a tinkling Of bot
ties seemed to show that the Reverend
| Theodosius was not wasting time.
GTO BE CONTINUED.)