The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-10-30

Phyllis alone. And so he decided on
compromise If when daylight came
no one had been up to the room, he
would go; but he would wait until
then.
And he was just going to tell Phyllis
what he had decided, when he heard
sound that killed the words on his
lips. A door had opened below, and
mems voices came floating up the
stairs.
Lie down, darling" he breathed In
her ear, land pretend to be asleep"
Without a word she did as he told
her, while Hugh tiptoed over toward
the door. There were steps coming up
the stairs, and he flattened himself
against the wall-waiting. The period
Of indecision was passed; unless he
was very much mistaken the time of
action had arrived. How it would pan
out-whether luck would be in, or
whether luck would fail was on the
lap Of the gods.
The steps paused outside the door,
and he heard q muttered ejaculation In
Italian. Apparently he was concerned
over something, and 1t suddenly
dawned on Drummond that 1t was the
absence from duty of the long-armed
bird that was causing the surprise. In
the excitement Of the moment he had
forgotten all about him, and for one
awful second his heart stood still. Sup
pose the italian discovered the, body
before he entered the room, then the
game was up with vengeance. Once
the alarm was given he'd have to run
the gauntlet of the whole crowd over
ground he didn't know.
But his fears were groundless; the
nondiscovery Of the watcher by the
door took the Italian the other way.
His first thought was to make sure
that the girl was safe, and he flung
open the door and came in. He gave
a grunt Of satisfaction as he saw her
lying on the bed; then like a splitting
cat he swung round as he felt Drum
mond's hand on his shoulder.
With every ounce of weight in his
body behind the blow, Hugh hit the
Italian on the point Of the jaw. With
out sound the man crumpled up and
pitched on his face.
And now there was not moment
to be lost. At any moment one of his
pals might come upstairs, and every
thing depended On speed and finding
the key. Hugh shut the door and
locked it; then feverishly he started to
search through the Italians pockets.
Every thing up to date had PANIED out
so wonderfully that he refused to be-
lieve that luck was going to fail him
now, and sure enough he discovered
the bunch. Phyllis was free, and he
heard her give little sob of pure ex-
element.
He heaved the italian onto the bed,
and snapped the steel bracelet onto his
arm. Then he slipped the keys into
his own pocket. and crossed to the
window. The engine was still hum
ming gently; the thudding noise was
still going on; nothing seemed in any
way different. No light came from the
room below them, everything had
worked better than he had dared to
hope. He had only to lower Phyllis
out of the window, and let her drop
onto the flower bed and then follow
himself. After that it was easy.
"Come along, darling" he said ur-
gently, "Tm going to lower you out
first-then I'll follow. And once we're
down, you've got to trice up your
skirts and run like stag across the
lawn till we're under cover Of those
bushes. We aren't quite out of the
woods yet"
They were not indeed. 1t was just
as Phyllis let CO. and he saw her pick
herself up and dart across the lawn,
that he heard terrific uproar in the
house below, and several men came
pounding up the stairs. He vaulted
over the windowsill himself, and low
cred himself to the full extent of his
arms. Then he too let go and dropped
onto the flower bed below. And 1t was
as he was picking himself up, pre-
paratory to following Phyllis-whom
he could see family across the lawn
waiting for him, that he heard some
one in the house shout an order in a.
hoarse voice.
switch on the power at once, you
id fool; switch 1t on at once!"
(TO BE coNTINUED.)
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