Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-10-16

you BOOu SluTl bul-Hurry.
The next instant he had disappeared
into the underground. And then loud
and clear the hoot Of an owl thrice
repeated. 1t was a message for her,
she knew-not senseless piece OF
bravado: u message to tell her that
hs was all right. But the call at the
end was the urgent call Of the gang,
and though he was safe at the mo-
ment she knew there was no time 10
be lost And, with a little prayer that
she would choose the right direction.
she broke into the steady run or the
girl who beagles when she goes
beagling and doesn't sit on the top
Of hill and watch. Hugh had never
let her down yet: it was her turn
now,
To what extent 1t was her turn,
perhaps 1t was as well that she did
not realize. Even Drummond was
ignorant of the nature Of the 2odds
against him. He had not the slightest
idea how many men were In the mouse
and while 1t remained dark he didn't
much care. In the dark he felt con-
fdent of dealing with any number, or
at any rate of eluding them.
But since the inmates were Ignorant
Of what they were up against, they
somewhat foolishly decided on instant
action. They came streaming across
In body, and by SO doing they played
straight into the hands Of the man
,h~ tn hod
them. Without sound he faded
away from his hiding place, and
emerged from the underground ten
| yards nearer the house. Then with
his collar turned up, and his shoulders
| hunched together, he Joined the group.
And man eating tiger in their midst
would have been a safer addition to
the party.
Slowly the line Of shadowy men
moved forward through the under
| growth, and creeping behind them
came the man they were out to KILL
And gradually he edged nearer and
nearer to the wire fence, until he was
following the outside man Of the line
He saw him pause for moment peer
ing round a bush, with his revolver
ready In his hand. And then the ter
ror started. The beater next to the
victim had fieeting vision Of huge
black object sprlnging through the
darkness: muttered curse and CUR
| gle-and dreadful strangled scream.
And the outside beater was no more.
He had been hurled against the live
wire fence as II he was a child-and
the exhibits had been increased by
one.
With q hoarse cry Of fear the man
who had been next him turned and
ran toward the house, only to find
himself seized from behind with a
grip Of iron. 1t was Franz, and as he
stared into the face Of the man whom
he knew to be drowned he gave
squawk like trapped rabbit But
there was nothing ghostly about the
hands round his neck, and as he felt
himself being rushed toward the fence
Of death he began to struggle furious
ly. But Drummond was insane at the
moment, and though Franz was a pow
erful man he might have saved him
self the trouble. A terrific blow hit
him on the face, and with grunt he
fell back against the fence. The ex-
hibits were increased by two, and
through the darkness rang a cheerful
laugh, followed by the hooting of an
owl.
And now the line was broken, and
men were crashing about in all direc-
tons shouting hoarsely. Here, there
and everywhere they heard the hoot-
ing of an OWL they formed into
punches of twos and threes for pro.
lection, they blazed away with COM
pressed-air revolvers at harmless rho
dodendron bushes, and sometimes at
their own pals. And every now and
then a great black figure would leap
silently out Of the darkness onto some
straggler: there Gould be below Of
fear and pain-followed by an omi-
nous silence, which was broken Sec
ond or two later by the hooting Of
an owl twenty yards away.
And at last they could stand 1t no
longer. They had no idea how many
men they were up against, and COM
plete panic set in. With one accord
they rushed for the house, and a
mocking peal of laughter followed
them as they ran. For Drummond had
gambled on that, and he had won. In
the position of knowing that every
man was his enemy, he had been at
an advantage over the others, who
were never sure who was friend.
He began to thread his way swiftly
and silently In the direction Of the
drive, reached the edge without Incl
dent, and started to skirt along 1t
away from the house. At last he saw
the gate, and turned deeper into the
underground. He wanted to examine
1t at leisure, before making up his
mind as to what he would do. AS
far as he could see from the outline
he could make out against the road
1t was an ordinary heavy wooden gate
such as may be seen frequently at the
entrance to small country houses.
DrummOnd became aware that q oar