The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-11-13
CHAPTER XIV
In Which a Murderer Is MUIR
dered at MAVERICK Hall

faculty for remaining alive, my young
friend" remarked Peterson two min
utes later, gazing benevolently at
Drummond over his clerical collar.
"You can't imagine the unpleasant
surprise it gave me-" Peterson con-
tinued gently, when your charming
wife hailed my car. So unexpected:
so delightful. And when / realized
that you were running about in our
grounds here instead of being drowned
as that fool No. 10 told me over the
telephone. . :. BY the way. where
is No. 1OY'
He turned snarling on the Russian,
but it was one Of the men behind
Drummond's chair who answered.
He's dead This guy threw him on
the live wires"
DO you mean to say" said the Rus
sian in his harsh voice. that 1t was
only this man Drummond outside
thereY
"You have guessed it, Adolph," an
swered Drummond, speaking mechan-
ically. 1t had seemed to him, sudden
", that, unseen by the others, Phyllis
was trying to convey some message.
alone | did it. to say nothing of that
squib-faced bird upstairs with the long
arms. In fact, without wishing to ex-
aggerate, 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.
..and one makes six. worked 1t 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 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
systeria in that look, and his heart
~egan to pound suddenly in his excite
i ment. For 1856 Mayfair was the num-
Der Of Peter Darrells telephone. and
SHE could only mean one thing-that
she had got through to Peter before
!, she stopped the car. And if that was
4, 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 cruz
how was he going to get such a
respite? For this time he could not
hope for another mistake. ItAwas the
end. and n knew it.
No trace of mercy showed in the
faces of the three men opposite Lin.
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-
sively, 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. Il 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"
It was left to Carl Peterson to de-
eide matters.
Nothing is easier" he remarked
suavely. and his eyes were still fixed
on Drummond. 1--WE are discussing,
my young friend" he continued. rails
ing his voice slightly. "the best way of
getting rid Of you and your charming
wife. | regret that she must share
your fate, hut 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
so without involving ourselves in un-
pleasant notoriety. l fear-as said
that she must join you. My friend
Yulowski wishes to bayonet you both.
and bury you in the grounds. He has
done lot of that sort of thing in his
time. and believe am right in stat
ing that his hand has not lost its cum
ming since leaving Russia. A little
out of practice, perhaps: but the re-
suit is the same. On the other hand
Count Zadowa, whom you know of
old, quite rightly points out that there
are the members 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