The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-10-09

y
the clock.
.sThey ought to be here fairly soon,"
she remarked. Hadn't we better get
him out Of sight?'
Peterson nodded, and between them
they pushed Drummond into the bath
room.
'You see, my friend" remarked
Peterson affably, at is necessary to
get you out Of the hotel without arous-
ing suspicion. A simple little matter,
| but it is often the case that one trips
up more over simple matters than over
complicated ones"
He was carefully inserting pin
into his victims leg as he spoke, and
watching intently for any sign of feel
| ing.
"Why, I remember once" he con-
tinued conversationally, "that l was
so incredibly foolish as to replace the
cork in a bottle of prussic acid after
had-er- compelled q gentleman to
drink the contents. He was in bed at
the time, and everything pointed to
suicide, except that COMPOUNDED cork.
I mean, would any man, after he's
drunk sufficient prussic acid to poison
a regiment, go and Cork up the empty
bottle? " only shows how careful
one mast be over these little matters"
The girl put her head round the
door.
They're here" she remarked abb
ruptly, and Peterson went into the
other room, half closing the door. And
Drumtnond, writhing impotently, heard
the well-modulated voice Of the Rev
erend Theodosius.
"Ah, my dear friend, my very dear
old friendl What joy it is to see you
again. am greatly obliged to you for
escorting this gentleman up person
ally"
"Not at all, sir; not at all! Would
you care for dinner, to be served up
here?"
II will ring later IL require II"
Peterson was saying in his gentle,
kindly voice. "My friend, you under
stand, is still on very strict diet, ana
he comes to me more for spiritual
comfort than for bodily. But will
ring should I find he would like to
stay"
Every good, SIR"
And Drummond heard the door close,
and knew that his last hope had gone.
Then he heard Peterson's voice
again, sharp and incisive.
| Lock the door. You two-get
Drummond He's in the bathroom
| The two men he had previously seen
entered, and carried him back into the
| sitting room, where the whole scheme
| was obvious at glance. Just getting
| out of an ordinary invalid's chair was
a big man of more or less the same
build as himself. A thick silk muffler
| partially disguised his face; a soft
hat was pulled well down over his
eyes, and Drummond realized that the
| gentleman who had been wheeled in
for spiritual comfort would not be
wheeled out.
The two men pulled him out Of his
chair, and then, forgetting his condi-
ton, they let him go, and he col
lapsed like a sack Of potatoes on the
floor, his legs and arms sprawling in
grotesque attitudes.
They picked him up again, and not
without difficulty they got him into the
other mans overcoat; and finally they
deposited him in the invalid's chair,
and tucked him up with the rug.
eve will give 1t half an hour" re-
marked Peterson, who had been
watching the operation. 'By that
time our friend will have had suffi-
Gent spiritual solace: and until then
you two can wait outside. l will give
you your full instructions later"
"Will you want me any more, sir?"
The man whose place Drummond had
taken was speaking.
'No,". said Peterson CURLY. sect
out as unostentatiously as you can.
Go down by the stairs and not by the
lift
With nod, he dismissed them all,
and once again Drummond was alone
with his two chief enemies.
Simple, isn't it, my friend?' re-
rives, and an invalid will shortly go.
And once you've passed the hotel
doors you will cease to be an invalid.
You will become again that we'll
known young man about town-Capt.
Hugh Drummond - driving out of
London in his cara very nice Rolls,
that new one Of yours-bought, I
think, since we last met Your chauf-
feur would have been most uneasy
when he missed it but for the note
you've left him, saying you'll be away
for three days" Peterson. laughed
gently as he stared at his victim.
"You must forgive me If I seem to
gloat little, won't you?" he contin-
ued "I've got such large score to
settle with you, and very much fear
shan't be in at the death. 1 have an
engagement to dine with an American
millionaire whose wife is touched to
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