Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-05-14
BY.J.JEFFERsoN FARJEoN

matters failed to GO quite as smooth
ly as / liked. that a little etxra as
Sistance would be useful. So I i'm
ported that extra assistance-and IL
is at hand. Mr.. Cunningham. Make
"a note OF that. please. You. your
self, were weakening-I have seen
that for several days. I could not
afford to take chances-if you serve
me. i serve someone higher than
either of uS-and so \ secured the
necessary help I might need. and
kept IL ready. / did not trouble to
tell you all this before. Why
should II"
do you mean-you rot these peo-
pie to come here. for the special
purpose of kidnapping my daughter?"
demanded the professor.
THAT was one object. There were
others. You remember. a caretaker
appeared here a little while ago"
And ran away again." interposed
the professor. "Yes, what about
him."
Just this. IL was necessary for
him TO run away. You understand?
He was growing a bit to curious.
And today another caretaker has
come upon the scene. 7 have had to
cause him TO u away. too. He ran
away. I imagine. just before you and
I came along. Which explains. I
think. the overturned furniture"
Then he'll communicate with the
policel" exclaimed the professor, ex-
citedly.
Il don't think he will be allowed
To do that" responded Brill, dryly.
IF. by Ill chance. he does-well. 1t
will be unfortunate for me. / admit
and for you-and for your daugh-
ter. So you see, the sooner YOU
descend and get to business, the
better for all OF US"
The professor groaned.
You've got me where YOU want
me-" he mumbled. but one day
thereTl be a reckoning. Brill,
"One day We shall all die. Cum
ningham. And then the whole farce
will be over. But meanwhile-we
play VI parts. And now, please. play
yours"
"All right. Open the damned
door Are YOU coming down with
me2"
Il am certainly coming down with
you. Do you think I am going to
miss the most interesting moments
Of our whole association? Now. then
we've talked enoughl'
1t was not the heat OF the cup
board that caused Charlie to per-
spire. The conversation he had just
overheard confirmed his worst
doubts. Celia had been kidnapped.
and was In the hands of Simon Brill.
And. il Brill were thwarted. Celia
herself would be the first victiml
In the space OF the five seconds
that followed the cessation Of the
voices and the resumption Of their
footsteps along the passage. Charlie
strove to get through an hours
thinking. Instinctively. and also
through policy. he tried to clarity
his buzzing mind by concentrating
on one point. and letting all the rest
20 hang. That one point vas Celia.
His sole object must now be to res
cue her.
Joscelyn and Rupert confined in
the darkness below-Brown flying
through lonely lanes from merci-
less revolvers-the poor 1aborer be-
| yond help in the ditch-and the
professors own troubles-these must
be deliberately wiped out OF his
| mind IL he was to be OF any use at
all. The situation "a too big for
him, its various needs too great. But
perhaps his inefficient powers might
| be marshaled into some sort of util-
ity that could be dedicated TO the
| saving Of an innocent girl, who had
| already looked to him for aid. from
the horrible fate that hung ver her,
Where was she2 That was the
question Charlie tried to solve in
| those desperate five seconds. Brill
| had implied that she was in the
| keeping OF the extra" help he had
| imported-of the two people who
| we're now chasing Brown. II so
would they both have left her7
Possibly they might. Celia might be
locked in a room in the e~vil-looking
in near by. or In some other hovel
lust as Charlie. himself. had been
locked In the room upstairs. On the
| other hand, she might be close al
hand. Yes-might be down those
very stairs the professor was about
to descend 1t would be like the
sardonic Brill to keep her close, and