Show N e tie the adventures of 0 a B U MT L D R mobilized demobilized De officer who found Peace Dull DK TO T U TT n rl 0 N TT JJ by CYRIL SAPPER mcneile copyright III by goo U doran co L DO X 10 11 prologue Pro loUe rn in december 1918 four men g ka a thor hr in a hotel in berne and hear bear one 0 of f the quartet outline a plan oan to t paralyze great britain and at the same time seize world power the other three hocking flocking american and Stel neman and von gratz germans ge rans all millionaires agree to the scheme providing another man hiram potts potta an american Is taken in the instigator of the plot gives eltes his name its as comte de guy but when lie he leaves for england with ith ills his daughter he decides to use the name carl paterson the plotters recognize neither na nationality tiona ty nor patriotism nor laws lalys they are a formidable hand band ot of conspirators the comte de guy as leader Is to be paid a million pounds sterling PRO PROLOGUE LOGU E continued 2 genius that he was AIRS in the reading ot of mens minds he felt that lie knew the result of that ton ten minutes deliberation and then what then in his imagination he saw himself supreme in power glutted with it it king nn an autocrat who had only to lift ills his finger to plunge ills his kingdom into destruction and annihilation and when lie he had done it and the country he hated was in ruins then he would claim his million and enjoy it as a groat great man should enjoy a great reward thus tor for the space ot of ten minutes did the lie count see visions and dream dreams that the force he proposed to tamper with was a dangerous force disturbed him not at all lie was a dangerous man that this scheme would bring ruin perhaps death to thousands of innocent men men and women caused him no qualm he was aas a supreme egoist all that appealed to him was that be had seen the opportunity that thai existed and that he had the lie nerve and the brain to burn that opportunity to his own advantage only the necessary money was lacking and with a quick movement he pulled out ills his watch they had bad had their ten minutes the matter was settled the die was cast ile he rose and walked across the lounge for tin an appreciable moment the count paused by the door and ami a faint smile come came to his lips then lie opened lt it and passed into the room the american Amerl can was still chewing ills his Stel was still breathing hard only von GratzA iad changed his occupation and be was sitting at the table smoking a long thin cigar alin th count closed the door rind and walked over to the fireplace well inell gentlemen lie he said aule quietly fly what haie hae aou ou decided it was the american who answered it goes with one amendment the money Is too big for three of us there must be a fourth that will A III be a quarter of a million each the count bowed have billave you any suggestions as to whom the fourth should sho id be yep tep said the american shortly these two gen gent tamen amen agree with me that it should be another of my countrymen so that we get equal numbers the man we have decided on is corning coming to england in a few weeks hirant C potts it if you get him in you can count us in too it if not the deals off the count nodded and if he be felt any annoyance at this ment he showed no sign of it on his face ace 1 I know ol of mr potts he answered quickly your lour big shipping mao man he be I 1 agree to your reservation good said the american lets discuss some details without a trace of emotion on his face the C count aunt drev arev up a chair to the table it was only when he sat down that he started to play a tattoo on his bis knee with his left hand half an hour u r latr later lie bettered entered his luxurious suite ot of rooms at tile the hotel magnificent A girl who had been lying by the fira bre reading a french novel looked up at the sound of the door she did not speak for the look on hla his face told her all bhe wanted to know ile he crossed to the sofa and smiled down at her successful on our own terms tomorrow irma the comte de guy illes dies and carl peterson and ills his daughter leave tor for england A country gentleman I 1 think Is carl peterson lie might keep hens and possibly pigs the girl on the sofa rose yawning mon dieul what a prospect pigs and hens bens and in england I 1 how long ts Is it going to take bakel the count looked thoughtfully into the fire perhaps a year perhaps six months it Is on tile lap of the gods CHAPTER I 1 in which he takes tea at the th carlton and Is surprised 9 ONE captain hugh drummond III i C lure hire of ills Maje tOBio shires was in liln his morn Ini n bath heine being by of ofa a cheerful Als position the symptom did not bur L tilse itse his servant lute private of 0 tle me famous regiment who aho was laying breakfast in an adjoining room after a while the whistling ceased and the musical gurgle of escaping water announced that the concert was over it was the signal for james denny the square jawed ex batman to disappear into tile the back regions and get from ills wife the kidneys and bacon which that most excellent woman had grilled to a turn but on oil this particular morning the invariable routine was broken james denny seemed preoccupied distrait once or twice lie scratched his head and stared out of tile the window with a puzzled fr frown ozi you looking for james penny denny the irate voice of ills his wife at the door made him look round guiltily them kidneys Is ready rind and waiting these five minutes her eyes fell on the table and she adra advanced need into the room wiping her hands on her apron did you ever see sec such a bunch of letters she said forty live returned tier her husband grimly and more to come ile he picked up the newsy newspaper aper lying beside the chair and opened it rhems the result of that he continued cryptically indicating a paragraph with a square finger and thrusting the paper under his cifes nose De mobilized officer she read slowly finding pence peace incredibly tedious would welcome diversion legitimate if possible but crime if of a comparatively Ilu humorous description no objection incitement essential would be prepared to consider permanent job it if suitably sult ably impressed by applicant tor for his services reply at once boy boie she put down the paper on a chair and stared first at her husband and then at the rows of letters neatly arranged on the table 1 I calls it wicked she announced at length fair flying in the face of providence vi crime dently denny crime dont you get abing to do with such mad pranks my man or you and me will be baling words she shook an admonitory fin finger ger at him and retired slowly to the kitchen A moment or two later hugh drummond came in slightly under six feet in III height lie he was broad in proportion ills his best friend would not have lave called film good looking but he was the die fortunate possessor of that cheerful type of ugliness which inspires immediate confidence in ita owner uc ile paused as lie he got to the table and glanced at the rows roas of letters who would have thought it james he remarked great scott I 1 shall have to get a partner with disapproval showing in every line of tier her face mrs denny entered the room carrying the kidneys and drummond glanced at tier her with a smile good morning sirs mrs denny he said wherefore this worried look on your face lias has that reprobate james been misbehaving himself the worthy woman snorted lie has not sir not yet leastwise and it if so be that he does her eyes traveled up and down the back of the hapless denny who was quite I 1 A I 1 De mobilized officer she read slowly finding peace incredibly ted bedl ous would welcome diversion 11 harily putting pulling books off and putting them back again ill tl so be that he does she continued grimly him film and me will have words as ive told him already this lif morning orning she stalked from the noora atter after staring pointedly at th the let letter tev in drummonds liand hand and the two ficeli eb looked at one another ou other its that there reference to crime sir torn it said denny in a hoarse whisper thinks im going to lead you astray soei she james ile he was opening the lafirst A first envelope and suil sud denly lie looked up with a twinkle in his eyes ayes just to set her mind at rest lie he remarked gravely you might tell tier her that as far as I 1 can see at plesent pie sent Ll shall only I 1 undertake murder in exceptional cases lie ile propped the letter up against the toast rack and commenced ills hla breakfast where Is james and one might almost asks ask why Is ridlington rud rudi lington ington no town has an any y right to such an offensive name lie ile glanced through the letter and shook his head tush I 1 tush I 1 and the wife ot of the batik bank manager too the bank malinger of ridlington rud Pud lington jamesl james 1 can you conceive 0 of anything so dreadful hut but im afraid sirs mrs bank manager Is a puss a distinct puss its when they pet get on the soul mate stunt that the furniture begins to fly drummond tore up the letter and dropped the pieces into the basket beside him film then lie turned to ills his servant and handed him the remainder of the envelopes eav elopes go through them james while I 1 assault the kidneys and pick two or three out for me 1 1 I see that you will have to become my secretary secie tary do you want we me to open them sir asked denny doubtfully youve lilt hit it james hit bit it in one classify them for me in groups criminal sporting amatory that means of or pertaining to love stupid and merely boring and as a last resort miscellaneous ile he stirred ills his coffee thoughtfully 1 I feel that as a first venture in our new career ours I 1 said imald james loe ione appeals to me irresistibly find me a damsel in distress a beautiful girl helpless in the clutches of knaves let we me feel that I 1 can fly to her succor clad in my new grey suiting ile he finished the last piece ot of bacon and pushed away its his plate denny was w s engrossed in a letter lie had just opened A perplexed look was spreading over oter ills face and suddenly denly lie he sucked his teeth loudly it was a sure sign that james was excited and drummond glanced up quickly and removed the letter from his hands im surprised at you james lie remarked severely A secretary should control itself dont forget that the perfect secretary Is an it an automatic machine a thin thing incapable of feeling ile he read the letter through rapidly and then turning back to the beginning lie read it slowly through again my dear box bos 10 I 1 dont know whether your advertisement was a joke I 1 suppose it must lave have been but I 1 read it this morning and its just possible just possible you mean it and it if you do youre the man I 1 want I 1 can call offer you excitement and probably crime im up against it for a girl ive bitten off rather more than I 1 can chew I 1 want belp badly will you come to the car carlton ton for tea tomorrow afternoon I 1 want to have a look at you and see it if I 1 think you are genuine wear a x white bite lower flower in your buttonhole ton tor hole drummond laid the letter down and pulled out his cigarette case tomorrow james lie he murmured that Is today tills aery afternoon verily I 1 believe that we nave mave impinged upon the goods he rose and stood looking out of the window thoughtfully you think its genuine sir said james his master blew out a cloud of smoke ii 1 I know it Is he answered dreamily look at that writing the decision in it the character shell be medium height and dark with the sweetest little nose and mouth her coloring james will be I 1 but james had discreetly left the room TWO at tour four exactly hugh drummond stepped out of hla his two seater at the haymarket entrance to the carlton for a few moments after entering the hotel lie he stood at the top of the stairs outside the dining room abille ills eyes traveled round the tables in the lounge below slowly and thoroughly he continued his search it was early of course yet and she might not have arrived but he was taking no chances suddenly his eyes ceased wondering and remained fixed on a d table at the far end of the louigi halt half hidden behind a plant a girl V s seated alone and for a moment she sha looked straight at him then with the faintest suspicion of a smile she turned away and commenced drumming on the table with ner her fingers finders I 1 the rhe table next to her was unoccupied and drummond made his way 10 ward it and sat down he felt not tile the slightest doubt it lu iila his mind that tills this was the girl who had written him rind and having given an order to the walter waiter he started to study her face as unobtrusively as possible lie ile could only set se the profile hut but that was quite sufficient clent to male make him bless the moment when aben more as a jest than anything else he be had sent his advertisement to tile the paper her eyes he could see were very mue blue and great masses of 0 golden colden brown hair colled coiled over tier ears from under a small email black hat bat lie ile glanced at tier ber hands and noted with approve at al the absence of any ring then he be looked once more at tier face and found t tr lr r eyes were fixed alsed on him this time she did not look away she seemed to think that it was tier lier turn to conduct the examination and drummond fumbled in his waistcoat pocket after a moment lie he found hat he wanted and taking out a card he be propped it against the teapot so that the girl gill could see what was on it in large black capitals lie he had written box she spoke almost at once do xia I 1 she said and he turned to her with ft a smile its very nice of you to say so he murmured it if I 1 may I 1 will return the compliment so will you she frowned slightly this foolishness you know what I 1 said in my letter Is literally true I 1 want you to tell me ine and there was no trace of jesting in tier her voice tell me on your word of 0 honor whether that advertisement verti was bona fide or a joke ue be answered tier lier in the same vein fein it started more or less as a joke it may now be regarded as absolutely genuine slie she nodded as it if Patis satisfied fied are you prepared to risk your life lafel drummonds eyebrows went up and then he smiled granted that the inducement Is sufficient lie he returned slowly 1 I think I 1 may say that I 1 am ile he saw that she was staring over his shoulder at some soine one on behind hla his back dont look around she ordered and tell me your name quickly drummond captain drummond late of the Loam shires ile he leaned back in ills chair and lit fit a cigarette lly illy dear phyllis said a voice behind his back this Is a pleasant surprise I 1 had no idea that you were in london A tall clean shaven man stopped beside the table throwing a keen glance at drummond the world Is full of such so surprises it answered the girl lightly 1 I dont suppose you know captain drum mond do you mr La kington art connoisseur and er collector the two men bowed slightly and mr La kington smiled 1 I 1 do not remember ever having heard ray my harmless pastimes more concisely de he remarked sua suavely suavity vety are you interested in such matters not very im afraid answered drummond Dru inmond just recently I 1 have been rather to too busy to pay much attention to art the other man smiled again and it struck hugh that rarely it if ever had he seen such a cold merciless face of course youve been to france La kington murmured unfortunately a bad heart kept me on this side of the water sometimes I 1 cannot help thinking how wonderful it must have been to be able to kill without fear of consequences there Is art in killing captain drummond profound art ile he looked at ills his watch and si sighed hed alas I 1 must tear myself away are you returning home this evening the girl who had been glancing round |