Show The BLACK 1 GINGER MARTIN To SYNOPSIS To a gathering of ot anarchists anarchist In Dark Harking In London suburb foreign agitator agitator agitator tor tells tell of ot the operation operations of ot a body of ot men who hays have become a menace me to th their lr activities Ire Ite a says the they are arc masked and wear long lone black cloaks cloak and are acting without the I law a. a II lie 11 I is I. Interrupted Interrupted interrupted Inter Inter- by br the men be he Is h lag ing the Black Ullock Gang aang who break breakup up the meeting sentencing some torn of ot the participants participant to condign punishment and carrying away aw y others other A memorandum found on gives an address In n. n which the leader of the tbs attacking party part considers consider of ot Im Im- Im Sir Bryan Dryan Johnstone director of ot criminal Investigation lion Ion hears hear from Inspector Me- Me Iver sent ent to arrest the night before of ot hi his hi discomfiture He lie had been seized and chloroformed chloroformed chloro chloro- formed and his hi raid Hugh Drummond man oC ot leisure tells tell Johnstone of ot seeing the kidnaper kidnapers kid kid- naper and their victim victims He lie be become becomes be- be come comes an unpaid agent of ot the police pollee under McIver Mclver William Atkinson ostensibly pawnbroker and nd money lender really rely Count director of ot an anarchy In England doe does bUll business In e. e In an another another an- an other London suburb A mysterious mysterious mys mys- stranger tranger invades Invade the tile premises Drummond attempts to burglarize the premises premise to get evidence CHAPTER IV 7 7 In Which a Bomb Bursts at Unpleasantly Close Quarters It was perhaps because tile the thought of ot failure never entered Hugh Drum Drum- monds mond's head that such Buch a considerable ble measure of ot success lied had been heen possible up to date that date that and the absolute unquestioning obedience which he demanded de de- l of at his Iila pals pal members of the Gang Goni and which they accorded him willingly As they knew he laid no claims to brilliance but as us they also knew he hid a It very shrewd common common com com- mon man sense beneath bin frivolous olous manner man nInn- ner nero And having once accepted the sound Round military truism that one Indifferent ferent general Is better than thun two good oll ones they accepted his leadership with unswerving What win was going to be the end of ot their self im posed tight fight against the pests of ot society so- so clety did dill not worry them greatly all that mattered was that there should be a certain amount of ot sport In la the collection of at the specimens Granted the promise of that they willingly sacrificed any engagements and carried car cur Fled ried out Hughs Hugh's orders to the letter Up to date however the campaign though fur far fri m fn m being dull du had hall not produced any early eally big results A number of ot sprats and a few moderate moderate- sized had hud duly been caught In the net landing-net find and been sent SPilt to the private private vate ate pool to meditate at lit leisure Hut nothing really rully large had hod come conic their way was a good haul Hut But the tho Black flack Gang Gong which aimed merely at the repression of ot terrorism by terrorism ter ter- hind had found It too tuo easy The fhe nauseating cowardice of ot the majority of ot their opponents was becoming monotonous mo nto- notorious their strong aversion to soap and ond water They wanted big game not not the rats ruts that emerged from tram the sewers l Even Kven ven Drummond had begun to to feel that patriotism might be carried too far fur until the moment when the address address ad nd dress In n had gallen Into Inlo their hands Then with the optimism that lives eternal In the hunters hunter's breast fresh fresti hope had hod arisen In his mind He lie had determined on all a n bigger er game It If It failed It failed If they drew blank blank he he hind had almost decided to chuck th the thlu thing Up altogether Phyllis he ho knew would be Ito overjoyed 1 If it he did dill Just this one final coup old girl he said us liS they sat waiting In the Carlton for the awe Inspiring rela rein byes tives Ive got It cut and dried and It comes coms oi oft tonight It If Its It's u a dud well we'll v 61 ll dissolve ourselves tat ourselves at all any rate rute fur for the present If It only only only- He lIu sighed and his wife looked at nt him reproachfully I know you want another tight fight with Petersen you yott ou old goat she remarked lut ut you'll never see him again or I It it t horrible girl Dont you ou think I shall Phyl 11 lie stared despondently at ot his shoes I cant can't help 1111 feeling myself that somewhere somewhere somewhere some some- where or other behind all nil this that cht cheery try bird Is lurking My My dear It would be bt too ghastly If it I never ne saw him again The next nett time you see se him Hugh she answer answered tJ quietly he wont won't take any chances with you lint Hut my angel child he ho boomed cheerfully I dont don't want wont him to Noon None No N Noon on one on your life lite I Nor shall I. I Hoc GOG v i Lord I l Here lIre they are arl Uncle Unde Timothy looks more like a It manger arzel t tan lall ever And so BO at thirty nine-thirty that evening a II party of ot lire five men sat Bat waiting In a n small sitting room of a house houe situated In a remote corner of South Kensington Kensing ton Some Same eases easels stood round the walls covered with I th halt finished sketches as 08 befitted a room belonging belonging- to a budding artist such ns as Toll Toby Sin In clair Not Oot that he wits an nn artist or I even In a budding one anI but ho felt that thata a man must have some come excuse for tor living In South Sonth Kensington And so 10 he had bought hought the sketches and put them round the room morn principally to dec she dec hl the landlady The Tim fact that he hI hem hIn Ws m n never there except at strange hours m continued confirmed that excellent womans woman's opinion that all aU artists were rascals Hut But he lie paid Ills his rent regularly and times were wert were hard especially specIally In South Kensington Had 1111 the tho worthy soul loul known that her second I By CYRIL McNEILE I SAPPER Copyright by bv GEORGE H. H IN DOR CO 17 V. N. N U. U Service Sery best sitting room r om was the rendezvous of ot this lilack HInck Hang Gang It Is In doubtful If It she would have been so complacent nut Hut she he didn't know and continued her weekly dusting of ot the sketches with characteristic zeal saM sail Ted should be here soon Boon Drummond glancing at ot hi his watch I hope hes he's got the bird nil all right You didn't get Bet Into the Inner room did you Hugh said laid Peter Darrell No 00 But I saw nw enough to know that Its It's beyond our form old lad Weve We've got to have a skilled cracksman cracksman cracks cracks- man to deal with one of at the doors doors- arid and almost certainly anything Important tant will be In a safe Inside Just run over the orders again Toby Sinclair came back from dro drawing the blinds even more closely together Perfectly simple said Hugh Ted and I land and linger Martin Martin Martin-It If hes he's go go him will him-will will go straight Info into the house houRI through h the front door I know the geography of at the place nil all right and Ive I've already laid out the caretaker clerk fellow once Then we mu must t trust to luck There shouldn't be there except the little blighter of ot a clerk The rest relit of at you will hang about outside In vitae cuse of any trouble Dont Don't hunch together ether keep on the move i but hut keep the doors In sight When you see us come out again make your our own way home borne Cant Can't give you ou tiny any more detailed Instructions because e eI I d' d dont don't t know what may turn up I 1 Ishall Ishall shall rig myself out here after Ted Tell TellI I i i II t 4 1 BUrney I Muttered the Man Shrink Ing Back as He Saw the Huge Figure Figure Fig Fig- ure In Black Confronting Him the Game Guvnor arrives You ou had better go to your Ott 0 own n rooms and do Ilo It but hut Walt wait first to tomake make sure that hes he's roped In linger Ginger Martin lie glanced up lip as the door opened and Jerry Seymour Seymour sometime of ot the II n. I 1 F. F 0 put G.-put put his head Into the room Teds here herl and lies hell got the bird birdall birdall all ull right Unpleasant looking bloke with u a flattened face Right Hight rose rosl on and crossed to a cupboard Clear CIa r off air you OU fellows Zero Zero twelve twelve midnight From Irom the cupboard he pulled n a lon long l Wk black cloak and mask which he proceeded pro pro- to put on while the others disappeared disappeared dis dis- appeared with the exception of Jerry Seymour 1 who came cume Into the room roan lie was us dressed In livery like a chauffeur and he lie hind had In fact tut been driving the car In which Ted had brought Ginger Martin Any ny trouble No Xo OncE Onoe he lie was certain Ted had nothing to do with the police pollee he came I like n a bird said Jerry The quid did dill It Then he grinned You know Teds Ted's n II marvel el Ill I'll defy un any body to him hint Drummond nodded and sat sut down at nt atthe atthe the table facing the door Tell Te Ted to bring him up And I dont don't want him to tee see e you jou Jerry so keep out of the light Undoubtedly Jerry Seymour was right with regard to J Jerningham's make As he and und Martin came Into the room It was wua only the sudden start am UI i cry Ory on the part purt of ot the crook that ide de Drummond certain as to which as rr hitch Blimey y muttered the man shrinkIng shrink shrink- Ing buck back ns nR he aw nw the huge figure ure In black confronting him the game gut guv lu nor Theres There's no game Martin said Drummond reassuringly Youve You been told tol what youre you're wanted for haven't jou Sou OU 2 A little professional assistance as S' tonight for tor which you OU will wll be paid fifty pounds Is all t WI ask usk of ot you you ou Hut Ginger Martin still seemed far from easy liS In his mind Youre Yourl one of ot this ore ere re Black Gang Gong he said sullenly sullenly sul sul- lenly glancing at ut the door In front of ot which was WIlS standing Should hould he chance It find and make makl a n dashto dust dash to get 8 sway ay 1 Fifty pounds pO are fifty pounds but but but- ut- ut utHe He lie gave a n little shiver r as his eyes carne came round ln l to the figure oa on o. lr T side sille pf of the Quite correct Martin sal said the same reassuring voice And Its It's only because I dont don't want you to rec recognise e me roe that Im I'm dressed up like e thIs WP W harm The voice vole dont don't mean jou OU any and then went wenton ent enton for a II moment paused again You rou understand that Martin Mar Mar- on harm any anI mean you tin We dont don't came a unless and once again there monkey unless pause you oa try any do clo exactly as II Itell I Itell tricks You are to 10 and at once without question tell you I fifty pounds pound receive eh-e eh will re If rt you do you OU It If you dont don't Martin I have who dont don't ways wars of dealing with people do what I 1 tell thorn them Martin Martin Mar Mar- There wits was silence Yo while hll Ginger tin fidgeted get ell about looking like Ilke a trapped animal What dl do yer want me to do he at last Open a II safe amongst other things answered HOI Drummond Have lIo you brought your tools and things 2 rul Ivo Ive I've brought the outfit mut- mut Where la Is the safe safeT tere ered l the other Ire Irl 2 5 Xo No Martin not here Some Romp distance dis distance dis- dis tance away n In fact We e shell shall start In about an hour Until then you will stop In this ro room m. m You can have a whisky whisky-anil soda ant and my friend here will stay toy with you He lie has a gun Martin so remember what I said sold No monkey tricks With fascinated eyes pres the crook i watched the speaker rise and cross to tonn tonn toI I nn in Inner door lour Standing he lie seemed more nore huge than ever and Martin gave a u high of relief as liS the door closed behInd behind behind be be- hind him e eThe The rhe entrance to Number 5 Ii Green Greenstreet Greenstreet street proved easier than Drummond had ind expected expected so so ll-so so easy rosy as all to be almost suspicious No lights shone In the wIndows windows windows win wIn- dows above the house bouse seemed completely com- com deserted Moreover the door Into nto the street was unbolted and without without with with- out a moments moment's hesitation Drummond opened It and ond stepped Inside followed follo by Martin and Ted The fhe Thelong long ong black cloak had been discarded only the black mask concealed conceal eel his face ace as the three men stood Inside the thedoor thedoor door listening Intently Not n a sound was vas audible and after n II moment or two Drummond felt his way cautiously cautious cautious' ly Iy y through the do downstairs office toward toward to to- ward the flight of stairs that led t. t to he the rooms ubo above In single Hie llIe they crept up th the th stairs Drummond lending The door at nt the top was ajar and for awhile they thy stood In the carpeted passage above abote listening again Along this thin pas passage the clerks clerks' offices he explained In a low voice olce to the other two t At the far tar end Is another door which we shall probably Ind lInd lock locked Id Beyond Derond that Is s the Inner laner which we want I I I Well lets let's get on It t guvnor muttered Ginger Martin hoarsely Theres no good In Drummond switched on his electric torch and ond flashed lashed It round Doors leading lending off of the passage were pen open In most cases and all nil the rooms were wele empty It was was obvious ob that none of ot the staff were about And yet he felt an nn Indefinable sense of ot da danger er which he tried In vain tf to shake oft off Somehow or other he felt certain that they were not that alone that there were other people In the house houst Hut nut Ginger Martin had no such presentiments and was rapidly becoming Impatient To open Olen the door at lit the end of ot the i passage I If It It should prove to bo ho I locked was such childs child's play playas as to be I absolutely contemptible lie He wanted to get on with the safe which might take time Instead of fooling round In Ina a 1 passage listening for mice Without a sound the cracksman set setto setto setto to work his Lis coarse features outlined In the circle of the torch hU iris kept kep fingers handling his Instruments as ns deftly as ns any surgeon A little ol oil here and there n a steady pressure with Ith a II short pointed steel tool a faint fain click dick There 3 you ou nu ar are guy nor he be muttered mute mut ter l straightening up Easy Kasy as ns Us kiss klit yer pr and And If It yer watts waits till I mil find me glove Ilove Ill I'll open It for tor jer yer er hut but Ginger Ginger Gin Gin- ger Martins Martin's prints fingerprints are too well vel known to run any risk risks I. I Still no sound came mme from anywhere shere though the click as ns the lock shot hack back hall hail seemed horribly loud In the s Ill si- lence And then Ju ju as ns Martin cau mu turned the handle und and pushed open t the he door Drummond suddenly rind and switched oft his torch lIe He could have sworn that he heard beard the sound of voices close ty liy Only for tor a second they second they were In silenced but Just for tor that tha fraction traction of at time as the door open opened Id I'd h he knew he had heard leord men speaking It looks very much like a trap What II li planning to do doto doto doto to Drummond TO BB CO CONTINUED |