Show r r The e eBIA BLACK BIA GANG A Sequel to Bulldog Drummond G C Gi tB DI ft r N co BY COOL lE AleNE f APP R J CHAPTER VIII 12 12 In Which Hugh Drummond and acid the Reverend Theo Theo- Longmoor Take Lunch Together Rot not I 1 Peter turned a little Irritably from his covert Inspection of the Reverend Longmoor Youve Y uve got Peterson on the brain Why Wb that old bird la Is no more like him than my 01 boot Nevertheless less Its It's Peterson answered answered an an- Drummond doggedly Its Jt Just that one trick he can never shake off oft that that tapping with his left hand on his hla knee that knee that made me spot him Well granted youre you're right conceded con con- v ceded Darrell grudgingly what do we wedo wedo do donow I now sergeant major I I V dont don't know Peter Ive I've got to think this out Youre perfectly certain Hugh said laid Peter who was still far from con vinced Absolutely old man man answered Drummond gravely The clergyman over there is Carl Peterson late of the Elms Godalming And the game has begun again Darrell gave a short laugh as he noted the gleam In his leaders leader's eyes Im Tm thinking he be remarked soberly that this time the game Is going to tomake tomake tomake make us go all out So much much the better grinned Hugh Well add him to our collection i Peter and th then n well we'll present the whole bunch to the zoo And In the meantime meantime mean mean- time he shall lunch with us when Phyllis arrives and prattle on theology to an an appreciative audience Incidentally Inci dentally it will appeal to his bis sense of humor theres there's no difficulty about recognizing us Look out hes he's coinIng coming com coin Ing over They turned as the clergyman crossed toward them Jolly JoUy old tum turn beginning to shout for nourishment said Hugh with an affable smile as os he be joined them My wife should be here at any Mr e e ei Longmoor is my name said the clergyman beaming on them It is very charming of you to take such compassion compassion com com- passion on a lonely old man Staying h here re all by yourself asked Drummond politely lyNo ly No my daughter Is with me The dear child has hili been my constant companion companion com com- panion ever since my beloved wife's death some some years ago We have just r returned turned from a visit to the famine- famine stricken area replied the clergyman Most interesting Interesting but but most terribly sad Bad You know know l I dont don't think I caught your our name Drummond Captain Drummond answered Hugh mechanically And this is 11 Mr Darrell I think I have had the pleasure sure of making your daughters daughter's daughters daughter's daugh daugh- ter's terl acquaintance already She was manufacturing woolen garments for forthe forthe the tile Austrians down here and I J re rt retrieved an elusive ball of wool for her That Is Just my iny daughter all over Captain Drummond beamed the Reverend Rev Kev- Never wasting her time always always' doing something for the good of humanity I But Dut at the moment It Is to be regretted re re- regretted re- re vetted that Hugh was not worrying his head over the good of humanity Inconceivable though It was judged on the mere matter of ot appearance that the Reverend was Carl Peterson It was still more Inconceivable inconceivable Incon incon- that the wool knitter could be Irma Of course Peterson might have changed his Jils daughter daughter but but If It he hadn't what hot then What had he said to Peter Darrell Darren when the girl re recognizing him all the time was sitting In the next chair flow lIow much had she overheard And suddenly Hugh began to feel that he was Will floundering In deep water He Ile glanced at ot his watch and turned to D Darrell Confound the tho girl Peter reter l I She's Sho's nearly forty minutes late Picked up t h 1 pal old boy answered that worthy Picked up a pal and they're masticating a Bath nath bun some some- where Why not leave Ica a message atthe at atthe atthe the door and lets let's go on with It Im I'm darned hungry The Reverend beamed from behind his spectacles Us Tia ever the the- same ho he murmured gently hut But ut It It'll is the pr prerogative tOs the of their sex I Well lets let's toddle In and take nourishment nourishment nour nour- said laid Hugh taking hold of ot the clergyman's arm with his hand and pushing him toward the restaurant By ny the way what about tho the daughter daugh daugh- ter Isn't she going to honor us Not today the Reverend She Is lunching upstairs with the poor fellow fellow I 1 told you about whose was wrecked last Ilist night Jle Ue Is II sadly In need of comfort I understand un un- that the thc police pollee lire are satisfied that three scoundrels w I were ere fl Involved ol In the crime And two of them have bove escaped Dirty dogs said Hugh frowning Now If all three had been found adhering ad ad- hering to the furniture it might have reconciled you to the loss of those hundred hun hun- dred acid drops In fact continued the cler clergyman man helping himself to some flab fish the whole thing Is very mysterious However however How how- ever pr the police have every hope of laying their hands hand on the two others othu very shortly An unfortunate clerk who was brutally assaulted by them has confided to his hi employer that he believes he knows who one of the theother theother theother other two was A huge man Captain Drummond of or enormous strength a aman man well man well really do you know a aman aman man I should imagine Just like you and a man who popular rumor has as It it Is the head of a mysterious body calling callIng call call- I Ing Itself the Black Dlack Gang So that should prove a valuable clue for the police poUce when they hear of It it Not by the flicker IUcker of at an eyelid did Drummonds Drummond's face change as he listened listened lis lis- with polite attention to the the clergyman's clergyman's clergyman's cler cler- gyman's remarks But Dut his brain was moving quickly as aa he took in this new development One card cord at any rate was down on the table his identity as 81 leader of the Black Dlack Gang Oong was known to Peterson It was the girl who had found him out that wa was ob ob- The point was how did It affect matters An elusive person I believe he remarked quietly I dont don't anticipate that It should be hard to discover him Captain Drum- Drum Y t Shall We Drop This Beating About the Bush Snapped the Other mond said sold the clergyman mildly Surely with your marvelous police system And yet et Mr Longmoor said sold Hugh gravely even though lately I 1 have ha been reinforcing that system system literal literal literally ly Iy helping them myself they myself they are still completely In the dark as to his Identity Incredible cried the other Still we can cau only hope for the best By ny the way I Im I'm n afraid your wife has finally deserted you for fur lunch He lie pushed buck back his chair choir I shall hope to have havethe havethe the pI pleasure en Jure of making her acquaintance acquaint acquaint- ance some other day And now If tf you will excuse me ine I must run away My correspondence cor at the Ole moment with regard regard regard re re- gard to tho the relief funds for destitute Austrians Is very voluminous A thousand thousand thou thou- sand thanks for the most enjoyable meal lie He bowed with a courteous smile and threaded his way through the crowded restaurant toward the door And It was not until he lie had finally disappeared from sight eight that Hugh laugh turned to Peter Ieter Darrell with a Ii thought thoughtful ful expression on his Ws face Interesting position of affairs affairs af af- fairs Peter Jeter ho he remarked lighting another cigarette lie He knows Im the lender leader of our bunch and doesn't know I know It I know hes he's Peterson and he doesn't know I 1 know It U. I wonder how long It will be before the gloves come off CHAPTER IX In Which Count Is Introduced to Alice in Wonderland A quarter of or an hour later the two young oung men stepped Into Piccadilly Evidently Phyllis Phy was not proposing to turn up and nothing was to be gained by remaining The next move lay Jay with the other II sUe and until It was played l It 14 was merely a question of marking time At the entrance to the Rita JUtz the they separated And It was just Just as he was standing In Berkeley square liquorI waving his stick lUck vaguely at BI a s material aId old to thought that h he h. felt a 0 touch on his arm l Excuse cuse we me sir said Ild a voice at athis athis his elbow but I would like s a a. a few words with you lie He look looked ell down and his eyes tyes narrowed narrowed nar nar- narrowed rowed suddenly Standing beside him was the hunchback Mr Atkinson and for tor a 1 moment Hugh regarded him In silence Then dismissing a strong Inclination to throw this unexpected apparition under a passing furniture van von he ruined raised his eyebrows slightly and removed rIDo his hie cigar from his mouth the next move had begun and he felt curious as to what form torm It would take My lIy powers as a conversationalist are well wen known he he remarked amongst a ft large and varied circle I Iwas Iwas Iwas was not however aware that you belonged belonged be be- longed to It U. In other words sir who the deuce dence are you and what the dickens dick dick- ena ens do you want wont to talk to me about Something which concerns us both very Intimately returned the other And with regard to the first part of 10 your your r question question question-do do you think It necessary necessary sary to keep up the pretense especially espe elpe- elpe dally as there are no witnesses present pres prea eat ent I suggest t however that as u our conversation may be a trifle prolonged and ond this spot Is I. somewhat draughty we I should adjourn to your house Brook street I believe Is I. where you live Captain Drummond Hugh removed his cigar and t eared ared at the hunchback thoughtfully I 1 haven't the slightest wish to have havea I a prolonged conversation with you In any place draughty or otherwise he I remarked at length However If you are prepared to run the risk of being bring slung out of the window If you bore me Ill I'll give you Sou ou ten minutes lIe He turned on his b be el l and strolled slowly on toward his house while the hunchback shooting venomous glances at him from time to time walked by his side aide In silence And it was not until some five minutes later when they were both In Drummonds Drummond's study that any further remark was made It was Hugh who spoke standing with his back to the fireplace and looking down on the misshapen little littleman littleman littleman man who vho sat lIat In an arm chair facing the light An unpleasant customer he reflected now now that he saw him close to for the first time a dangerous vindictive vindictive vin vin- little devil devil but but able distinctly distinct distinct- ly Iy able Just such a type as Peterson would choose for a tool What Is it you wish to tit say to me me he be sold said curtly A few things Captain Drummond returned the other that may help to to clear the air In the first place ma may mayI I 1 say how pleased I am to make your acquaintance In the flesh so to speak I 1 have hove long Jong wanted a little talk with with I Ithe the leader of the Black Dlack Gang I murmured solicitously solicitous solicitous- trust trust- Hugh solicitously ly that the sun hasn't proved too much for you jou Shall we drop V this beating about the bush snapped the other I 1 shall drop you down the stairs If you talk to me like that you d d-d d d little microbe said sald Hugh coldly and the other got to his feet with a snarl Ills His eyes glaring g like those of an angry angry an an- gry grf cat were fixed on Drummond who suddenly put out a vast hand to screen the lower part of the hunchbacks hunchbacks hunchback's hunchbacks hunchback's hunch hunch- backs back's face With a cry ery of fear he recoiled and Hugh smiled grimly So it had been Mr Atkinson himself who had bad flung the bomb the night before the eyes that had glared at him through the crack In the door were unmistakably the same as os those he head had ad just J looked into over ove over hi his own hand With the rest relt of the face blotted blotted blot blot- ted out to prevent distraction there could be no doubt ab about ut It lt and he was still stilt smiling grimly as be he lowered his his' hand So you think Im I'm the leader of the Black mack Gang do you 7 he remarked What are your grounds for this till somewhat somewhat some some- what startling statement My grounds are these said the hunchback recovering his self control last night my office in Hoxton was wrecked by hy a bomb That bomb also killed a n man It did agreed Hugh grimly One of the three men roen who broke In The other I two cs escaped how escaped how aped how I dont don't know But Hut one of them was recognized by the clerk downstairs I gathered that WAS wu the story said Hughlie Hughlie Hugh lie He was recognized ns os the Ip leader er of the mack Block Gang Gang Gang-an an unknown person But nut today today today-at at the RItz blitz Captain Drummond Drum Drum- mond my mond-my my clerk who had brought me mea a message recognized him again without without with with- out his disguise No longer an unknown unknown un un- known man Dlan you understand understand but but you Drummond smiled and Ind selected a cigarette from his case Very pretty he answered but a trifle crude As I understand you I gather that your shrewd and Intelligent intelligent Intelli intelli- gent clerk states that the leader Jader of the Black lack Gang broke Into your office last night In order to Indulge in the doubtful pastime of throwing bombs about the premises He lIe further states that I am the humorist In fa question Allowing for the moment that your your clerk Is sane Mane what do you propose to todo todo todo do about It TO DK nB CONTINUED |