Show BLACK GANG QAN By CYRIL SAPPER SAPER b by bl H. H DOWN DORRN CO COQ v. v N N. t. t T e i. i cHAPTER X Continued X-Continued Continued I WJ 14 aU ail II right Denny he said Bald saidU It Ity its It not your fault faults rout you rou ely U 11 But what But what aI arve a n dut t have known n been bern I t And this time wasted I rye been doing some some- somewhat some some- Li en r I Bight have hae i I BU But what whal on f earths earth's rth happened ed She neTer never turned up at th the Phyllis never turned up for tor forAt cb eb At first Ant 1 I thought though t she was lot late d j we e waited salted Then aThen I 1 thought shed she'd into some pa pal ond nd had gone to feed where else And then what with I g f to Peterson and later that I 1 forgot all 1111 about her ber Hugh what do dou tut But rood good heavens u B mean menn nr wW said Ted You Tou dont don't doa t tInk Ink uk k that that that- Of Of course I 1 think It t. t I 1 know It e fl jot o her they've her Bunder my nose nose He lie rose and pD fan to pace up and down the room th ti Ion long Ions uneven une strides while the theer er ers era watched him Mm anxiously That Phat d-d d girl heard beard me say that e was coming coining to lunch and just juster er ter that flat she went upstairs And Anderson mon terson heln being Peterson took a chance nd ed bes be's pulled It off orr Aln Algy longworth Long stood up serious for tor force forice ce ice In a way There here no time now to bent beat about e ebush Hugh If It they've got Phyllis PhllIs eras era's only one possible thing that you youn youa in n a do Go 00 straight to Bryan Dryan Johnne John- John ne oae and put all the your cards on the ble Je Tell him the whole thing from to 2 z- z conceal 7 conceal nothing An And 1 then i iare are the matter In la his hands He lie ont oat let you down For a moment or two Hugh faced em iem undecided The sudden danger j Phyllis seemed to have robbed him of his power of ot Initiative or r the time he had ceased censed to be the theIder tiler Ider Algy right said wetly It doesn't matter what hap mp- mp os 53 to us youve you've got to think about hyllis Well We'll get It In III n the neck neck but but ere re was 1181 always alwa's that risk I 1 I believe joure youre right muttered ugh lush looking round for his hat My Iy ruIns rains all buzz buzzing lug I 1 cant can't think think think- And Aid at al that moment the time telephone ell ll 11 ran rang on ids his desk dusk Answer It Ted Tt-d said Hugh picked up Ul the receiver r les Yes this this Is Captain Drummonds Drummond's use owe No its o Its It's not him speaking Ill I'll give gill him any message you like ho o are you Who Clio Mr Longmoor t the Ritz lUtz I see Yes he Yes he told tolt meon me mo on oa bad lunched with Ith him today 01 I i e certainly For a while Ted Jt Jerningham stood oldIn Ing the receiver to his ear eor and nil dy the thin metallic mt voice of the esker eater at the other end broke brule the time lence of the room It went on m mod mod- d- d Indistinct to the three men round the Instrument broken al my by an occasional monosyllable liable om Jerningham Then with a final I will wUl certainly tell him him Ted laid Iowa own the Instrument What did he say any Ted demanded ugh agitatedly lie Ue nt sent a message to you old man t was 1188 approximately to this effect effect- hat oat he was feeling very un uneasy bease beuse bouse be- be use use ase your wife hud had not turned up at wen inch sad and that he hoped there had lm eta era no accident lie He further went on jo o ala say ajr that since he had hind parted from W ou on a roost most peculiar piece of ot informs Inform KC on hUd had come me to Ws Ills knowledge which credIble ile though It u might appear med to hear blur on her failure to turn p at the 9 Ritz lUtz lIe Ile most earnestly egged that you should go round and him at once because If It his lda Uon was correct any delay ml might ht rove Wi most a dangerous for her And on no to In a. a account were y you u to go BO police UI until tH you had s seen en him For a hlll there thre smug W silence ln In n the GOlD Drummond Drummnond Was U frowning heavily staring out of the window the others other not knolling what to say Bay were salting to for him to speak And after atter I a While he S swung rou round J. J that the th air and nd they saw of Indecision had gone Thai Tb t simplifies ably matters malters consider consider- he to IO tott the old sold suld odds Quietly it reduces It t of I and me 1 nut to the thc police old i Algy You ay attention iter n wont won't p pay y yB to B never er that message 6 Hell He'll know that you haven't ha t come to have Drummond laughed shortly you t the A ranch Algy that thul rules so 80 out of the you think that Look seen Been Th Theres There's wIndow Tuna raan only Jon dont don't t be beh h boule e a fellow tellow catching the now now now-I r out Peters Peterson couldn't C go a J yard d without with with- o OPen en t to o a I knowing Moreover Mower Im I'm Imla small pas I la III the th i bet bPI that he be knew w I II to toted Ted Good Coal house whEn lIe he Will was talking IOn un on la Is heavens vei No Peter Peter- not those ole the sort of m man raan to play monkey tricks with lies lie's the got cot Aid ad If f I whole thing Is his show how r fore ore the they Went to the police long before be- be r or get gel her ber ring hiring t t home to him nee ace shed hark b why and whY and h forehead the wins veins Ins stood 1 out on his Lord Lord Ine wouldn't l in ri knows knowl what the Just a barter er have done clone to her It Its It's s I he at the e 1 l present r moment- moment W r to momi he be agaInst her A And d theres there's no haggling round They wIn the round but but la s the there lire are II a few tew moro more horIzon I What are you yon going to do do said TedE Ted E Exactly what he suggests answered an an- Hugh Go round and see gee him himat himat himat at the now lUtz now at lit once I shant shan't take the diamonds with me but hut there will he be no worry o 0 er the exchange as ns far tar as lIS Im I'm concerned Its It's Just like his dirty method of fighting to go for tor forn torII n II girl he finished savagely Ho lie crossed to the door and opened It ItIn It In case I dont don't come back by six the diamonds are In my sponge Ipong ba bag In the bathroom bathroom and and go straight to tol l Scotland Yard Tell TJI Turn Turn-turn the whole whale yarn At the he was shown Into the sitting sitting room room wh where rl the thene Reverend Re Theo Then Lon Longmoor was busily working on Austrian famine accounts lie rose ns nil Hugh entered and his bis daughter daughter daugh daugh- ter still fUll knitting busily gave ga him a n charming girlish smile smite Ah Aim I 1 my dear young oung friend began Mr Longmoor I see youve you've had m my message e. e Y Yes s answered Hugh affably I Iwas Iwas was standing next door to the fellow you were talking to But nut before we come to business so to speak speak I I must really ask you not to send Snooks round again I dont don't lib lUe e a him Why my ray dear Carl I preferred our late la lamented lamented lamented la- la Henry There was a moment of dead si silence silence si- si lence during which the time Reverend Ite stared at lit him speechlessly and the busy knitter ceased to knit TIle Tiie shock was so complete and sudden sudden sud sud- den that even Carl Peterson seemed at lit n a loss and Drummond laughed gently as ns he took toole a Ii chair Im tired of this up dressing business bust busi ness floss Curl Carl Carl he be remarked In the same affable voice And Its It's so stupid to togo togo togo go on pretending when everybody knows So 10 I thought we might as ns aswell aswell well have hae all the cards on the table Makes the game gome much easier The clergyman found hits his voice Are you OU toad mud sir he lie spluttered red Are you Insane How dare dire you OU come Into this room and Insult me I shall ring the bell sir and und have you re reo moved lie He strode across the tile room and Drummond watched him calmly Ive Just called one Mutt Muff this after after- noon Carl he said lazily Now Ill I'll call another On Go on pu push h the bell Send for the police pollee and say Ive I've In Insulted Insulted insulted In- In you Go Io and md see dear old Tumtum Turn Turn- turn tum yourself hell he'll be most awfully braced at nt meeting you ou The others other's hand fell slowly Iy to his side and he looked nt at hits his daughter with a resigned expression in hi his face Really my dear I think that the heat heat or or perhaps perhaps- He lIe paused ex- ex x and Drummond laughed You were always awns awn's a good actor Carl but hut Is It worth while There are no witnesses here and Im I'm rather pressed for time Through n a series of accidents you 1 0 have become aware I of the fact tact that I am nm the leader of the Black Gang You can cnn go and tell the police If you like like like-In In fact that horrible little man who ho came camo round to f fe Fee e me threatened to do so But nut If It you do I shall tell timer them who you are and I shall also Inform them of the secret hll history tory of the bomb So that though It will be awkward for forme forme me Carl It will be far fur more awkward I for tor you OU and und Mademoiselle Irma and nM I It will be positively elY unhealthy for Snooks You take toke me so po far tar dont don't you rou Up to date dote I have been dealing healing In certainties now we e come cOllie to 10 con con- It strikes me that there are two doubtful points old friend of ofray my ray youth youth Just Just two And tho e tho e two points are the whereabouts respectively respectively of ot my wife and your our diamonds Now Carl Curl do we talk business or not noU My lily dear deor young man faun said the other other oth oth- er r resignedly I Intended to 10 talk business with you ou when you arrived ed if It you rou had given me a n hence chance But ns liS youve you've done nothing hut but talk the most unmitigated drivel since youve you've come Into the room I haven't nt had a n chance You appear obsessed with this absurd a delusion that I am mini some person called caned Carl and and- But nut where are lire you ou goIng go go- lag Ing Drummond paused nt the diorI door dior I am going straight to Scotland Yard I shall there tell Sir Bryan Bryun Johnstone the whole story from A to toz to toZ Z Z nt at the same pame time handing him islat a little bag Jag containing diamonds which has r recently come Into my posses posses- sion You admit youve you've pot got ot them snapped the thc other letting the tIle mask drop for a moment better Carl much Curl much b better Drummond came IJ buck back ck Into Inlo the roomI room I admit Ive I've got them them bet they're there thereIn In a II place where you rOil cnn can never neer find remain there anti until un an- them und and they will til ti six o'clock tonight when they go go straight to Scotland Yard Yard unless unless Carl Carl- unless my ray v. v f U is returned to tome tome me absolutely unscathed and unhurt before that hour It Ita Is a the live o'clock now And If It she Is returned what returned what then You shall have the diamonds There l Is Just one point Captain Drummond remarked the clergyman mildly Supposing that I am ant able to persuade certain people to er to cr ex- ex the return of Sirs Mrs Irli tt In la exchange for tor that little bag where whre do you tau and I star stand after the bargain Is transacted Do you yU still sun Intend to tell the police pollee of your extraordinary delusions with lIh regard rard to me Not unless they should happen to become acquainted with the ridiculous hallucination thirst that I am the leader of the Black Block Ran Gan answered erd Drum Drum- mond That was for your our ears alone my Illy little one and as ns you knew It already al nl already ready rendy you wont won't pet get fat flit on It w will you ou No my Intentions since Intentions since we weare weare are ure having havinga a to heart hart henrt talk talk are are areas as follows tollow Once the exchange Is la effected effected ef et- we will start sturt quite fair and square square Just Just like tike la lost last t time Carl It doesn't o pay 1111 you OU to go JO to the police It doesn't pay me so RO well we'll have a single on our own I am frightfully anxious to add you ou to my collection of ot specimens and I cant can't believe you OU ore are burning with zeal to go 10 But nut well we'll wellsee wellsee see set Carl well we'll see sc Only no Only no more tricks monkey with my may wife Dont Don't let there be any ony misunderstanding on that point The clergyman man smiled benevolently How flow aptly you Ou put things I he Ie murmured I accept your terms term l and andI I shall look forward afterward to the thc single le on our own that you speak about And now now ns as to details You must roust bear har In m mind ld tint that Just as liS Mrs Drummond Is s more snore valuable to you OU than diamonds she Is nl also o somewhat larger In III other words It will be obvious obvious ob ob- Ious at fit once whether these whom I represent ent have kept their side of at the bargain by producing your wife It will not be obvious whether you have kept yours The diamonds may cony or may not be In III your our pocket and once you have hove your our wife rife In your our arms again the Incentive to return the diamonds would be diminished hed So 80 I suggest Captain Drummond that you OU should bring the diamonds to me here me here In Inthis inthis this room before six o'clock as ns a proof of good faith You may zany keep klep them In your our possession nil all that I require Is to see sec them I will then engage on my side to produce Mrs Drummond within a quarter of nn an hour For a n moment Drummond hesitated fearing a n trick And yet It was us n II perfectly per perfectly reasonable request as ns he be admitted admitted ad ad- to himself From their point of view It wits was quite true that they could have no proof that he would keep kep his word and once Phyllis was In the room there would be he nothing to prevent the two of them quietly out nut through the door and tellIng telling telling tell tell- ing the to go to toh I. h h I. I I Nothing can very w well happen at atthe atthe atthe the Ritz lUtz can an It continued the time clergyman clergyman clergy clergy- man suavely And you see se I am nm even trusting you to the extent that I do donot donot donot not actually ns ask you OU to hand over the diamonds until your our wife comes I have ha no guarantee that lint even then you OU will not get up and und leave the room with them still In n your possession You are too big and strong a man Captain Drummond to allow of any horseplay e horseplay especially especially ln er er In a n clergyman's clergyman's clergy clergy- mans man's suite of rooms moms Drummond laughed Cut It out out Carl l he exclaimed Cut it out for heavens heaven's sake All right I agree Ill I'll go round and get the stones now lie rose roe and ond went to the door But Lut dont don't forget Curl If Curl If there are any tricks monkey heaven help you ou The door closed behind him and with a n snarl the clergyman spun un round on the girl How the devil has he spotted us Ills His face tuce was as convulsed cOlI with rage e Hes lies the biggest fool In the world and yet he spots me tae every time However er theres there's no time to worry about that now nol we must think lIe He took one turn up and ami down the room then he Iw nodded his head as If It Ithe he had come ome to n a satisfactory decIsIon de de- And when he spoke t-polte to the girl who sat waiting expectantly on the sofa lie he might have e been the time bend hend nf n of a n i l hI bl l t 1 business ln fir firm ni li-ni ln irH-ln n w e to ta his managers for the day fling up lip headquarters of A branch he Jle said sald quietly Tell them to tend send round No 13 to this room at once lIe He must be lie |