Captain Drummond

“ Peterson's face was absolutely impassive; save for a slightly tired smile it was expressionless. "Finally, Captain Drummond, you tore in half a piece of paper which I require—and removed a very dear old friend of my family, who is now in this house. I want them both back, please, and if you like I'll take them now."
Drummond shrugged his shoulders resignedly. "There is something about you, Mr. Peterson," he murmured, "which I like. You strike me as being the type of man to whom a young girl would turn and pour out her maidenly secrets. So masterful, so compelling, so unruffled. ”

“ I'm not. My name is Drummond—Captain Drummond. But if you'll cast your eyes on the back of my car you'll see his daughter, Miss Goodman.”
“Well,” said the inspector gravely, “I fear that I have some very bad news for Miss Goodman. There has been an accident, Captain Drummond—an appalling accident. The whole of the back of the house has been blown to pieces, and with it, I regret to say, Professor Goodman. There is literally nothing left of the unfortunate gentleman.” ”

“ Suddenly Peterson leant forward in his chair. “Young man,” he remarked, “we’ve got to understand one another. Last night you butted in on my plans, and I do not like people who do that. By an act which, I must admit, appealed to me greatly, you removed something I require—something, moreover, which I intend to have. Breaking the electric bulb with a revolver-shot shows resource and initiative. The blow which smashed Henry Lakington’s jaw in two places shows strength. All qualities which I admire, Captain Drummond—admire greatly. I should dislike having to deprive the world of those qualities.” ”

“ Evolution is our only chance—not revolution; but you, and others like you, stand to gain more by the latter....”
His hand dropped to his side, and he grinned.
“Quite a break for me,” he remarked. “I’m getting hoarse. I’m now going to hand you four over to the boys. There’s an admirable, but somewhat muddy pond outside, and I’m sure you’d like to look for newts. If any of you want to summon me for assault and battery, my name is Drummond—Captain Drummond, of Half Moon Street. But I warn you that that book will be handed into Scotland Yard to-night. Out with ’em, boys, and give ’em hell.... ”

“ Hereupon the three captains, viz. Drummond, Steward, and Younge, with some of the chief of our people, entered immediately into a consultation about what was proper to be done in this emergency; and to make some bold attempt for our lives and liberty. Captain Drummond, as I heard afterwards, was the man who proposed to take the king prisoner; and by that means to make their own terms with the natives. Now captain Drummond and some others were men of experience and undaunted resolution: our captain, indeed, had courage enough, but he was too young. ”

“ Hugh took the cablegram and glanced at it. It was short and to the point:
"Captain Hugh Drummond, of Half Moon Street, London, is your man."
He glanced up at the American, who drained his cocktail with the air of a man who is satisfied with life.
"Captain Hugh Drummond, of Half Moon Street, London, is my man," he chuckled. "Well, Captain what about it now. Will you tell me why you've come to Paris? ”

“ And I don't want to go without telling you a little about the programme, Captain Drummond. Unfortunately both Mr. Peterson and I have to leave you for to-night; but we shall be returning to-morrow morning—or, at anyrate, I shall. You will be left in charge of Heinrich—you remember the filthy Boche?—with whom you had words the other night. As you may expect, he entertains feelings of great friendship and affection for you, so you should not lack for any bodily comforts; such as may be possible in your present somewhat cramped position. ”

“ And as he turned it over in his mind, almost prepared to laugh at himself for his credulity—millionaires are not removed against their will, in broad daylight, from one of the biggest hotels in London, to sit in immovable silence in an open car—the door opened and an elderly man came in.
Hugh rose, and the girl introduced the two men. “An old friend, Daddy,” she said. “You must have heard me speak of Captain Drummond.” ”

“ Young men in motor-cars were not common visitors at The Larches.
“Is Miss Benton in?” Hugh asked with a smile which at once won the girl’s heart.
“She has only just come back from London, sir,” she answered doubtfully. “I don’t know whether...”
“Would you tell her that Captain Drummond has called?” said Hugh as the maid hesitated. “That I happened to find myself near here, and came on chance of seeing her?”
Once again the smile was called into play, and the girl hesitated no longer. “Will you come inside, sir?” she said. “I will go and tell Miss Phyllis.” ”

“ The king seeing captain Drummond go away in a passion, in order to appease him, sent one of his generals with an ox for us to kill; and desired the captain to make himself easy, since both he and his friends should be well provided for; if we could eat an ox every day we should be welcome to it. The captain sent my companion’s wife, whose name was Deude, with a compliment to the king, and to return him thanks for the care he took to provide so plentifully for our support; but withal to tell him, we did not think life worth preserving without the freedom of enjoying it ”

“ And it was as he arrived at that point in his deliberation that he looked up to find Peterson regarding him with a faint smile.
“It is a little difficult to understand, isn’t it, Captain Drummond?” he said, carefully flicking the ash off his cigar. “I told you you’d find yourself in deep water.” Then he resumed the contemplation of the papers in front of him, as the Russian burst out again.
“Have you ever seen a woman skinned alive?” he howled wildly, thrusting his face forward at Hugh. “Have you ever seen men killed with the knotted rope ”

“ The girl was still seated in the back of the car, also the passenger in front, but the two other men were standing in the road apparently watching the chauffeur, and after a while the one whom Drummond had recognised as Lakington came towards him.
"I'm so sorry," he began—and then paused in surprise. "Why, surely it's Captain Drummond?"
Drummond nodded pleasantly. "The occupant of a car is hardly likely to change in a mile, is he?" he remarked. "I'm afraid I forgot to wave as you went past, but I got your smile all right." He leant on his steering-wheel and lit a second cigarette. ”

“ The other man smiled again, and it struck Hugh that rarely, if ever, had he seen such a cold, merciless face.
“Of course, you’ve been in France,” Lakington murmured. “Unfortunately a bad heart kept me on this side of the water. One regrets it in many ways—regrets it immensely. Sometimes I 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. And as you know, Phyllis,” he turned to the girl, “I have always been greatly attracted by anything requiring the artistic touch.” ”

“ He repeated the word with a faint emphasis, and Hugh smiled genially.
“Isn’t he wonderful, Henry?” he murmured. “Thinks of everything; staff work marvellous. But you nearly had a bad lapse then, didn’t you? It really would have been embarrassing for you if my corpse had deposited itself with a dull thud on the corns of the police.”
“I’m interested in quite a number of things, Captain Drummond,” said Lakington slowly, “but they all count as nothing beside one—getting even with you. And when I do...” He dropped the revolver into his coat pocket, and stood motionless, staring at the soldier. ”

“ On the Ship’s Arrival, Captain Drummond, with Andrew Wilky, his Surgeon, and several others of the Crew, went on Shore; in the mean while John Bowen, with four others of his Consorts, goes off in a little Boat, on Pretence of buying some of their Merchandize brought from Europe, and finding a fair Opportunity, the chief Mate, Boatswain, and a Hand or two more only upon the Deck, and the rest at Work in the Hold, they threw off their Mask; each drew out a Pistol and Hanger, and told them, they were all dead Men if they did not retire that Moment to the Cabin. ”

“ And if Drummond had rubbed his eyes at some of the names on the organising staffs, the first-class general lecturers deprived him of speech.
“Why,” he spluttered after a moment, “a lot of these people’s names are absolute household words in the country. They may be swine—they probably are. Thank God! I’ve very rarely met any; but they ain’t criminals.”
“No more is Peterson,” grinned the American; “at least not on that book. See here, Captain, it’s pretty clear what’s happening. In any country to-day you’ve got all sorts and conditions of people with more wind than brain. ”

“ And after a while the detective put down the cabinet, and coming over, sat at Drummond's side.
Every page contained an entry—sometimes half a dozen—of the same type, and as the immensity of the project dawned on the two men their faces grew serious.
"I told you he was a big man, Captain," remarked the American, leaning back in his chair and looking at the open book through half-closed eyes.
"One can only hope to Heaven that we're in time," returned Hugh. "Damn it, man," he exploded, "surely the police must know of this!"
The American closed his eyes still more. ”

“ But had she pirated the Scottish ship, the 'Speedy Return,' Captain Drummond? As to that point, on April 5, in England, two of the crew of the 'Worcester,' who must somehow have escaped from Mackenzie's raid, made affidavit that the 'Worcester' fought no ship during her whole voyage. This would be more satisfactory if we knew more of the witnesses. On March 21, at Portsmouth, two other English mariners made affidavit that they had been of the crew of the 'Speedy Return;' that she was captured by pirates, while Captain Drummond and Surgeon Wilkie were on shore, at Maritan in Madagascar ”

“ And Peter, watching the car resignedly from the window, saw the American grip his seat with both hands, and then raise them suddenly in silent prayer, while an elderly charlady fled with a scream to the safety of the area below.
They did the trip in well under the hour, and the detective got out of the car with a faint sigh of relief.
“You’ve missed your vocation, Captain,” he murmured. “If you pushed a bath-chair it would be safer for all parties. I bolted two bits of gum in that excursion.”
But Drummond was already out of earshot, dodging rapidly through the bushes on his way to The Larches ”

“ By Jove! that coffee smells good.”
“Help yourself,” said Peterson. “My daughter is never down as early as this.”
“Rarely conscious before eleven—what!” murmured Hugh. “Deuced wise of her. May I press you to a kidney?” He returned politely towards his host, and paused in dismay. “Good heavens! Mr. Peterson, is your neck hurting you?”
“It is,” answered Peterson grimly.
“A nuisance, having a stiff neck. Makes everyone laugh, and one gets no sympathy. Bad thing—laughter.... At times, anyway.” He sat down and commenced to eat his breakfast.
“Curiosity is a great deal worse, Captain Drummond. ”

“ They all want something for nothing, and I guess it can’t be done. They all think they’re fooling one another, and what’s really going at the moment is that Peterson is fooling the whole bunch. He wants all the strings in his hands, and it looks to me as if he’d got ’em there. He’s got the money—and we know where he got it from; he’s got the organisation—all either red-hot revolutionaries, or intellectual windstorms, or calculating knaves. He’s amalgamated ’em, Captain; and the whole blamed lot, whatever they may think, are really working for him.”
Drummond, thoughtfully, lit a cigarette. ”

“ In a word—for the horror of that execrable butchery must give pain to the reader—they left none alive but a young child, who, being frightened with the noise of the guns, and the dismal shrieks and cries of its dying parents, whom they were a-murdering, got hold of Captain Campbell's knees, and wrapt itself within his cloak; by which, chancing to move compassion, the captain inclined to have saved it, but one Drummond, an officer, arriving about the break of day with more troops, commanded it to be shot by a file of musqueteers. ”

“ Pausing to show the ring for the last time Lessaix unbuckled his sword, handed it in silence to Saint-Pierre, and passed on. In Valmy suspicion never slept, never opened its heart in faith to loyalty, and not even the Captain of the Guard might approach the King armed.
While he was still some yards distant Louis, gnawing his under lip as he watched him, suddenly flung out one hand, the palm outward, the fingers spread, and Lessaix halted.
"Well?" He spoke curtly, harshly, as a man speaks whose temper is worn to breaking-point. ”

“ Then he turned to Drummond. “Say now, Captain, we’ve got a lorry load of the boys outside; your friend here thought we’d better bring ’em along. So it’s up to you to get busy.”
“Mullings and his crowd,” said Darrell, seeing the look of mystification on Hugh’s face. “When Mr. Green got back and told me you’d shoved your great mutton-head in it again, I thought I’d better bring the whole outfit.”
“Oh, you daisy!” cried Hugh, rubbing his hands together, “you pair of priceless beans! The Philistines are delivered into our hands, even up to the neck.” ”

“ He was weak still and dazed, but no longer imbecile.
“Tell Ted to bring him down to The Elms at once,” ordered Hugh. “There’s a compatriot of his here, waiting to welcome him with open arms.”
“Potts is coming, Mr. Green,” he said, putting down the receiver. “Our Hiram C. And he’s talking sense. It seems to me that we may get a little light thrown on the activities of Mr. Hocking and Herr Steinemann, and the other bloke.”
The American nodded slowly.
“Von Gratz,” he said. “I remember his name now. Steel man. Maybe you’re right, Captain, and that he knows something ”