Chapter I: Front Matter

TAM O' THE SCOOTS

By EDGAR WALLACE

A. L. BURT COMPANY _PUBLISHERS_ New York Chicago

Printed in U. S. A.

Copyright, 1919

By SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY

(INCORPORATED)

BOOKS BY

Edgar Wallace

ANGEL ESQUIRE THE ANGEL OF TERROR THE BLACK ABBOT BLUE HAND CAPTAINS OF SOULS THE CLEVER ONE THE CLUE OF THE NEW PIN THE CLUE OF THE TWISTED CANDLE THE CRIMSON CIRCLE THE DAFFODIL MURDER THE DARK EYES OF LONDON DIANA OF KARA-KARA THE DOOR WITH SEVEN LOCKS THE FACE IN THE NIGHT THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE FROG THE FLYING SQUAD THE FOUR JUST MEN THE GIRL FROM SCOTLAND YARD THE GREEN ARCHER GREEN RUST GUNMAN'S BLUFF THE HAIRY ARM JACK O'JUDGMENT KATE PLUS 10 A KING BY NIGHT THE MAN WHO KNEW THE MELODY OF DEATH THE MISSING MILLIONS THE MURDER BOOK OF J. G. REEDER THE NORTHING TRAMP THE RINGER THE SECRET HOUSE THE SINISTER MAN THE SQUEALER THE STRANGE COUNTESS TAM O' THE SCOOTS THE TERRIBLE PEOPLE TERROR KEEP THE TRAITORS' GATE THE THREE JUST MEN THE TWISTER THE VALLEY OF GHOSTS

To

QUENTIN ROOSEVELT

AND ALL AIRMEN, FRIEND AND FOE ALIKE, WHO HAVE FALLEN IN CLEAN FIGHTING

The world was a puddle of gloom and of shadowy things,
He sped till the red and the gold of invisible day
Was burnish and flames to the undermost spread of his wings,
So he outlighted the stars as he poised in the grey.

Nearer was he to the knowledge and splendour of God,
Mysteries sealed from the ken of the ancient and wise--
Beauties forbidden to those who are one with the clod--
All that there was of the Truth was revealed to his eyes.

Flickers of fire from the void and the whistle of death,
Clouds that snapped blackly beneath him, above and beside,
Watch him, serene and uncaring--holding your breath,
Fearing his peril and all that may come of his pride.

Now he was swooped to the world like a bird to his nest,
Now is the drone of his coming the roaring of hell,
Now with a splutter and crash are the engines at rest--
All's well!

E. W.

CONTENTS

PAGE

I THE CASE OF LASKY 1
II PUPPIES OF THE PACK 21
III THE COMING OF MÜLLER 40
IV THE STRAFING OF MÜLLER 58
V ANNIE--THE GUN 76
VI THE LAW-BREAKER AND FRIGHTFULNESS 100
VII THE MAN BEHIND THE CIRCUS 130
VIII A QUESTION OF RANK 157
IX A REPRISAL RAID 191
X THE LAST LOAD 220

TAM O' THE SCOOTS