Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-11-04
CHAPTER VIII.

The brain. if sound, performs its func-
tions more quickly in moments OF dan
per than at any other time, discarding
the consideration of side issues. and
obeving blindly the instinct of self
preservation.
1t flashed across me instantly that l
was in deadly peril at the bands ~ the
man whom had accused of cowardice
-Demetrius- ITe alone had access 70
the house: he alone could quiet Sultan,
the bloodhound: he alone had good rea-
son to fear not only Burlington, but
Hugo Livingston. Mark Gerard, l could
no longer doubt, was the victim of
Geep-laid plot-a plot which already
had wrecked three lives. and which was
destined. perhaps. TO destroy my own.
- the rrear '~t'amed with hellish am
bition, had slain poor Perkins, he was
capable of repeating the tragedy OF Red
Gulch here, in this bedroom. Obvious
" his plan was to kill both Burlington
ard me, and in such a manner that it
would be supposed we had killed each
other.
This conviction asserted itself as /
aWalIetl IN III td lIlt9@ ~ tSAiNS 'AiN ''''A
of the Greek. l had dropped upon one
knee between the door and the bed,
and in my right hand was the small
pistol which | always carried on my
person. But pistol is the least etfi-
cient weapon in such a fight as this.
What would l have given for double
Larreled shotgun, good sabre or
knife! If | fired in the dark, the flash
of the powder would prove death war
rant; the same grim logic applied to
the striking of a match. Twas satisfied
that such Il master scoundrel as De
metrius had laid his plans with eNtraor-
binary sagacity. He was taking des-
perate chances, but the crisis justified
them. These rooms were cut off from
the rest of the house, and nothing short
of pistol shot would arouse Gerard
and the servants. Demetrius must have
counted upon the moon as an ally
From the darkness of Marks room he
might have approached me unseen and
unheard. and then-a bold thrust of a
knife would rid him of the man who
had dared to unmasll his s-villainy. But
the tickle moon had played him false
He probably, like me, was now upon
the defensive Who would move first?
finally decided to take ,hc Initiative,
for the suspense was intoleG'able.
Demetrius. ] reflected, was stiff in the
Joints, his muscles less supple than
mine. his sense of hearing less acute.
Youth was on my side. experience on
his. The two players in the game were
at least fairly matched.
Had it not been for burlington, could
have easily escaped by the window and
alarmed the households; but dared not
leave my patient. Ills somewhat ster-
torous breathing was the only sound
which broke the silence. If / were killed
or injured, he was at the mercy of the
Greek.
l confess that certain eXhilaration
possessed me as I craWled into Marks
room, and a sense that l was acting
wisely braced my nerves. The Greek
could beat me hollow when it came TO
scheming, but in n rough-and-tumble
contest 1 confidently expected to get the
best of him. As soon as I determined
his whereabouts, / decided to rush the
ruflian, ard, if possible, strike the first
$50 often the last) blow.
But the unexpected, that element in
human affairs which we invariably
ignore, ruled otherwise. I had hardly
crossed the threshold of the inner room
when L heard heavy football in the pas
sage. At the same moment the voice of
Jap Byers, calling me by name, echoed
rr-h
%leam of light pierced the gloom. As
the door was flung open, revealing the
/ thick-set figure of the coachman, Ian
tern in hand, crash of glass to my
right set my nerves tingling. Deme-
trius had leaped through the window,
glissaded down the roof of the veranda,
and was already lost to sight. Jap and
l confronted each other, our mouths
agape, our eyes starting from our heads.
''If this amt picnic" said Jap, what
IS it?'
ATTEMPTED murder, Jap. You ar
rived in the nick of time"
81 heard that ther hound a-bayin',
Mr.. Livingston, an suspicioned that
,somethin'-'a coon, maybe-was stir
rim. Well, sir, old Sultan wasn't givin'
tongue fer nothin'; fer the next thing I
knowed there was that Greek sarpint
a-crawlin' around the house. Thinks I,
I'll watch you, mister, an maybe take q
hand myself in this yere game. l piped
him off as he unlocked the back door,
and then saw, not five minutes ago,
the light in Mr.. Burlington's room go
out. Gosh! I done some tall thinkin'
right then. L dassn't cry out, cause
that'd ha' given the hull snap dead
away. So fetched the lantern, sashayed