Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1901-06-19

you've let him go. Mareschi! That's
Mareschi, our manw -
Hes safe. We've got Arboretti at
any rate" the door man says coolly as
you please. l never felt nearer chok-
Ing. For the Yard to put these clumsy
idiots on such ticklish job and with.
out my knowing!
"Arboretti!' l got out. "Who posted
you here? Let go, will you! I'm not
Arboretti! I'm So-and-so Of the Yard,
in charge of this business You mad
menu
l burst away, to start back in cold
horror, | admit The man at the. door
dashed off his helmet, dragged away
his tunic, and l saw-no policeman, but
q swarthy foreigner, with teeth savage
ly barred. l reeled back against the
wall. Heavens, was dreaming? They
were all three foreigners, and I had
been gently walked into this Incredible
trap by the simplest All, yes! The
door half opened, and there stood our
Mareschi, a sneer on his wax white
face that could never describe.
"Out of your own mouth! l thought
it. l knew when you tried to follow
me. You, Arboretti-you! You meant
to die with the rajah-with me. You
SHALL You shall live just long enough
to know that we have way of our
own"
| That was 1t. I'll own that the bare
shock of the thing left me as nearly
paralyzed as makes no difference. In
breath | had given the whole thing
away, and Mareschi was gone-in all
probability by rear exit. heard no
door close. My man would hang out
side there in perpleXed ignorance, and,
saints alive, it looked as If these deter
mined scoundrels, in their extremity,
had stumbled on plan so subtle as to
balk all the Yards careful maneuvers.
More than that, did l manage to get
away | stood to risk becoming the
laughing stock for life among those
who knew of the plot. Thinking of
that and realizing what might be in
volved, set my teeth and made sud-
den rush for that door, only to stumble
back before the steady barrel of six
chambered Colt My own, it had been
whipped from my pocket in that strug-
gle. | faced round. Two pointed knives
were between me and the window.
"You must stand there" said the
doorman deliberately. "You are min
utes too late. He is well on his way.
Failure or success tonight, you at least
will never go as you came. We are sure
Of one blow, if not two"
They meant it! Hard as my brain
worked in those first few minutes l
could see no alternative for myself
whatever might happen outside. Did
my man suspect something and force
the door down there, it was still one
blow and kick against two knives
and revolver.
1t seemed we were simply waiting
for distant explosion and shouting
that should tell-what it told. l was |
feeling faint under the awful strain. |
By now Mareschi would have reached |
the hotel. That candle over there! 1t |
was burned half down! If only it |
would go out of sudden! If only
The inspiration came without my
knowing it. My SLOUGH hat lay near my
feet. In fash had picked it up and
flung 1t. Bash! The candle was knock
ed-no one knew where. Sudden dark
ness! Now for life-dear life!
A jabbered curse, simultaneous
rush. recollect how every hair on my
head sprang up like redhot wire as l
took two stealthy strides to the right.
A hand Numbered out and gripped me.
struck back conyulsively and met
bristly chin. One man crashed down.
They had no matches-or feared to
leave the door. One more desperate
side swoop I made collided with
body, staggered away, struck at the
wall and crippled my hand, and sud.
denly | remembered something just as
death seemed clutching me by the
throat My whistle! / always carried
one. II
1t was out One deafening. piercing
signal thrilled through the house. |
made huge bound, just avoiding their !
arms. sprang from side to side, kick ,
ing, shouting, blowing the whistle, un-
til the place seemed very pandemo-
mum. Now-now there was a thudding 8
at the door below-now a crash, and |
shouts. One minute more, could keep I
up that mad maze and was safe, and |
had turned the trap for one into trap {
for three.
The door-the door! had heard it |
open. Another frantic rush, and was
with the man who had held
It. The pistol went off once, twice,
daring In, the darkness, and then, with
my very last effort, had dashed him
Sideways and was out on the landing.
A glare Of lanterns; my man, with two
sprang past me. One Of the
scoundrels lay unconscious, another :
.ook flight, and the third was seized as :
ne swung up the revolver again. Safe! q
just waited to make sure, got my Fl
lerve and went off like man possess a
ID. r
l reached the Strand. That l had n
lever thought to see again. Nothing
lad happened. People were bustling
long as unconsciously as ever. A cab o
1.-The Cosmopolitan hotel! Five min :
ties later, as 1t swung round the Picca- '
lilly bend, ! caught sight of my chief
oil. -