The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-27


Of the land Of dreams into a
wakeful world, the moments
that had gone seemed as unreal as a
fragment Of a muddIed dream The only
real thing in existence was the imme-
date, pressing, insistent Now
He heard himself saying That was
CreaEh's autonatic.'' as If he were re-
marking on the occurrence Of a thunder
clap in a mild summer storm As a
matter Of fact, ne was acutely, even
pofgnautiv. aware that that single re
port spelled a dozen kinds OF danger for
them all
An instant later ne found himself run
ming like q hunted hare for the foot OF
the cellar stairs Topelius was hammer
ing after him. the lantern Gathering
against his legs. How he had got hold
Of the lantern Cadogan understood no
more than he conprehended that he
himself was carrying his pistol in his
right hand
Despite the hugeness OF the imminent
Now. he was more interested in the
peculiar antics Of TopeIIus' shadow
that shou1dered before him like that OF
a crazy giant, than in what he was 10
DO when he gained the steps
Four more slOts rang out so close
upon one another that only a high
strung sensibHity could have distin-
Euished and counted them Cadogan
heard q scuffing on the floor above his
head as Of several men stampeding to-
sether-
he turned a corner which he knew in
EtinCtiVely as the last before the cor
ridor to the staircase The snuffinE
was louder. there were three more shots.
The feet above slumped heavily and
hastily on the planks-
He gained the entrance to the corrt-
cor He heard some one on the steps.
stumbling and painting, Of Q sudden lie
fell, and SWOre number OF big, black,
able-bOdied Oaths as he shot down the
steep, sharp steps Il was Creaghs
voice.
Out Of the bIackness where the head Of
the stairs would naturally be came a
vicious short tongue Of flames, accom-
panied by a reSOundlnG CetonattOn-
CadOgan lifted MS weapon ana drilled
four bullets through the night before
he realized that the first had done the
work. For the man above had screamed,
and thud had broken his CRY OF agony.
Mister Peter, fr IN love av Gawd
don't shoot till get past ye.
Creagh had picked himself up and
was bluldeTiuE toward him in the hall
Swim divEies-er mebbe elvin-er siv-
enty-meself can't tell-jumped into the
batrhIe We were afJher havtn -
Topeiius came Up behind With the Ian
tern CadOEan said
''Put-OuL-that-liSh
And IL suddenly, mdgiCaily. disappear
. ed. At the same time CreaSh brushed
past him sObbinE his explanation. and
another tongue Of fre licked out at the
Etair-head-
Cadogan fred again. twice. There was
10 response
he waited a moment, then called
cut clearly
4 give you fair warning that !
can see plainly" This was an IN
qualified lie The first man who
shows himself in that doorway gets
Some one groaned feebIy on the
upper floor, and number OF feet
clio and shufhed- he heard an in
distinct tangle OF arguing voices. Al
most instantly there ensued sud
he fired twice in the same general
direction as before and exhausted
the number Of rounds in his pistol S
ma Eazine. He jer<ed open the slide
and reached into his pocket for an
other clip Of eight cartridges won
dering meanwhile. If by any posi-
biIity he could reload before they
came down upon him..
They appeared to be damned IN the
Four terrific reports rang out 50
close 10 his ear that he thought the
away as if stunE- CreaEh. having re-
. loaded his pistol, was firing over his
shoulder
head and then he heard sounds Of
hastily retreating feet followed by
a complete hush
4 hand piucked al his sleeve, and
Topelius' hOarse whisper sounded in his
..This way-now's our time don't de
WHAT he asked. stUpidly-
Il know a way Out-anOther way
Come"
ne Welded ODedientiy- For some little
lime he was conscious Of ploddine
fTrough the dead and uEbroken night
then felt himself drawn over a sigh
elevation in he floor
Topelius said stand still This way
Credgh-
shuttle and thud Of feet. heavy. breath
s-r- aud-crash--the sIamuine OF Z
ooor not three feet from him.
TopClius again
co ahead. now We're safe The5
cant follow us, unless Wiling know,
about iris tunnel, and I don't think h,
does
.Just beyond The wall. n Iitt,
Cadogan thought. I presume this 4