Graham guardian., 1911-11-24

though his hands were, his fingers
were twined tightly about the step
rods. He had grip on the rods as
powerful as that with which one Of
his captors held his ankles. The
crossing of his hands to bind his
wrists had made his hold only the
frmer. All the leverage of each
sinewy wrist strengthened the other.
The rods were so small they hurt his
hands, but unless they broke his grip
could not be loosened Britz clutched
them with an iron resolve not to be
drawn into the brougham again. Safe
though his life might have been at the
outset he was not certain 1t would be
secure after his daring defiance of the
odds against him
This" said Britz to his inner con.
sciousness, with touch of the grim
humor his colleagues often found dis
concerung. is hill-climbing under DIFF
ficulties." For the coachman, in spite
of--perhaps because of--the silent
struggle going on furiously at the door
of the cab, had whipped his horses to
a gallop, and was speeding them up
a slope. Over the edge Of the scarf
that had slipped from his eyes. Britz
got a glimpse Of the Soldiers and
Sailors monument. He knew exactly
where he was then. Next moment his
eyes fastened themselves on the faces
in the carriage, and he tried with
all his might to make out the dark
features Of the three In the gloom of
the cab; but their features still were
shadowy. He would not have liked to
pick them out Of line In q police
station. 1t was . point Of honor with
the lieutenant always to be sure of
his man before making an identifca-
ton. In part, that accounted for the
failure Of almost every defendant In
any of his cases to establish an alibi.
Lean hands stretched forth from
the dark interior and caught him
about the middle. Other hands seized
his legs, while the pair clutching his
ankle tightened their grasp, but he
only twined his fingers the more firm
ly around their slight circumference.
BY now the carriage was rolling and
pitching like seagoing tug. Had he
not been held SO stoutly by the six
lean hands above, and his own iron
clutch below, the motion might have
swung his head against the step
again with force to crack 1t In q dozen
places. The very fury of the battle
made for his safety.
The horses struck a slope that took
them out Of the Drive. Britz guessed
they could not go far without encoun.
tering a policeman. II they did not
meet mounted patrolman or bicy'
Gle bluecoat in the avenue, 1t was al.
most certain they would strike an
ordinary policeman In one of the by
streets. Britz chewed the gag savage.
ly in the hope Of freeing his voice
Abrupt as Its beginning was the end
Of the struggle. Britz, his eyes still
boring into the inner murk, saw one
of the long, lean hands slip forth
again. This time the hand clutched
something between thumb and fore
finger. The arm extended until the
hand was close to the detectives
wrist. Suddenly the sleuth felt q
frightful burning pain In the back OF
his hand. The agony was duplicated
in the knuckles Of the other. Strive
though he did with all his grit and
strength to retain his grip, his fingers
opened against his will, the tendons
contracted by the biting agony. and
Britz knew a powerful acid had been
sprinkled on his hands. He could not