The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-12-09
CHAPTER xxIi.-continued.

True enough. Inc HUI Duliet ndu
passed between the gaping jaws OF
the reptile and taken off the greater
part of that darling scarlet thread
as neatly as sharp instrument could
snuff a candle. While the wound
doubtless caused agony to the snake,
At did not lessen it's anger. The poi
Bon-charged fangs remained in Its
mouth, and the cutting off OF It's
tongue swelled It's fury to the ultlmate
degree.
Britz dropped the pistol on the chif-
fonier and thrust both hands IN his
pockets.
Sup a tree for fair" he said. Moth
ing more doing in the artillery line"
THAT was your last cartridge"
Britt bent his head aff1rmatively
An expression of slow wrath gathered
force In the Headquarters mans face,
as he stared at the swaying serpent
such short distance below. One
could see he was angry enough to
take the desperate chance of spring
ing from his perch and trying to
strike the cobra with his heels, or,
failing that, selling it by the neck,
seeking to throttle 1t. The instinct OF
self-preservation, however, was
stronger than rage. Britz was willing
enough to risk his life in the fulfill
ing of his duty, SO long as the risk
meant q fighting chance to him. He
was too sensible absolutely to throw
his life away and something told him
that In spite Of all the courage in the
world, no man would have an appreci-
able percentage Of opportunity in a
battle at close quarters with so ven
omous serpent. Yet he must get
out of that house. He felt he was the
only man on the police force who
could be sure of heading off the ORR
entails. In that very moment they
might be beyond the city's limits.
bearing the booty he had pursued for
weeks It was more than his self
noise could stand He gave rein to
his anger, and for the first time in all
tthe doctors acquaintance with him he
swore hard and fast and long His
flow of profanity stopped as suddenly
as It had commenced. He drew one
hand from his pocket, and slowly, as
II he hardly dared to trust his senses,
held UP his fingers and looked at what
they clasped. Then he held the OBJ
'ject out triumphantly for the physi-
clan to see. 1t was q loaded cartridge
forgotten when last he emptied his
pockets of their supply of extra am
nnunition:
We'll make no miss with this one,"
said the sleuth. Don't you think you
can use Il better, doc?"
NO" said Fitch, 81 am not in your
class when it comes to snuffing out
serpents' tongues You may fire when
you are ready, lieutenant"
Britz grinned, shook The empty
shells out of the revolver, slipped the
full cartridge into one of the cham
|bers and twirled it until 1t paralleled
the barrel. Then, once more using
his arm as rest, he took careful aim,
and was about to pull the trigger,
when the door was flung open and the
uniformed policeman stood on the
threshold
Well" said the bluecoat. Excuse
me for butting in, but thought some
thing might have
Fitch checked him with an upraised
hand, and the patrolman's eyes al
most burst In their sockets as, lower
ing his gaze, he saw the approaching
death covered by the Headquarters
mans pistol. For seconds space
none Of the three men moved. Then a
metallic click broke the suspense.
only to leave it in another instant
more taut than ever as all three re-
allied the cartridge had missed fire
The bluecoat's hand reached for his
club. Panic-stricken though he had
been at first sight of the cobra, he had
the pluck common to the humblest
member Of ''the finest" and he plain
ly meditated taking the serpent from
the rear. He would not trust to his
revolver. lest his aim, spoiled by the
intensity OF the situation, should fly
high and hit one of the two refugees
atop the shRonior. But Britz saved
p "a agsg 5 I sG u als- 55 N 4 - +