The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-12-02

at the other, and they stood pulling
in opposite directions, thus tightening
the loop about the pistol. When the
grip of the tube on the weapon was
firm enough, it was comparatively
easy to swing the revolver from ths
table to the chiffonier. Britt gripped
the gun with an intake OF breath that
betokened satisfaction.
"Now, then, doc" he said briskly.
Lets see if we cant put the reverse
English on that Garden of Eden cpl.
sode. Here's where the seed OF the
woman bruises the serpent with his
heel"
II would advise you to do your
bruising at long distance" said Fitch.
and unless you have more cartridges
about you, wouldn't waste a shot
You won't find 1t easy to hit him.
Britz in a moment or two realized
the doctor spoke true. The swaying,
neutral-tinted body was no easy mark
for the most practiced marksman.
His first shot went wide. The bullet
imbedded itself in leg Of the table
with a rasping sound that only infurt-
ated the cobra the more. Britz his
nerve slightly shaken by the miss,
fired again quickly, shivered the bowl
of the narghileh, and caused the
snake to oscillate more and more VIC
lently. 1t became apparent he would
gain nothing by aiming at its head.
"Ill have a try at him 'midships,"
he said.
Only three loaded cartridges re-.
manned in the revolver, and as Brita
| found no extra ones In any of his
pockets, he knew he must make the
| most of those he had. A third time
the pistol cracked. The bullet grazed
the serpent's flesh. It did not injure
the spine Quickly the appraised part
of the body sank upon the coil, but 1t
reared itself again in an instant, and
the furious darting Of the tongue re-
vealed that the reptile was more en-
ragged than ever.
| want to take crack at It, doc?"
asked the detective, handing the
weapon to the physician.
Fitch had no poor idea Of himself
as a fancy shot, but he found his
muscular control too sadly shaken by
his narrow escape from the cobra to
shoot straight His shot--the fourth
was wider miss than any of the de.
tective's had been. He handed the
| pistol back to the Headquarters man
and shook his head.
/ you're the man to stay on the fir
| ing line" he said.
| Britt eyed the revolver grimly. In
its b1ue-steel chamber were foul
empty cartridges and only one thai
held the potentially Of release from
their dangerously uncertain refuge OF
the chiffonier. Crooking his left arm
he used the angle made by his elbow
as a rest and leveled the long blue
barrel of the big-calibered weapon
steadily. Pausing until the swayins
Of the serpent diminished as much az
1t apparently was going to do, h
i fred.
A writing, twisting snarl was the
result. The cobra coiled and uncoilec
with electric rapidity, travelling in cir
cfes all over the space between the
chiffonier and the table whence Britt
had lassoed the pistol. Plainly the
reptile was hit-mortally wounded, ht
thought, but as he started to descend
impat1ently, Fitch seized him and lit
orally flung him back ON the chiffon
ier's smooth top.
mot yet" said the doctor, nervous
". Lets wait o minute"
It was profitable patience. For afte
probably a minute Of terrible struggle
the cobra returned to its coil an
once more reared its head. The gra.
body throbbed fiercely. but close
scrutiny showed the man the snak
had not been hit with fatal result
Suddenly the physician seized Britt
arm in a nervous grasp.
"By Jupiter!" he exclaimed
you've shot out its tongue!"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)