Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1912-01-18

FITCH hooked one arm about the D..
namentai knob AZ the back Of the chii.
fouler, and with bis Tree hand striped
tho detectives left wrist Brts. be
len hand clutching the doctors sleeve.
the toe Of his left boo, thrus, between
the chironier and tho wall leaned Tar
out IN an attempt 10 reach the tube
% the water ripe, He wilhdrew his
arm quickly. however. and gave little
nervous cough As the dTab death that
IAy ooiled IN the middle % the noor
stralgh,ened tia sinister length and
Glldea swiftly acrusa the room. then
eollcd itself once more directly under
the apo, where the d0tectives stretch
lng fingers had been. Once moro Tho
head arose With that strange. sinuoui.
swAying motion, and u began 10 move
slowly back and forth. while the slis
tsning eyes seemed 10 shoe; sparks TO
ward the man Who huag si sueh fear
full hazard above r.
~0ce,- said Rfltt This 70 getting
q little too close fnr comfort How var
can that thing stretch. doeser'-
NO higher than that. answered.
FITCH. at least. I think not anGer
stAnd the cobra eaa STRIFE only
sirAlgh, torward-
-surc n can't mate an upper eui'
inquired the slcath.
'i'a not rninr 10 BAY positively. I'm
not sure % anythink With TIA, tind AZ
brute" TI,oh answered. The best
Say IL 10 take no chances 10, me
have q try for tho gun
A hlfurcAte4 seafis, thread. the
slender fcrteA toras % TIE reptile.
aArtea IN and on, % its sAplag Avs II
frpuE,cd ~Ass II vas apparent 10
auyaus--ee he grieatisi ~ iayman--
that the serrest vsa In . vhiss beat Of
fary. VICE bssiAe The human seah thai
came within reach 81 thai eager. death.
5eslinE venom.
Rrils, thoagA be vas known the
leagth ard breath Of TIE department
A. The coolest proposition uadex Man.
nings command. tFAnkly shne&sf~a as
be watched the unaala,isg meaacs o.
The serpentis hoiy. ana The ssaccsio
plsy % the ,nngua that seemed 10
mock him with the deadly humoy u :
acnd lie was willing % sisk bis ilse.
" need be. 10 preV~si tas escape ~
the DARK. subtle saemies whose de-.
monlacAl ingenuity had caught him IA
such : trap, for trapped hs seemed 70
he bcycna tho possibility 81 escape
That they had matched their cnnnlns
Aeaink, his cold. hard, oceiaeatal skill
ard eommoa sesse. only maze him the
| more Determined TO oatwli. cnlplay
on,heh, them.
No. a0c. said the detective firTniy
IT was my fool cATcicxnsss that le.s
that gun on that table, and It's np "a
me to set II. YOU bold me fast sad at
tight. and II anybody Eeis ssuaG. it'ii
/ be me"
Once again BIRTH, warIiy watching
the snake, stretched forth hts arm.
stretched hia inkeFs until he could al
Innst feel them crack and ktraines.
hIs muscies almost hsypad endurance.
the while hia nerve was subjected %
the aeyerest test Of all hts sxpsrisnce
Al last 10 nipped the suocth amber al
the ptpestem's snouthpiece hcswceE
tina tips of his frst ana second IN
gnr&- n was the slightest Of Eyssps;
but 20 STEADY we're the nerves os the
Headquarters man that although The
cobra In tn swaylnE seemed 10 sp
preach ever nearer the arm and nAkesi
wrist that shrank invoiunssrily from
tho fancied death.thrgst Of thcss
cleaning fangs. stu be did mol finch
lilo chung TO the pipesteun. his nngeTs
steadily drawing II towArd him unit
he had frm clutch on the rubhea
tube. Then with q powerful upwut
and backward heave. he segaiRed BIZ
position ON tho chlfonier. the twisting
hose Erlppet tn his hand The othe'
end OF the plpesiem stu vas attached
10 the bowl OF the narghlleh. A the
tube fsstconea between the table Ant
the chiffonier. Il went close TO The
head OF the cobra Ightning-liks. ths
head dashed toward II. fangs hrissling
and only . quick witch OF tho desec
lives fingers snaschsd the stem b
you'd the reach Of those rclson. freight
ed ivory needles.
| That Jerk freed the other end cl
the tube from the pipe howl. and
lsriiz quickly icoped II In bis hands
Holding both ends OF the long stem
be knotted . single loop in the mid
die aud flung II like q double iarta,
upon the table beside the pistol. SLOW
~ dragging the plpessem back, h
pulled II. after several trials. ahcul
tho chamber OF the weapon. Then
handing one end Of the tube TO The
doctor, Bfitx took hold Of the other
explaining his purpose 10 Fitch IN Z
| fsw words. The detective stretched
his arm away from tie shsfonisr a'
ga -. lhs uhYsfoiae "A n xana