Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-12-27
rHn ArANT FRTpA DEcRARRR 2 a
A Story Of Love, Adventure
and Mystery b. REX BEACH

, of his right hand, he brought the silken
cushions up before his breast ana
llunged at his enemy. At the same IN
slant Maruff fred.
In the closed room the detonation
was dsafening; it ratified the windows,
1t seemed 90 bulge the very walls
Blake felt a heavy blow which drove
the fioss-filled pillows against his body
with the force of a giant hammer. 1t
tore them from his grip, it crushed the
breath from his lungs and spun him
half around Seeing that he did not
fall Marufi cooked and fired a second
time without amazing, but his victim
was upon him like tiger, and togeth-
er they crashed back against the wall,
locked in each others arms.
Blake's will propelled him splendidly.
An that indecision with which fear
works upon the mind had left him, but
the old contraction of his nerves still
hampered his action. The blaze from
Marufls second shot half blinded him,
and its breath smote him like blow.
Two he counted wonderingly.
pain in his left side, due TO that fire
sledge hammer impact, was spreading
slowly, but lie had crossed the room un
der the belching muzzle of the revolver
and was practically unframed. The
phenomenon filled him with mild won
der.
There began a struggle--the more ter
ribIe since it was unequal--in which
the weaker man had to drive his body
at the cost of tremendous effort Blake
was like a leader commanding troops
which had begun to retreat. But more
power came to him under the spur of
action and the pressing realization that
he must give Margherita a chance TO.
set safely away. If he could not wrest
the weapon from Maruffis hands he
knew that ne must receive those four
remaining bullets in his own body. He
rather doubted that he could take that
weight of lead.
He shouted to her to run while he
wrestled for possession of the gun. He
had dung his right arm about his adj
versary's body his other hand gripped
his wrist his head was pressed against
Maruffi's chest. The weapon described
swift circles, jerking parabolas and fig
ures as the men strained TO wrest it
from each other. Marutfi strove vio-
lently to free his imprisoned hand, and
in doing so he discharged the revolver
a third time The bullet brought a
shower Of plaster from the ceiling, and
Blake counted with fierce exultation-
"Three"
|, He gasped his warning to the woman
again, then twined his leg about his an
III d NlcelACA lOAN5 SNAAfAAo
nightly to bear Maruffis against the
wall. But Caesar was like an oak tree
Failing TO move him, Blake suddenly
flung himself backward with all his
weight, lifting at the same instant in
the hope Of a fall. In this he was all
but successful The two reeled out into
the room, tripped. went to their knees,
then rose, still intertwined in that des-
perate embrace. The odd. stiff feeling in
Blahe's side had increased rapidly; it
began to numb his muscles and squeeze
his lungs. His eyes were singing with
sweat and smoke; his ears were roaring.
AS they swayed and turned be saw that
Margherita had made no effort to escape,
and he. was seized by an extraordinary
rage. which for brief time renewed
his strength. vHH
She was at the front window crying
for help. W
Jump! For Gods sake, jump" he
shouted. but she did not obey. Instead
she ran toward the combatants and
seized Marufi's free arm. in a measure
checking his effort to break the other
mans hold. Her closeness to danger
agonized Blake, the more as he felt his
own strength ebbing under that stabbing
pain in his side He conferred his force
in the grip of his left nand, clinging
doggedly while the Sicilian flung his two
assailants here and there as a dog wor-
ries a scarf.
Continued in Next Issue.)