The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-02-06

mained in the revolver, and as Britt
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 upraised part
Of the body sank upon the coil. but IL
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 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.
Britz eyed the revolver grimly. In
Its blue-steel chamber we're four
empty cartridges and only one that
held the potentiality of release from
their dangerously uncertain refuge on
the chiffonier Crooking his left arm,
he used the angle made by his elbow
as rest and Ieveled the long blue
barrel Of the big-calibered weapon
steadily. Pausing until the swaying
of the serpent diminished as much as
1t apparently was going to do, he
fred.
A writhing, twisting snarl was the
result. The cobra coiled and uncoilod
with electric rapidity, travelling in cir
cles all over the space between the
chiffonier and the table whence Britt
had lassoed the pistol. Plainly the
reptile was hit-mortally wounded, he
thought, but as he started to descend
impatiently, Fitch seized him and lit
orally flung him back on the chiffon.
ier's smooth top.
mot yet" said the doctor, nervous
~. Lets walt a minute"
It was profitable patience. For after
probably a minute of terrible struggle,
the cobra returned to its coil and
once more redred It's head. The gray
body th.obbed fercely. but closer
scrutiny showed the man the snake
had not been hit with fatal result
Suddenly the physician seized Brltz
arm in nervous grasp.
by Jupiter, he exclaimed.
you've shot Oh; ls tonguep'
True enough,,- The fifth ballet lad
!, passed between the gaping Jaws OF
the reptile and taken off the greater
part OF that darting scarlet thread
as neatly as sharp instrument could
snuff a candle. While the wound
doubtless caused agony to the snake,
1t did not lessen IT'S anger The poi
son-charged fangs remained in its
mouth, and the cutting off OF its
tongue swelled its fury to the ultimate
degree.
Britz dropped the pistol on the chif-
fonier and thrust both hands in his
pockets.
up tree for fair" he said. Moth
ing more doing in the artillery line"
THAT was your last cartridge?"
Britz bent his head affirmatively.
An expression OF slow wrath gathered
force in the Headquarters mans face,
as he stared at the swaying serpent
such a 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 II. 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 fighting chance to him. lie
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 foros who
could be sure of heading off the ORR
entails, In that very moment they
might be beyond the city's limits,
bearing tho booty he had pursued for
weeks. It was more than his self
poise could stand. He gave rein to
his anger. and for the first time in all
the Doctors acquaintance with him he
swore hard and fast aHd long. His
now Of profanity stopped as suddenly
as Il had commenced. Ho 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 trlumphantly for the physi-
clan to see. 1t was loaded cartridge
forgotten when last he emptied his
pockets of their supply OF extra am
munitionl
Wen mako no miss with this one"
said the sleuth. Don't you think you
can use II better. doc?"
"Np," said Fitch. Il am not In your