Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-04-27

still long enough to snap a handcun
round the wrist, while the commits
saire had started with a below of rage
and two hands extended, itching, for
the adventurer's throat.
The first received a half-arm iab on
the point of his chin that Jared his
teeth, and without in the least under
standing how it happened, found him
self being whirIed around and laid
PROSTATE in the commissaire's path
The latter tripped, fell and planted
two hard knees, with the bulk Of his
weight atop them. on the zenith OF the
sergent's rotundity.
At the same time Lanyard, leaping
toward the doorway, noticed that Popi.
not was Juggling at a revolver in his
hip pocket.
Followed a vivid flash, then COM
pIete darkness; with a well-aimed kick
an elementary movement of la
savate-Lanyard had dislodged the
light switch, knocking its porcelain
box from the wall, thus breaking the
connection and causing short circuit
which extinguished every light in the
house.
With his way thus apparently
cleared, the police in confusion, dark
ness abetting him, Lanyard plunged
on; but in midstride, as he crossed the
threshold, his ankle was caught and
jerked from under him by the still
PROSTATE younger sergent.
His momentum took him to the floor
with a Grassland may have spared
him a worse mishap, for in the same
breath he heard the report of a pistol
and knew that Popinot had fired at his
fugitive shadow.
AS he brought one heel down with
crushing force on the sergent's wrist,
freeing his foot, he was dimly con-
sciOus of the voice Of the commissaire
shouting frantic prayer to Popinot to
cease firing in the dark. Then the
pain-maddened sergent crawled to his
knees, Iunged bIindly forward, knocked
the adventurer back in the act Of ris-
ing, and fell on top of him.
Hampered by two hundred pounds
of fighting Frenchman, Lanyard felt
that the cause was lost, yet battIed on
and would while breath was in him.
With heaye. a twist, and a squirm
he slipped from under, and swinging
fist at random, hurt his knuckles
against the mouth Of the gergent
Momentarily the latter relaxed his
r,4,, ToI tn n
knees, only to go down as the indomit-
able sergent grappIed a second time.
Now, however, as they fell, Lanyard
was on top, and transferring both
hands to his antagonists left forearm,
he wrenched it up and around. There
was cry of pain, and he jumped clear
Of one no longer to be reckoned with.
Nevertheless, as he had feared, the
delay caused by the struggle had
proved ruinOus. He had only found
his feet when someone unknown
hurled himself bodily through the
gloom and wrapped his arms round
Lanyard's thighs And as both went
down, two other bodies piled up on
top,
For the next minute or two Lanyard
fought blindIy, madly, viciously, strik-
ing and kicking at random. For ali
that-even with one sergent hors de
cOmbat-they were three to one; and
though with the ferocity of sheer des-
peration he shook them all off, at one
time, and gained a few yards more,
it was only again to be overcome and
borne down. crushed beneath the
weight Of the three.
His wind was going, his strength
leaving him. He mustered up every
ounce OF energy, all his wit and cour-
age, for one final effort; fought like a
cat, tooth and nail; toiled once more
to his knees, with two antagonists
clinging to him like wolves to the
tanks Of a stag; shook one off, re-
gained his feet, swayed; and in one
final faal of ferocity dashed both
| fists repeatedly into the face of him
who still chung to him.
That one was POpinOt; he knew in
stinctively that this was so, and a
fierce joy filled him as he felt the
| mans clutches relax and fall away and
guessed how brutal was the damage
he had done that fat, foul cOuntenance.
Then, free, he made off, running,
stumbling, Keeling, gained the recep-
ton hall, flung open the door, and
needless Of the picket who had fired at
| him from below the window, threw
+ himself bodily down the steps and
| away.
Three shots sped him through that
| intricate tangle of the night-bound
park. But all flew wide; and the pur-
suit-what little there was-blundered
off at haphazard and lost itself.
He came to the wall, crept along in
shelter Of its deeper shadow until he
found a tree with low-swung branch
that jutted out over the street, climbed
this, edged outward, and dropped to
the sidewalk.
A shout from the direction of the
nearest gate greeted his appearance.
| He turned and dashed Off Running
feet for time pursued him, and once
he heard the rumble of motor. But
he recovered quickly, regained his
wind, and ran we'll, with long, steady,
gTOund-consuming strides, and doubled
! turned, and twisted in a manner to
wake the envy of the most subtle fox.