Evening star., 1919-06-29

drill with its wires dragging after it,
was fully halfway across that
room when ! stopped short. For be-
tween me and the scarcely discerni-
Die oblong of gray which marked the
position of the open door could
make out the vague outline of a man.
1t was tall man. and a gaunt one
And l didn't need to see the misty
silhouette of the blunt -nosed revolver
in the outstretched hand to know it
was Curate Sam. 1t was Curate Sam
waiting to let that blunt nosed thing
deliver its quick message of death
Ana l knew that nothing would stop
him once he had confirmed the quar-
ter into which that message should
be delivered.
SO l breathed deep and tilted up
ward on my toes as swung my mace
on the end of it's wires, as David once
swung his sling. l was still holding
my breath as l brought that swing
ing steel drill obliqueiy down on the
tensely poised hand with it's fingers
clustered about the heavy revolver
stock.
l could see the short stab of flame,
splitting foorward, as the revolver
went off. l don't remember hearing
the shot but l do remember hearing
the relieving sound as the suddenly
smitten firearm went rattling across
the polished hardwood floor The
force of that swing of drill, however,
carried me around in a circle had
intended with second swing to reach
my enemy's body. to strike again be-
fore he could strike back. But that
iron-weighted mace on the end of the
wire slipped out OF my grasp and
wound. as whiplash winds about
a buggy-shaft, completely about Gu
rate Sans gaunt legs just below the
knees.
AT the same moment that he struck
bllndly at me, with that benumbed
and bruised right hand OF his, l had
the presence or mind to jerk on the
wire which still trailed through my
fingers. That jerk sent him over like
a ninepin.
The fall must have stunned him
little, for had the wire looped and
twisted about his feet before he ac-
tually began to struggle again. 1t
wasn't until l got his hands in chan
Gerry and wired his bony wrists tight
ly together. with another dozen loops
of the insulated. that noticed Obden-
Belpont calling Justify for lights.
1t was Evans the footman who an
swered that call. But before that
wild-eyed and half clad servant ar
rived with two tall candlesticks in
his shaking hands I'd paved about
and recoveded Curate Sans fallen re-
volver with the sawed-off barrel
Then 1 went back to my captive.
Obden- Belpont took one of the tall
candles and stopped over u.s.
That man." he announced with a
sort Of childlike simplicity, that
man would have shot me-"
"Of course. ne would" assented.
as the ruff1ed old butler came wheez-
ing into the room. Here. Benchley,"
/ said. as I held out the revolver to
him. guard this prisoner, for there's
still another OF the same breed some
where in this house."
But my speech was cut short by the
advent of Ferrie, little crestfallen
and little out of breath.
Il thought had him." he announced.
"but the little beggar dropped from
an upstairs window and ran for it."
Then we must get after him." 1
said as l started for the front Of the
house.
Its no use" protested Ferris, as
he ducked out of sight. stopped
short and stared after him. for ia
got to the main hallway by this time,
and this main hallway was fully
lighted. Then l stared at something