Evening journal., 1922-09-16

quiclslyw
ing thump followed by a yell of
pain. Then three men were Crap
pling with him. two more seeking
TO aid them. and another lay in the
roadway clutchlng a fractured skull
and splitting oaths and groans.
His stick was seized and wrench
ed away. he was overwhelmed by
numbers. The knot OF struggling
figures toppled and went to the
dust, Duchemin underneath. so
weighed down that he could not
for the moment move a hand tow
ard his pistol.
Half-stined by the reek of un-
washed flesh. he heard broken
phrases growled in voices hoarse
with effort and excitement:
1.-THE knifei" 80. Hold 'himl"
49,. stand clear and let me-"
80. "The knife!"
Struggling madly. he worked a
leg free and kicked with all his
might One of his assailants howled
aloud and fell back 10 nurse a
broken shin. Two others scram-
bled out OF the way leaving one TO
pin him down with knees upon his
chest, another TO WELD the knife.
Staring eyes caught a warning
CLEAN on descending steel. Duche-
min squirmed frantically TO one side,
and felt cold metal kiss the skin
over his ribs as the blade pene-
trated his clothing. close under the
srmpit.
Before the man with the knife
could strike again, DuchemiD
reused to a mightier effort. threw
off the ruffian on his chest, got on
his knees and. raining blows right
and left as the others closed in
again. somehow managed to scram-
BILE TO his feet.
Fist-work told. For an instant he
stood quite free. the center of
circle of uncertain assassins whose
cowardice gave him time to whip
out his pistol. But before he could
level it a man was on his back. his
wrist was seized and the weapon
twisted from his grasp.
A cry OF triumph was echoed by
exclamations OF alarm as, disarm-
ed, Duchemin was again left free,
the thugs standing back TO let the
pistol do It's work. In that instant
a broad sword OF light swung round
a nearby corner and smote the
group; the twin. glaring eyes OF
motor car flooded with blue-white !
radiance that tableau of one man at /
bay in the middle of the road, in a |
ring OF merciless enemies.
Duchemin's cry for help was ut 1
tered only an instant before his pis- /
tol exploded In the alien hands. The
headlights showed him distinctly the /
face OF the man who fred, the same 4
face OF fat features black with SCOT
that he had seen by moonlight at
Montpe ellier-de-Nie
But the bullet went wild, and the /
automobile did not stop, but drove |
at the group and so swiftly (
that the flash Of the shot was stiu 7
vivid in Duchemin's vision when the .
car swept between him and those |
others, scattering them like chickens !
Simultaneously the brakes were
set. the dark bulk began to slide |
with locked wheels to a stop. and a |
voice cried; Quickly, monsieur, |
Iuicklyl"-the voice Of Eve de Mon
.alais.
In two bounds Duchemin overlook
he car and before it had come to a
itandstill leaped upon the running
BOARD and grasped the side. He had
,ne glimpse OF the set white face
II Eve as she bent forward. manip-
ilating the gear-shift. Then the pis-
ol spat again, it's bullet struck him
/ blow Of sickening agony in the
side.
Aware that he was dangerously
wounded, he put all that he had left
Of strength and viii into one final
effort, throwing his body across the
door AS he fell sprawling into the
-onneau consciousness departed like
a light Withdrawn.
Continued I'm Our Next Issue).