Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-12-22

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weapon on you. West. and II You take
a step, I'll put you out OF commission.
I know how 10 handle your kind. you
big buffer. What l want TO know IS
what you have got In your head, for
believe me, I don't take any stock In
this woman stuff, Are you after u
slice o. Old Coolidge'S Doodle? There's
enough Of It for all hands to have a
dip. How does that hit you?"
sounds interesting. at least" al,
mitted West. so earnestly rs TO At
tract the others attention. but let's
talk 1t over among ourselves-who Is
listening therer'
Hobart glanced behind nj the nearly
closed door. II was for only a second
he was OF guard, yet that was enough,
With one leap forward, West struck,
his clenched fist smashing against the
side OF the fellows jaw, II was II
wicked, vicious blow, with all the pro
polling force Of the body behind II,
and Hobart went down stunned,
crashing the door tightly shut rs he
. fell. once he strove hllndly 10 reach
his feet. tugging madly nj the weapon
! In his pocket, but West. feeling no
mercy. and wide awake to the fact
that any shooting would mean Il call
: for help. struck again, sending his
groggy opponent Nat, and unconscious
1t was all the swift work Of a min.
. - .,I ,l.., b,1 h,n,. no ppGSn 10
, arouse alarm. Hobart had not even
I cried out; the only audible sounds
being the sharp click Of the door, and
the duh thud Of a falling body.
e West emptied the mans pockets,
s slipping two reviewers into his own;
then stood for an instant motionlcss,
staring down into the white upturned
face. He had followed the impulse Of
the moment had struck savagely
e knowing It was his only chance, Thus
far ne had done we'll but what next?
v He was conscious of bu, one thought,
q ore purpose-to escape from this
; house. unpIedged and still free to act.
Yet how could this be accomplished?
He had no plan, no knowledge even
Of his surroundings, Of what lay be-
yond the walls Of this room. His eyes
swept the bare interior, seeing moth
Ing to inspire hope. Hobart had said
D. this room was practically n prison,
and II looked 1.-THE walls bare, and
IN unhroken. and a rough single cot, All
% possibility Of egress lay in the closed
door. and a narrow window high up
NJ |" the opposite wall. also tightly shut,
and shaded by a heavy curtain.
y, His hand fried the door cautiously
w the knob turned easily enough, but
a there was no yielding to his pressure.
IS The lock was evidently on the out.
IT side. and he could discover no key
hole. no possibility Of operating II
from within, Then besides in al
ny probability, n guard would be posteC
outside in the hall, waiting for SOM
II signal from Hobart. West glanced
'el again at the recumbent figure, bend
OF ing over to make sure of his condI
III ton, then, Clipping Il chair, SILENT!
I'LL crossed the room.
10 There was not n minute to lose. IL
'el knew that he must choose qu!ckl.
whatever course he pursued. Any In
stand Hobart might recover cor
u seriousness and gain assistance by n ra
10 on the door; indeed his confederate
ou without might not wait for The sigma
The silence within. the length of time
might arouse suspicion. The OnI
chance lay In immediate action. Stan(
ing on the chair West found the wiz
dow had been securely nailed Int
place, but this had been done so Ion
\. ago, II was quite possible for him t
work the nails loose, yet 1t "equIre
= all his strength to press up III
Il warned sash sufficiently far to enabI
n him to gain a view outside. II wa
W. not encouraging. Evidently he wa
Il upon the third floor. at the rear OF III
y building. looking down into a clu
= ;ered-up back yard. His eyes couI
- scarcely distinguish what was belo'
as the only gllmmer Of light can
from n far-diStaut street lamp at Il
end Of m alley, the faint rays cree
ing In through hole in the fence. "
one black shadow seemed to proml>
the slopIng roof Of n shed directly b
low but even with that to break h
fall, 1t was a desperate leap.
| He stared into those uncerta'
depths, endeavoring TO measure Il
\ distance, deceived by the shiftiI
shadows, afraid Of what lay hlddt
below. For the moment he forgot Il
n that was behind him, his whole mil
VI concentrated on the perlls OF 50 mi
, a leap into the dark. The awakenir
came suddenly, the chair jerked fro
beneath his feet, his body hurlt
we'd backward. He fell, gripping at Il
In window seat, so that he was fin
be- against the support OF q side wa
.ght able to retain his feet, but not to Who'll
ward off n vicious blow, which le
her. him staggering. Half blinded, We
leaped forward to grapplc with {
w." assailaQt, but was TO" late. Hoha
!, in rushed back out Of reach Of his arm
and raped sharply on the door pan
for 1t opened instantly, and big Nil
closely followed by another ms