The Raymer enterprise., 1923-04-12
The Blind Mans EYES
CHAPTER xvi-continusd.


fnble: now he was wildly. exultantly
excited; his blood Ieaped hotly to his
hand pointing his pistol: he painted,
almost audibly. for breath, but though
his pulse throbbed through his head
too. his mind was clear and cool as
he reckoned his situation and his
chances. He had crossed the Pacific.
the continent, he had schemed and
risked everything with the mere hope
of getting into this room TO discover
evidence with which to demand from
the world rightlng Of the wrong
which had driven him as fugitive for
ave years and here he found the man
who was the cause OF II all. before
him In the same room q few PAGES
away In the dark!
For II was impossible that this was
not that man: and Eaton knew now
that this was he who must have been
behind and arranging and directing
the attacks upon him. Eaton had not
only seen him and heard his voice. but
he had felt his grasp: that sudden. In.
stinctive crouch before a charge. and
the savage Iunge and tackle we're the
instant. natural acts Of an old lines
man on a championship team In the
gnme of football as II was played
twenty years before. That lift OF the
opponent OF his feet and the heavy
lunge hurllng him back to fall on his
head was what one man-ln the
rougher. more cruel days Of the col.
lege game-had been famous for. On
the football field that throw sufficed
to knock n helmeted opponent uncOn.
scious: here 1t was mennt. beyond
doubt, to do more
Upon SO much. at least. Eaton's
mind at once WAS clear here was his
enemy whom he must destroy II he
himself were not first destroyed
Other thoughts, recast!ng Of other re.
lations altered or overturned In their
bearing by the discovery Of this man
here-everythIng else could and must
wait upon the mighty demand of that
moment upon Eaton to destroy this
enemy now or be himself destroyed
Eaton shook IN his passion: yet
coolly he now realized that his lef,
shoulder. which had taken the shock
OF his fall, was numb. He shifted his
pistol over 10 cover a vague form
which had seemed to move but, II II
had stirred, II was still again now
Eaton strained 10 listen.
II seemed certain that the noise OF
the shot, II not the sound OF the
struggle which preceded II, must have
raised an alarm. Basil Santolne. rs
Eaton knew. slept above; q nurse
must he waiting on duty somewhere
near. Eaton had seen the row Of but
tons which the blind man had within
arms length with which he must bt
able 10 summon every servant In the
house. So Il could not last much
longer now--thls deadlock In the dark
And one Of the two, at least. seemed
to have recognized that.
Eaton had moved, warily and care
fully. but he had moved: a revolver
flashed before him. Instantly ant
without consciousness that his fnge
pulled the trigger. Eaton's plsto
flashed back. In front OF him, tht
dame flashed again, and another spur
OF hre spat at one side.
Eaton fred back Mt thls-he wa,
PROSTATE on the floor now. ant
whether he had been hit or not h,
did not yet know, or whether III,
blood flowing down his face was onl,
from splinter sprayed from the table
behind which he had hid. He Aret
again. holding his pistol far ont to on'
side to confuse the aim OF the others
he thought that they too were doin,
the same and allowed for It In his aim
He pulled his trigger ninth time
he had not counted his shots, but h
knew he had had seven cartridges II
the magazine and one In the barrel
and the pistol clicked without dis
charging. He rolled over farthe
away from the spot where he had las
fred and pulled an extra clip Of car
tridges from his pocket.
The blood was flowing hot over hi
face. He made no effort to stauncl
II or even to feel with his fingers I,
Gnd exactly where or how badly h,
had beea-hit. He jerked the empt,
cartridge clip from his pistol butt an,
snapped In the other. He swept hl
sleeve over his face to clear the. bloot
from his brows and eyes and stare,
through the dark with pistol at arm,
length loaded and ready. Bloc,
spurted over his face again: anothe
sweep OF his sleeve cleared It; AM
he moved hls pistol-polnt back ant
forth In the dark.
Surely now the sound Of firing II
that room must have reached the maj
I'm the room above; surely he must b,
summonlng his servants,
Eaton listened: there was stIl n,
sound from the rest OF the house. Bu
overhead now. he heard an almost i'm
perceptible pattering-the sound Of I
barefooted man crossing the floor
and he knew that the blind man Il
the bedroom above was getting up.
CHAPTER XVII