The Washington times., 1923-06-26

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scarcely stop.
Her cry and the report Of the
revolver seemed almost stimuli
taneous. Kestner saw her arm
flung outward and downward,
sharply. That movement could
not have been more spasmodic
had it been controlled by the
quick jerk of a wire. But he
saw that his own body had sls-
tanned no shock, and he had sense
enough to remember there must
be no time for a third shot.
Kestner was on his tiptoes as
he brought the Roman lamp down
on Watchels appraised right arm,
for all the strength of his being
was behind that blow. 1t struck
true. The fire-arm went clatter.
ing across the room and the
hand that had held 1t suddenly
collapsed.
A quick wonder seemed to fill
Watchel's eyes as he stared at
his own arm, for from the elbow
down 1t hung helpless. But the
wonder did not remain long in
the pale eyes, for Kestner's Sec
ond blow crashed down on the
huge head. held slightly to one
side. Before Kestner could strike
again the swaying figure crum-
pied UP on itself and sank to
the floor, oddly twisted and con-
torted, as apparently spineless
as a straw-stuffed effigy fallen
from a fruit-tree.
Kestner stared for a moment at
the tall standard of the lamp,
bent like a rod of lead. Then
he stared at the man on the
floor. Then he suddenly dropped
the lamp, for at the sound Of
little gasp he remembered the
fact of Maura Lambert's presence
there.
She had sunk into a chair, and
was bent forward clasping her.
right hand in her left. The
thumb and fore-finger Of the lat
ter tightly enclosed the first
finger Of the other hand. There
was blood on her skirt.
For a moment Kestner's breath
caught in his throat. Then he
saw what it all meant. That
tightly held fore-finger was with
out its first joint. WatcheTs Sec
ond bullet had torn away the
entire bone and flesh Of the first
phalanx.
The thought Of that perfect
h md being thus disfigured
awakened foolish rage in him.
Then through the first black mo-
ment of his anger shot a newer
thought. It was more than a
disfigured hand. 1t was a help
less one. It's power had been
taken from it. It's meticuIous
adeptness with pen and brush
would be forever lost. All that
Paul Lambert had ever taught
her belonged to another world.
Then fury of activity seized
him. He remembered running to
the next room and catching up
q folded towel and tearing 1t
into strips. He remembered hear
ing many steps and voices in
the passageway outside and much
pounding and knocking on the
door. He remembered telling her
that they could get down to
cab and be at the Ospedale In
ternazionale in ten minutes time,
He remembered the convulsive
shaking of her body as she sur
rendered her hand to his first
aid" bandaging, and his clumsy
efforts to reassure her that every
thing would be all right, and her
renewed shudder as Watched
groaned aloud where he lay.
Don't be frightened" Kestner
said as he tied the ends Of the
roughly-made bandage.
I'm not frightened - for my
SELF" she quavered as she stared
down at the inert figure on the
floor.
Then don't worry about tina.
OK" was the others quick cry
of contempt. Nothing but a
rope will end him.
Kestner steadied her as she
rose to her feet. A sob caught
! in her throat as she leaned on
his arm.
do you know what this
means?" she TREMENDOUSLY asked.
She was still staring apprehen-
sively down at Watchel's groan-
ing figure.
ut means the end Of this sort
Of thing" declared Kestner. ut
means you must come with me,
and there can be no ging back"
She stared down at her roughly
bandaged hand as Kestner crossed
the rom and unlocked the door.
There can be no going back!'
she repeated.
And when a rotund Guardia
di Pubblica flung open the door
he beheld a coatless man take