Evening star., 1924-09-01
THE OWLS HOUSE
4 Thrilling Adventure Story
By Crosbie Garstin
By
,pyrisht. 1924. By Frederick A. Stoke. O..

heard something thwack on the
mares rump As she swerved from un-
der him, and he fell, not on the road,
as he expected, but on top OF a man.
bearing him to the ground. AS John
fell he knew exactly what he had to
deal with-highwaymen! The mares
swerve had saved him stunning
blow on the head. He grappled with
the assailant as they went down and
they rolled over and over on the
ground feeling for strangle holds.
John was no tyro at the game; he
was muscled like bull and had been
taught many trick by his hind
Bohemia, the champion, but this thief
was strong also and marvelously elu-
sive. He buckled and twisted under
the farmers weight, finally slipped
out of his clutch altogether and
leapt to his feet. John scrambled up
just in time to kick the heavy oak
cudgel from the mans reach and
close with him again. John cross
buttocked and back-heeled him re-
peatedly. but on each occasion the
John tried sheer strength, hugged
the man to him. straining to break
his back. The man bent and sprang
as resilient as a willow wand. John
hugged him closer, trying to crush
his ribs. The man made his teeth
meet in the farmers ear and slipped
away again.
Once more John was just in time to
stop him from picking up the club.
He kicked it into the ditch and set
to work with his knuckles.
But he could not land blow
wherever he planted his fists the
fellow was not, eluding them by a
fraction Of an inch, by a lightning
side-step or a shake of the head
The man went dancing backwards
and sideways. hands down. bobbing
his head, bending. swaying, bouncing
as though made of rubber. He began
to laugh. The laugh sent a shiver
through John Penhale. The footpad
thought he had him in his hands,
and unless help came from some
where the farmer knew such was the
case; 1t was only a question Of time
and not much time. He was out Of
trim and cooked to finish already,
while the other was skipping like a
dancing master, had breath to spare
for laughter.
be on the road, and help was not
likely to drop from Heaven. He had
only himself to look to. He thought
over the manifold tricks he had seen
in the wrestling ring, thought swiftly
and desperately, hit out with his left
and followed with an upward kick
OF his right foot--Devon style. His
fist missed as he expected, but his
boot caught the thief tip under the
knee cap 40 he side-stepped. The
man doubled up. and John flung him.
self at him. The footpad butted him
in the pit Of the stomach with his
head and skipped clear, shouting
savagely in Rommany, but 1imping,
limping! John did not know the
language, but it told him there was a
companion to reckon with-a fresh
man; the struggle was hopeless.
Nevertheless he turned and ran for
the club. He was not fast enough.
not fast enough by half; three yards
on him. John heard the quick hop
skip Of feet behind him and dropped
on one knee as the man sprang for
his back. The footpad, not expecting
the drop, went too high; he landed
| across Johns shoulders, one arm
dropping across the farmers chest.
In a fash John had him by the wrist
and jerked upright, at the same time
dragging down on the wrist; it was
an adaptation Of the Cornish master
throw, "the flying mare" The man
went over Johns shoulders like a
| rocket, made a wonderful effort to
save himself by = back somersault,
but the tug on his wrist was too
much, and he crashed on his side
in the road. John kicked him on the
head till he lay still and, picking
up the club. whiried to face the next
conner. Nobody came on. John was
perplexed. To whom had the fellow
been shouting II not to 4 confederate
Perhaps the cur had taken fright
and was skulking in the gorse. Very
we'll; he would drub him out. He
was flushed with victory and had the
club in his hands now. He was
stepping towards the furse when he
heard q slight scrunching sound to
his left, and, turning, saw a dark
figure squatting on the bank at the
roadside. John stood still, breathing
hard, his cudgel ready. The mysteri-
Gus figure did not stir. John stepped
nearer. brandishing his club Still
the figure made no move. John
stepped nearer Jet, aaA - thak mo-
mAnt tAA maeR bEakA AA1E e. mesh