Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-10-09


noticed that that strange noise which |
he had heard while standing on the |
lawn was much louder. AS he eau |
tiously opened the door and peered |
into the passage the very faint hum |
became a steady drone, while with |
each successive thud the tloor-bOards !
shook a little
The passage was in darkness,
though light was shining from under
some Of the doors And as he crept
along in search Of the stairs he heard
voices proceeding from one Of the
rooms he passed. Evidently a fairly
populous household. 1t struck him, as
he tested the bottom stair with his
weight to see If it creaked But the
staircase was old and solid, and the
stair carpet was thick, and at the mo-
ment Bngh was not disposed to
llnger. Afterward the house seemed
to promise fairly fruitful field for
Investigation; at present Phyllis was
all that mattered. SO he vanished up
wards with the uncanny certainty Of
all his movements at night, and a mo-
ment later he was standing on the
landing above.
1t was a long, straight corridor,
replica Of the one below, and he
turned in the direction in which he
knew her room must lie. And he had
only taken couple of steps when he
stopped abruptly, peerinS ahead with
eyes that strove to pierce the dark
n
was something In the passage-some
thing darker than its surroundings.
And at that moment something sprang
out Of the darkness, and he found him
self fighting for his life.
For a second or two he was at a
disadvantage, so completely had he
been taken by surprise; then the Old
habits returned. And not a moment
too soon; he was up against an an
tag0nist who was worthy of him Two
hands like iron hooks were round his
neck, and the man who gets thai grip
first wins more often than not His
own hands shot QUA ;nto Tie darkness,
and then for the first time in his Life
he felt a stab Of fear. For he couldn't
reach the other man: long though his
arms were, the other mans were far
longer and as his hands went along
them he could feel the muscles stand
ing out like steel bars. He made one
supreme effort to force through to his
opponents throat and 1t failed with
his superior reach he could keep his
distance. Already Drummond's head
was beginning to feel like bursting
with the awful pressure round his
throat, and he knew he must do some
thing at once or lose. And just In
time he remembered his clasp-knife. !
1t went against his grain to use it;
never before had he fought an un-
armed man with a Weapon-and as
far as he could tell this man was un-
armed. But it had to be done and
done quickly.
With all his force he stabbed side
ways at the mans left arm. He heard
snarl of pain, and the grip Of one
of the hands round his throat relaxed,
And now the one urgent thing was to
prevent him shouting for help. Like
flash Drummond was on him, one
hand on his mouth and the other
gripping his throat with the grip he
had learned from Osaki the Jap in
days gone by, and had never forgot
ten. And because he was fighting to
kill now he wasted no time. The grip
tightened; there was a dreadful Wor-
rying noise as the man bit into his
thumb-then 1t was over The man
slipped downward onto the floor, and
Drummond stood drawing in great
mouthfuls Of air.
But he knew there was nc time to
lose. Though they had fought In 81
lence, and he could still hear the mo-
notOnous thud and the beat Of the
engine, at any moment someone might
come upstairs. And to be found with
a dead man at ones feet in a strange
house is not the best way Of securing
Il hospitable welcome. What to do
with the body-that was the first In
sistent point. There was no time for
intricate schemes; it was question OF
taking risks and CHANGING it. So for
a moment or two he listened at the
door Of room, then he gently opened
it. 1t was a bedroom and empty, and
without further hesitation he dragged
his late opponent In, and left him lying
on the floor. By the dim light from
the uncurtained window, he could see
that the man was almost defOrmed, so
enormous was the length Of his arms.
They must have been six inches longer
than those Of an average man, and
were almost as powerful as his own.
And as he saw the snarling, ferocious
face upturned to his, he uttered little
prayer of thanksgiving for the pres
ence Of his claspknife. 1t had been
altogether too near thing for his
liking
He closed the door and stepped
across the passage, and the next mo-
ment Phyllis was in his arms.
II thought you were never coming,
old man. she whispered. II was
afraid the brIlteS had caught Won"