Evening star., 1928-02-28

at the top OF his voice.
"MurchisOn, look out for YOURSELF"
he shOuted--and his voice drowned out
another faint creaking of the bed as
ne dropped swiftly to his hands and
knees on the floor
He was answered by savage. gut
tural oath. a flash. the roar Of a. re-
port He heard the whine Of bullet
above his head. He fred instantly in
return at the flash and as instantly
shifted his position. Two more shots
rang out, which he placed definitely
now as coming from the window. and
as their tOngue-flames stabbed through
the dark. he caught a vague. mOmen-
tary glimpse Of something moving
quickly and silently--like two shadow
forms. They had come and gone 50
swiftly, however. that it might be mere
hallucination, but 1t had seemed 10 him
they had come from the direction OF the
door, as though they had darted into
the room and then become almost in
simultaneously lost again In the dark
ness.
Peter was lying now against the wall
on the floor at the foot of his bed
the window, with the bed between. vas
at the far end Of the room: the door
way was obliquely across from where he
lay But he could see nothing.
There was not a sound now.
Peters lips were a thin line Not onlv
was thssc no sound here, but there was
no sound from Murchison's room. Whyo
His shout Of warning had been loud
enough to say nothing OF the revolver
shots. A sort of cold horror suddenly
took possession Of Peter-and was al
most instantly succeeded by surge CT
grim, passionate fury Had they been
In Murchison's room first? Murchison
hadn't been awake. They hadn't found
Murchlson awake =. that was the
difference.
Peter felt the sweat beads ooze out
suddenly upon his forehead. No. that
was inposSible-it must be impossible
He, Peter. would have heard the sound
oi any unusual movement. How could
he have helped but hear It? True he
had been out to reconnoiter around the
bungalow, but the rest of the time he
had lain here fully alert. Why, then.
was there no sound now, no sign from
Murchison? An ugly possibility came
suddenly. bringing renewed disquiet 10
Peters mind. He had been outside
mad even on the last occasion gone
quite little distance from the bunga-
loW--had they. whoever were here nov.
got in then. got into Murchison's room
where God knew what had happened
and then waited to come in here until
as they thought. he, Peter, was asleep
again? But why SHOULD they have
waited? Why should they come in here
at all-he. Peter. didn't have any
thousands Of pounds worth Of pearls in
his possession. Damned queer
damned queer that there was no sign
from MurchlSon. . . :.
There was no sound-even the bang.
ing OF the raindrops had ceased during
an interval in the showers. It was ut.
terly, impenetrably black. Peter could
not make out. except in the most in
distinct OF outlines. the foot of the bed.
though it was but few inches away
from his eyes.
He lay !mmovahle-- waiting now. He
could see nothing; but he knew that
others were in the room. waiting
listening. just as he was waiting and
listening. for sound, an audible
breath. the stir of body movement, the
temptation 10 seek relief by changing
the position Of cramped leg or arm.
that would disclose ones exact where
abouts. How many were there in the
room? He had seen two shadows-and
then. besides. there was still another.
not in the room perhopS. but third
man who had fired that first shot from,
the window-fred it from outside The
window presumably. That made az
least three 10 cope with
They had not expected 10 find him
armed--that was what made them so
cautious now. A minute paSSed-an-
other, II couldn't be more than that
but TO Peter it seemed like some in
teruAnable period OF time-and the
nervous tension grew and grew. And
now he began 10 imagine sounds. sligh:
movements from every corner OF the
room. and the silence itself began 10
thud, tMsd tlIud al his ear drums in
tempo with his pulse. and imaginary
shapes took form in the darkness,
shapes that. from here and there. came
creeping siealthily upon him.
Peter rated himself Savageiy. This
was bad. He was getting little ;urpv
Perhaps that was what they expected
and that. as a result. he would make
some Irresponsible movement which
would indicate the precise spot where
he lay. After that ne would have abou.
the same chance as corncred ratl
They didn't mean him TO get out aIiv,.
Nice business. They'd probably a!ready
done for MurchiSou.
Inc thought brought 2 surge Of fury
again. sweeping away, In sudden
overwhelming lust for vengeance ard
an elemental desire to xii. all though.
or his own peril Well. what was he tc
do? He listened inrcntly. That was
the sound OF breathing wasn't it--snd
that was the fainteSt of Scraping sounds
as though button had rubbed upon
the noor-aS though some one were
craving men by inch somewhere In
the roomP No. he wasn't surcs II
there were two Of them or more and
each made a circuit Of the room, IN
opposite directions. and did IL quietly
enough, he was caught. But IL he
could pot one OF them first. the ODDS
Wouldn't be so heavy, Where were |!
they? lie couldn't risk ANYTHING on /
suppoSition; but--a queer smile came =, /
Peters lipS~there was a way 10 flnd /
QUIT '''"
Cautiously, without sound Peter /
thrust his left hand into his trousers /
pocket Almost ANYTHING would do H.,
Drought out shilling piece With St,l /
more caution now. Peter raised himself /
'" ms kheeS 10 givc free plav to his /
arms ana Then. alert. every muSch, /
,sl'Se. ,', ms revolver outtlung little from /
ms size, he tossed the coin gently /
toward the real wall of the room II /
Iesl with low, tinkiing sound upcu thr !
hoor~and Peter. looking to see, a bla,, |
ol revolver shots directed ut the Spot /
'ouhu no other vent for his feelings I
than To Shrtg his shoulders In a sort =, /
grim. philosophical way.
Ihe silence remained unhrnArn His
fnSe hadn't worked The trick had ~ /
suited III nothing save to force upNu
hlm the unpleasant rralisat!on that his
situation Was perhaps even nt.le !
worse Than he had imagined They were
10" WHY 10 he drawn like that Ne MAS
dealing with ITO foo,S
Another minute passed Again tha
,'1ehee nesan to ihud at his ear drums
\ new Thought CAME. Suppose this Was
a.' miasihatien suppose those shadows