Evening star., 1928-02-28
It'll Ne19 MAIL Mystery Story
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not more than a quarter Of the way
across the room. The rain began 10
patter again. at FIRST in a tesultory
fashion, heralding another shower
and then doVnD0ur came laundering
upon the roof. Peter, with set lips. i1tIr-
RED his movements now. Thanks 10
tne ram nc could RISK a little noise. Hc
gained yard-and Still another. He
must be halfway across nov. The dark
acss seemed more impenetrable than he
ndd ever imagined that darkness could
De Tor, as ne crawled, his hands, work
ing out before him ike the forepaUg ..
an animal became Invisible each time
tncy were extended at full length. The
revolver bothered him a little: ne did
not dare 10 take the chance OF replac-
ing 1t in his pocket, and, therefore. y
forced MIN, when his right hand vas
on the floor. 70 bear his weight on his
closed fist and knucklcs.
Still another yard He blessed the
ram now. He vas almost within str!k-
/ ing distance Of the doOr-a!most near
enough to spring 10 his feet and make
leap for IT. Two more yards would
90 IL. HIS left hand reached Oh. %
ne drew himself forward; then his
rignt hand; then his left asain-aud
instead Of the floor, his hand touched
something sott---like fesh-like the
flesh Of another hand.
There came startled shout aInnos.
| IN MS earS--and then the fash Of his
/ own revolver and the fash OF another
| seemed TO meet in bIazn that. in .rn
sodoen transition from darkness. stab
Dcd AZ the eyeballs with a blirdfry
light. He felt something scar hot &C.,
his temples aboYe the hair Ilne-ard
tnen hands Were gripping AZ him. claw
ing at MN. and his arms we're wrapped
around the body o. hts antagonist.
Over and over on the floor they
rolled. He still held his revolver bur
ne was az 100 close quarters To use it
II even hampered him, but he cIurp
grlmIy To Il. Twice the others fnoa-9
clutched az Peters throat. ard tTice
! Peter tore them loose. Hoarse crie-
| sounded in his ears-he heard the
QUICK: sudden rush Of feet coming TO-
"aId MN from. Il seemed, all directions
Ano then from somewhere came a
my, momentary flicker OF ught-as
stnougn match had been struck ard
instantly extinguished It showed him
! nothing save that it was a white
clotneo man with whom he fought
out II mad obviously served is uurpose
as guide TO the others. A form AZ
tnouen 1t had come hurting through
the ar flung itself upon his neck ard
Snouicers-and another. and stiu ar
otner. unit! he was buried beneath
"rltning human mass that grlnted
horribly as II pounded and strucT ~
him.
But nov Peter fred. for Il -Sas no
longer employed in keezAng a single
PAR OF fingers from k4S throat. and
.mougn ms nand thar :eld the revolver
was plnloned. as Il We're by the weight
OF tne bodies upon him, it vas also
mur1ed roar, dull red fash. curl
ously smothered. that came up out o.
the ruck-and shrek.
Again Peter flred-and then ,hs
weapon vas wIenched suddenly from
MS hand. But with the shots as
though through shock and surprise.
and though fingers still c!utched at
MN and the weight OF bodies bore hir,
GOWN. Peter SenSed an instant's re-
taxation IN the fer0city OF the attack
upon hinl-and N that instant the
massive shoulders Of the man heaysd
upward. and, fling!ug from him the
forms that hung 10 back and neck ard
shoulders, he gained his feet
AND then again and again Peter
struck There was mad, u;lhoIy pas
SION III MS heart now. an untrarr-
neied fury seething within him. IN
and out his arms worked like steel bat
terlng rams. and. as his fists crashed
into yielding flesh. gasp:ng cries ana
painting breathS. and Snar!s like the
Snarls OF Wild beasts answered him.
Around and around the room, hg
fought them. now tripping over a chair.
now using one as q buIGseon until.
shattered 70 pieces, II became useless.
Twice they fired az him. and missed:
out they seemed chary Of using their
revo!verS. as though fearful. with the
swift movements all were making. OF
hitting each other in the darkness.
But they were always upon him: lung
Ing blows at him from every sids-no.
not !unging at him, slaShing az him
win knives now. for the sleeve o: his
Jacket had been cut from the elbow
down. and topped crazily around his
wrist every time he struck IL return.
Peters mind worked in quick. stac-
cato flashes as he fought Some .:
then were natives most Of them
perhaps q. he had felt naked arms
ard shoulders not ail mattress.
though . there had been a white
mans voice al the beginning bur
whatever they were. there seemed q
be more OF them now than ever
vs. 4N A4lCN iE1CES were more
there were more even now rushing in
from The doorway he could hear
them over the horrible sruntinSs and
The sharp. Ssbi!an, StahS Of shortened
breath around him. and
A low sound. like 3 quick gasp fo-
breath. came suddenly from, Peters
lips A man had leaped upoC his
back. and Peter felt something sharp
cut deep along his side and then the
mans arms were eGcircluDS his neck
a> though - strange him IL fash
Peter bent his body almost double: his
hands shot Up, Sti3tched at the others
shoulders, and with a wrench. with
every ounce ~ his strength behind Il,
lie sent the other catspUirirS over his
head. He heard the sharp cutcry. The
crash ct impact rs the other struck
with terrific force upon the acc-. Nu,
Peter heard something else also
strange. ineNl>eqaens SUrgmS II his
ears
Flashes Of red danced before his eyes;
something sticky ho: WAS trieklics
down his back, ana then <sdSen SID
dine>S oveypcwsred HIM - and Ne
pitched forward unconscious uyca h.S
lace.
CHAPTER III