Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-21
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WRITTEN BY LEE FOSTER HARTMAN

formed plan NV heart began to crowd up
into my throat and beat 'thickly as mentally
rehearsed the execution Of that foolhardy de-
sign. The bottle! 1t was my only recourse,
my only chance, against his gun. 81.
1T sounds absurd now, doesn't 1t? One
chance-would you say-n a hundred? For
couldn't reach across to brain him with It; the
table was too wide. would have to hurl 1t
at his head-and in the dark-trusting that IT
would find its mark.
But when it came to that ticklish moment
of lifting 1t and aiming 1t at his head for that
desperate fling which everything hung
didn't want liquor spilling out Of it. We would
have to drink 1t dry. So poured myself
sitter drink. When the room blazed again ne
saw what had done and laughed. He even
applauded my increasing thirst.
. It gagged over the fiery stuff, but got it
down. 1t never occurred to me that 1t might
make me intoxicated. And I give you my
w,-d, 1t didn't have the slightest effect Once
I had managed to swallow It,, 1t misE 1aave
been so much water. Drink after drink. -<dli::
But contrived to reverse the order of poesSrA.
After your now said, and so after eaca- Ve-
punishment of our glasses the bottle remained
on my side Of the table.
cat length it was empty. The last of the
whisky was in our glasses. I could feel my
heart humping like a trip hammer, orly no
trip hammer ever went at such pace. 1t was
now literally do or die. He tossed OF what
remained of his drink and threw the glass to
the floor. Times up!' he announced th,ckly
The returning flare lit up his determined, evil
face. He had raised the revolver and was
leaning slightly forward. He meant business
I'll give you 10 more flashes of that light.
When the tenth comes, shoot !. Thst'S
onep st ..tttsst s3s
.'The darkness was upon us again. The
light was gone, in its vast circular sweep over
the empty sea- Ten faShes-120 seconds.
calculated. I had two minutes to live. You
may be surprised that could do simple hit
of multiplication and division at moment like
that. But did 1t, and rather deliberately, too.
For a sort of cold apathy had come over ma.
Yes, deliberated. For while only two minutes
stood between me and death, nevertheless I
was sure Of those two minutes. Within that
narrow margin of time had. so to speak, al
the time in the world To fling that bottle az
his head was the work of an instant. s.
$50 I deliberated Should hurl 1t at once
or wait? While was bordering the questits Z,
the room blazed again. That's two! he said
He had Strengthened up now, prepared for tlas
business in hand. HIS fingers had tightenei
upon the revolver. .,t
q rehearsed in my mind what was abor,
to do. I tried to visualize the bottle clutchei
in my hand. I tried to imagine its heft when
lifted above and behind my head--just how it
would iceland then the swift fling with all
my strength was strangely composed, al
though my heart was racing with tremendous
heat. I could feel the pounding even In my
ears. For example, reflected that there was
nicely about that throw, quite as important
as correctness of aim. The bottle must not
turn too fast in midair. The success of my
desperate maneuver might depend upon the
bottle striking his skull with its heavy end
The most I could hope for was to knock him
cold, as they say while I made a dash from
the cabin toward Cap Indenne.
=" 'Three!' he counted as the room suddenly
leaped out into reality and vanished aaain.
Shall risk it now?' I asked myself, and hesi-
tated. Meanwhile, with every instant, the ray
was sweeping out around its vast circular track.
No, wasn't yet set. I wanted the full l2-
second interval of darkness, not a fraction of
It, And how could be sure of my aim In the
dark? Under that persistent flashing ones
eyes didn't grow accustomed to 1t. Each re.
current flare only intensified the utter black
ness that swept back into the room.
$50 waited. My hand crept out and felt the
bottle, drew it slightly nearer. And then 7
dropped back to my former position before the
coming OF the next flash. -Four! went the
count. Again reached out in the dark and
grasped the bottle by the neck lifted it cau-
tiously, adJudged Its weight. More seconds went
by. FLYER
Half my time was gone. Should I wait. I
debated. until the count reached eight or even
nine? No, that would be too much like leay-
ing things to the last moment-a practice I've
always disapproved of. But I decided to let
the count OF six pass while tried the expert
mcnt OF shutting my eyes against the glare that
repeatedly blinded them
&C. Ski! I heard him announce opened INV
eyes after the flash had gone. Now could
dimly make him out in the darkness The
time was shortening, but decided to give INV
eyes still one more respite. I waited. and shut
them again during the count of seven!
sc ND now for It. I reached ont for a.