New Britain herald., 1929-06-20

Peeble's pistol roarcd first-Di light in the Secret room on th' second floor. Entering the room, h, starts to inspect it's contents Whe, . terrifying command booms out Drop yodr gun and reach."
 CHAPTER 46
 THE LAST ILLUSION
 The shrill command smote m like the blow of a fist I did no move. The automatic hung slackl, from my hand and l knew bette than to raise it.
 Drop it, ye two-legged varmint" the voice screamed passionately. dropped the pistol. Face rouno whur I kin see ye"'
 l swung slowly on my heel. Be fore me was the storeroom, which I. like . fool, had forgotten. At first I did not see Furie. for he stood within the shadows of the room. but the barrel of a Colt then the an- cient hand that held it, and finally xs he emerged, the old desert rat himself.
 His appearance at that momen. was the picture l was to retain of him until the end of my days. The wild rage of his face transfiXed me. His lips were froth -flecked and il came upon me overwhelmingly that the man was murderously insane and that I was nearer death than l had ever been. ......
 Well. I cotched vel" he shrilled.
 Was 1t you who fired on me"' I incurred. He seemed to have &C., customed himself to the loss of his sighted lens.
 "'Twar" he shouted. Pity l didn't plug ye! I'd of been saved the trouble O doin' it now. Whurll ye have it = in the belly or the head!"
 But what have I done 10 you?' l demanded casually.
 'Whut have ye done?" he scream ed. "Whut-whut-wh
 Speech left him. He shook his fist at me, waved his pistol in my face. HiD rage. indeed, finally pitched him over the summit of his emotions and for perhaps three seconds, his strength spent. he stood and simply quivered and glared at me.
 In that moment of silence l heard tha creak of board. Some one was coming up the stair. I had been groping about in my mind for the explanation of l'urie's insane rage and suddenly I found il: and l also saw as clearly as if ray Of light had pierced my brain what had been prepared for me. l, was diabolically clever. as any scheme Of Dilion's would be-and the creak of-a board had betrayed it to me.
 Furie got his wind again. Yer one O them p'lice cops. l knowed it yesterday mornin'. Yes. after the hembre as killed that thievin' An dry Ogder and yer got it in ye. fool head I'm the lad as oone it! An yer fixin' to bring me into one O them crookit co'rts whur a slick lawyer kin make a old cuss like me say he killed his mother! Yer fixin to stretch my neck"
 raised my hand.
 .''Shet up, or I'll stake ye out for the buzzards." he screamed. "Hain't l been told if ye ain't six foot under the Skull by sun-pp they'll be mak- in me swear I killed Andry Ogden when ] didn't. an crackin' me neck fer it?"
 Obviously Dillon had been talking 10 him. Anything l might say, then, would be of no avail. He'd finish me in a minute CT so. Desperatel, l sought for some means of over coming him. when a thought struck me. Dillon was outside, listening. waiting, and it offered the barest chance of success, but I'd try It.
 "Furie," l said casually. here is your eyepiece. Don't you want it?"
 His eyes became almost sane in their expression; his pistol hand dropped to his side, and he reached for the lens.
 It was then that I caught him
  neatly under the point of the chin He doubled up at the knees and as he toppled forward I caught him and laid him out on the floor
 Scooping up my automatic. I spun around, expecting Dillon ta come pouring into the room, preceded by fusillade Of shots. But he didn't. although I knew he was standing cut there. waiting. listening. II. evidently didn't know what had happened. We'll, l knew what Dil- lon was waiting for, I had saved my life, but I wanted him to com init the overt act l wanted him to attack me.
 My eyes fell on the dummies and all at once I knew what I was going to do. Imipting furie's high pitched voice. l shriIled
 Yer head or yer belly-w hur'li ye have it?"
 was peeing off Furie's incredi- ble shirt.