Evening star., 1936-05-17
THIS WEEK
The Spider S Touch
Continued from pose thirteen
Continued from pose thirteen


we're powerless to avert the imminent
disaster.
1t came in the shape of the Major
who, without warning, shot out from
the mouth of the avenue. Brandishing
his pistol, he made for the schloss en-
trance. Before one of them could
move, he had grabbed the iron bell
pull that hung down beside the gate
way. A bell Changed furiously and as
the Major, with a sort of blithe fury,
tugged, Dallas sprang out from behind
his tree, his eyes blazing.
Ned" he called in a cautious
undertone, Ned" If the Major heard
him, he paid no heed.
Dallas darted back to cover as,
without warning, one half of the great
doors was cautiously opened, but
almost in the same instant slammed to
again. At the top of his voice the
Major roared, "Hey, what's the idea?
Open that door, will you? Ofnen, l
tell you" at the same time hammer
ing on the solid oak with the butt of
his gun.
Some twenty PAGES from the gate
way, where the wall bent back at
right angle, a slender turret projected
with narrow, shuttered window like
a loophole, commanding the whole
space before the schloss entrance. Sud-
denly the shutter swung outward,
there was a streak of flame. an ear
splitting report, and the Major fell
fiat.
Wolf was nearest. Immediately he
whirled forth to Ned's aid. But al
ready the Major was on his feet.
scurrying for safety. A rain of bullets
came from the wood, splintering the
shutter, shivering the window glass.
Wolf, left in the open, had glimpse
of Dallas, a smoking pistol in his hand,
dashing for the shelter of the wall and
disappearing round the angle of the
enclosure. At the same moment Ned.
who had gained the cover Of the wood.
cried suddenly, wolf, mind your
self" But the warning came too late.
A livid face was visible at the loop
hole, hairy hand protruded, pistol
roared and Wolf, spinning half round,
pitched forward on his face.
Head down, firing as he ran, the
Major rushed from the trees. Deliber-
ately the figure at the loop-hole
answered his fire, the bullets kicking
up the pebbles and splitting savagely
among the tree trunks. But Ned kept
on until, gathering Wolf up in his
arms, he half dragged, half carried him
to shelter. He did not pause until
they were deep in the thicket.
Dallas had vanished. Once more
silence had descended upon the
schloss. Wolf was still alive and
conscious. But his chest ratified, and
every breath he drew brought scarlet
bubbles frothing at his lips. In the
shade of lofty fir, he signed to Ned
to set him down.
His features had pinched look in
the forest twilight and his eyes were
clouding over: the grizzled moustache
trembled to his laboured breathing.
Ned dropped to his knees beside him
and would have opened his waistcoat
but Wolf stopped him, Don't trou-
Bile" he murmured family. Its the
lung. You and | know what that
means, old friend - we've seen il
before. An hour at the most :.
Ned put his arm round him. What
can | say to you?" he cried brokenly
81 ran you into this, old man. must
have been crazy. but you know what
| am when the drinks in me. If you
die, Wolf, I'll never forgive myself.
Wolf smiled. 1T was written, Ned. >
He looked about him. where's Bob?
The last saw of him he was fol
lowing the wall along" said Ned. "I1
sounds crazy, for the place is regular
fortress and God knows how many
people Clubfoot has with him, but i