The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-05-08
CHAPTER XI-Continued
Copyright by Minton. Balch q Co.
wNU Service.

Dullot ndQ ulckeu Tie SLEEVE VI NY
pistol-arm.
This showed me, once for all, that
90 far as snap shots were concerned,
/ stood no chance whatever against
such a man. AS whipped to one side,
made up my mind that I must not
fire again until knew for certain that
my bullet was going to kill. In
word, if 1 was to win, I must come
to close quarters with Pharaoh, if not
to grips.
l had now come back to the table,
and an instant later 1 was crouching
beneath the archway, with my pistol
on the carpet before me and my empty
hands outstretched upon either side.
had not long to wait
When 1 did not return his fire, l
fancy the man was uncertain whether
or not l was dead. He, therefore,
sought the spot from which had fired
and, finding nobody there turned and
came to the table exactly as / had
done.
And exactly as 1 had done, he be-
gan to edge his way round it.
The slack of his trousers brushed
my hand.
In a flash I had him by the ankles
and, ripping his feet from beneath him
had brought him down on his side.
Then 1 smatched up my pistol, thrust
it into his stomach and pressed the
frigger-in vain.
The magazine was empty. Slovenly to
the last, Rush had never troubled to
replenish his clip.
Pharaoh had fallen to his right and
80 on his pistol-arm. While this was
taking his weight, he could not aim,
and though in a fash he had flung
his weight to the left, in that instant
my fingers had caught the wrist Of his
pistol-hand. For a moment he fought
for his freedom: then he let himself
fall on his back: but now my wits
were working and before it could reach
his pocket, I had hold Of his other
wrist.
And in that instant the room was
flooded with light. -.
For a moment I thought that some
one had entered the chamber. And
then guessed that Pharaoh had turned
the switches when first he came into
the room, that the switchboard itself
might report the repair of the damage
which he had done.
So for the first time that night I
saw my enemy's face.
I think he must have known that l
was his assailant, but the sight of me
seemed to send him out of his mind.
He fought no more as a serpent, but
like the mailman he looked, his face
convulsed with passion and his eyes
starting out of his head.
At last, to my relief, the tempest
blew itself out, and he lay back, spent
and painting, to take his rest: but,
before l could think of moving, he
mad lifted his head once more and was
staring into my eyes.
looked back, grimly enough.
He did not struggle: he simply gazed
upon me, as though he would brand my
image upon his memory. Then the fell
low spat in my face.
So mailman made mailman.
If he resisted, I know not, but /
used him as lay figure from that
time on.
dashed his hand on the massive
plinth of the table, to break his wrist,
and when his pistol had fallen /
brought his hands together and got to
my knees. And then / was clear of
the table and had jerked him up to
his feet.
let his broken wrist go, whipped
out his second pistol and pitched it
across the room.
Then l seized his throat with both
hands, turned him back to the table,
bent him across its corner and broke
his back on the oak.
Sitting on the bench by the fireplace,
wiped my face and my hands on
Helena's black silk scarf. This had
been wrung and creased, and had no
doubt that Pharaoh had used it to
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Now that the business was over, /
found 1t hard to believe. / looked at
my watch.
The time was twenty minutes past
twelve. Not an hour had gone by since
Pharaoh had talked from the ram
parts and Dewdrop had read his mes
sage to Rush and Bugle and me- And
now they were all four dead. but
was alive.
The reflection brought me up to my
feet.
Alive, if you please: but was shut
in chamber from which could see
no way out.
For twenty minutes sought that
secret door. I shouted and beat upon
the woodwork, using Helena's name
all In vain.
Helena was locked in the turret-
my hand In my pocket fingered her
master key: which had taken from