The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-16
CHAPTER VIII

CHhFIEH VIII
 Dazed as they were Sally and Kinks perceived that the invading gentlemen had found refuge in the nick of time. Outside q Staccato Of revolver shots rent the night. A hail of bullets spattcrcd against the door of Mrg. PrcGton's house. But the door was thick and solid, built 10 take it. The missiles simply im- bcddcd themselves in the wood. And for a moment. And for moment after the fusillade there was silence. Then ono shot sounded. The bullet found q panel in one of the hall windows. Glass crashed and tinkled to the floor.
 Kinks Parker came to life. He seized Sally, pulled her Into the dining room, Simultaneously they dived beneath the dining room table.
 "Oh. Kinks" she whispered frightened, what on earth 4 B2''
 The Battle of Bunker Hill, l think" said Kinks. Don't let 'em sec the whitcs of your eyes. don't want my flanccc going around with a bullet in her head"
 Suddenly cautious footstcps sounSed. The living room lightf went out. A second later a volIcy of shots went off close at hand Kinks understood. The men were firing through the living room vim dows at an unknown enemy out side.
 From somewhere out in the grounds came h cry Of mingled pain and anger. IL Was followed by an interval of quiet. Then motor roared and raced Presently the sound of it died away.
 There Was q moment while the hoiisc sccmcd O trcmblc with the vibrant echoes of the shooting Sally and Kinks. inglorious beneath the dining room table. strained thcir ears. Peace scttled once more oves the Preston home.
 A hoarsc whisper from the liv- ing room broke the stiffness.
 "Dcy'vc scramrned chief" gaid q voice. We musta hit one of 'em."
 Another voice spoke and the whisper was louder but Just as hoArsc.
 Hey, yousc7"
 You mean us2" Kinks whispered back.
 "Ycah, yousc Cmon back in dat hallway. It's okay now"
 Sally and Kinks craWlcd obcdi- entiy from udcr the table The lights in the hall were still On And presently the two gun-minded gem tlcmen emerged from the darkencd living room.
 A scientist would have classified them immediately under the gen. cral heading of Gorilla. The first to appear, and obviously the lead CT Of the expedition, Wag tall broad hhouldcred and blue-c e-chinncd. He had dark, dangerous eYeg, a huge nose formed Ike a parrots bcak and q mouth ag wide aE the Dele ware river But terrifying though that face Wa3, something attractive seemed Co lurk in it. The man was almost fagcinatlnglJ ugly.
 His companion Wag q short. squat apc-arrned character with q head like a pumpkin. Upon his flat naoscd. beadY-eyed cotntcnancc Inc vices paradcd unblushingly. IL wat evident that he, or his immediate forcbcars, owed allegiance N sunny Italy. And to thc wrong eide of the tracks somewhere in Italy at that He looked Ike the kind Of guy Whl spent the golden hours stllcttO-Ing his grandmother Dnd Jumping on the body.
 garOrially. however. these citl- zcns were very gnnppy. They wore gray felt hats tilted at rakieh nn- glss. The trousers of their dark suits were creased tO razor -edgcg Btickplng gloWcd in their ties; rings Yieamcd on their fingers The critic of what the we'll dressed man will wear could have quib- blcd over nothing save single efature. Each of them sporttd 2 Wicked-looking blue automatic In a hairy fist.
 The leader bent his keen, black eyed gaze upon Ehlly and Kinks
 Who are yoIseY" he demanded pcremptofily.
 Miss Sally Pennington had got ten over her initial fright. And nov anger was fast supcrscding fear. The eMctity of her home had been violated by couple of gun-totinR roughnecks. The splcn- did old door vas doubtless Ecarrrd and pltted with bullet holes. A window had been broken But ln- stead Of apologizipg hurnbly for their Intrusion. the unbiddcn guests appeared D be about to conduct q brusruc luqulsltlGn. H. W:E more than mortal woman could bear.
 Hhc marched ID 10 the tall gem tlcrnan planted herself before him damned her hands on her hips and spoke