They're ahorse, and they should arrive in three hours and
you can't possibly escape. Before Prince Karl was compelled to leave for
the theater of war he put this most important affair in my charge. He
has not yet yielded all hope of Mademoiselle Lannes."
"It may be true that we can't escape, but what of yourself, Weber? We're
alone in the forest and I hold the whip hand. The score that I owe you
is large. You may have wrecked the life of Mademoiselle Julie and
perhaps you will destroy my own, but you said it would be three hours
before the detachment arrived, and I need only a few seconds."
"But I don't think you'll fire, Mr. Scott."
"Why, Weber?"
"Because I fire first!"
Absorbed in the talk John had unconsciously lowered the automatic, and,
as agile as a panther, Weber suddenly leaped to one side, snatched a
revolver from his own pocket and pulled the trigger. But the bullet flew
wild. A huge shadow hovered over him and a weight crashed upon his head,
smiting him down as if he had been struck by a giant shell. He sank in
the path and lay motionless, dead ere he fell.
John stared, stricken with horror. The great shadow bent down a moment
over the fallen man, then straightened itself up again, and two eyes in
which the vengeful fire had not yet died gazed at John. Then as his
dazed mind cleared he saw and knew.
Pages:
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331