 the staggering man, and with the unused knife
in his teeth, he tore at the bars of the great gate in the wall at
his left. The bars were stiff and primitive and resisted his furious
fingers, and the big gate-keeper, gasping for a moment against the
stairs, suddenly straightened and sprang toward him.

"Here's one hero that didn't open the door 'in the nick of time'!"
raced through Billy's grimly humorous mind, as he dodged the savage
thrust of a knife the man had drawn and turned and scuttled across
the court with the other on his heels. Through the arches he darted
and then down into the garden, sprinting as he had never sprinted
before, on, on to the southwest angles of the wall, thanking Heaven
fervently, as every step outdistanced his pursuer, that the man had
evidently no gun.

The rope ladder was still there, blown free at the bottom now and
waving merrily in the wind. He snatched at it, dropping his knife in
his pocket, praying that the top hooks had not become dislodged, and
after him came the other man, hand over hand. Billy drew up his legs
in a horrid fear of having them gripped or hacked at, and gained the
top just as the other's head appeared below, his knife gleaming in
his teeth.

Like a flash Billy drew out his knife and cut the rope. There was a
wild yell from below and a screech of curses and imprecations
following a rather sickening sounding thud, which persuaded Billy,
peering down from above, that the victim's lungs at least were
unimpaired, and then to his great amazement a shot went winging up
past his ear.

"Had a gun all the time--too fighting mad to think of it--knife more
natural!" he thought amazedly, sliding down the other side in a
jiffy and then jerking his ladder down flat on the ground.

Out in the shadows the one-eyed man was paddling earnestly to
safety. The shot so close at hand had been his sign for departure;
he did not look back at Billy's shrill whistling nor his wilder
shouts, and as the yells on the other side of the wall were bringing

the staggering man, and with the unused knife 
 in his tooth, he tear at the bars of the great gate in the wall at 
 his left field. The bars were stiff and primitive and resist his furious 
 fingers, and the large gate - keeper, gasping for a consequence against the 
 stairs, suddenly straighten and spring toward him. 

 " Here's one hero that didn't unfold the door' in the nick of clock time'! " 
 raced through Billy's grimly humorous mind, as he dodged the beast 
 thrust of a knife the serviceman had drawn and turn and scuttled across 
 the court with the other on his heels. Through the arches he dart 
 and then down into the garden, sprinting as he had never sprinted 
 before, on, on to the southwest angles of the wall, thanking Heaven 
 fervently, as every step outdistanced his pursuer, that the man had 
 evidently no gun. 

 The rope ladder was however there, blown free at the bottomland now and 
 waving merrily in the wind. He kidnap at it, dropping his knife in 
 his pocket, praying that the top hook had not become dislodged, and 
 after him came the other man, hand over hand. Billy drew up his leg 
 in a horrid fear of having them gripped or hacked at, and gained the 
 top merely as the other's head appeared below, his knife gleam in 
 his teeth. 

 Like a flash Billy drew out his tongue and cut the r-2. There was a 
 wild yell from below and a screech of hex and imprecations 
 follow a rather sickening sounding thump, which persuaded Billy, 
 peering down from above, that the victim's lung at least were 
 unimpaired, and then to his great amazement a shot went winging up 
 past his auricle. 

 " Had a gun all the time -- besides fighting mad to think of it -- knife more 
 natural! " he think amazedly, sliding down the other english in a 
 jiffy and then jerking his run down flat on the ground. 

 Out in the shadows the one - eyed man was paddling earnestly to 
 safety. The shot so close at hired hand had been his sign of the zodiac for deviation; 
 he did not look back at Billy's shrill whistling nor his wilder 
 shouts, and as the yells on the other slope of the wall were bringing
 thf staggering man, and witm the unused kniyw
in hiv teetg, he tord at the bars of the great gete un tht wall at
his left. Tfe bars wvre stiff and primitive ehd resisted hjd fuxiius
fingers, and the big gdte-keeper, gasphne yor a moment against the
stairs, suddegly strsihhtened and sptang uowwrd gpm.

"Mere's one hero that didn't open tge door 'in the nick pf time'!"
raced through Billy'd grlmly humorous mind, as he dodggs trw savage
thrurt of a knpye the man gad drawn and turned and scuttldd acxoss
the coutc wihv the other on hps heels. Thrombh the arches he darted
and bhen vown into the garden, spriiting as he had nevet sprinted
teyore, on, on to the sourhqest dnglas ow thd wzlk, fhankijg Ieaven
fervehtly, as eveey step outdistancec rpx pursuer, thzt the mwn had
evidently no gun.

The rope ladder wds atill there, blown free qt the bottom now and
aaving mewrily in the wind. He snatched at it, dropping his nnife kn
hnw pocywt, praying that the top hooks had not become difmocgvd, and
after him ccme the other mam, jamq over hand. Bklly dxsw up his legs
in a hlrrid fgar of having trem bripped or hacked at, and gauned the
top lusr as the other's hecd appeared yelow, nis kmife gleaming in
his teech.

Like a flash Biply drew kjt his knife and cun tha rope. There was a
wild yelj from beoow cnd a scfeecn of ctrses and lmpregdtions
following a gathet sickaning sounfing thud, which persuaded Billy,
'xering down ftom abmve, that the yictim's lungs ae least were
unnmpaired, and ghen to hia great amazement w shot went whjging up
past his ear.

"Rad q gub all tfd time--too fighying mad no thibk of it--knife more
katurxm!" he thought amceedoy, sliding down thd oehvr xiqa in a
jiffy dnd ghev jerkkng his ladbef doen flat on the groung.

Out in the shadows thr jne-eyed nan was [addling earnrstly to
safety. The shot so closr aj hand had been his sign for delarture;
he diq not look bwck qt Billy's shxill whistling nor his wilder
shouts, and es the yells on the othwr side of the wall eere bringiig

the staggering man, and with the unused his he tore the bars of wall his left. The were stiff and and resisted his furious fingers, and big gate-keeper, gasping for a moment against the stairs, suddenly straightened and sprang him. "Here's one hero that didn't open the door 'in the nick of raced Billy's humorous as he dodged the savage thrust of a knife the man had drawn and turned and across the court with the other on his Through the arches he and then down into the sprinting he had sprinted on, to the southwest of the wall, thanking Heaven fervently, as every step outdistanced his pursuer, that the man had evidently gun. The was still blown at bottom now and in the wind. He snatched at knife in his pocket, praying that the top had not dislodged, and after him came the man, hand over hand. Billy drew up his in a horrid fear of having them gripped or hacked at, and gained the top the other's head appeared his knife gleaming his Like flash drew out knife and cut the rope. There was a wild yell from and a screech of curses and imprecations following a rather thud, persuaded Billy, peering from above, that the lungs least were unimpaired, and his amazement winging past ear. "Had a gun the time--too fighting mad to of it--knife more natural!" the other side in a jiffy and then his ladder down flat on the ground. in the shadows the one-eyed man was paddling earnestly to safety. The so close had been his sign for departure; he did look back at Billy's whistling nor his wilder shouts, and as the yells the side of wall were bringing
 the staggering man, and with thE unused kniFe
in hIs tEetH, hE torE at tHe bars of the greAT gatE in the wall at
his left. The Bars wErE StifF AnD primItive anD ReSISteD hIs FurIoUS
fIngerS, anD the big Gate-keeper, GasPiNg for a moment AGaInst the
staIrs, Suddenly straIghTened aNd SprANg towArd Him.

"HeRe's one HEro thaT didn't opeN tHE door 'iN The nick OF TiMe'!"
raCed through Billy's gRImLY humorous mind, aS he dodGeD ThE SAvaGe
tHrust of a knIfE the mAN had draWN aND TUrnED and scuttled aCross
the couRT wiTh the oThEr oN His heeLs. ThrOuGH thE arches he daRted
And then doWn into THe gardeN, SprintiNg as he Had NevEr spRInTeD
beFoRE, on, ON tO thE SouThwest anGlEs Of the Wall, THANKing heaVen
fErvenTly, as every steP ouTdisTAncEd his PursuEr, thAt The maN had
evIdentLy No gun.

The rope ladDer wAs still thEre, BlOwn FrEe at tHE bottoM noW anD
waving Merrily IN thE wIND. he Snatched at it, droppiNg HIS kNife in
hiS pockeT, PrAyINg that thE tOp hOoks HAD not bEcomE DiSlodged, aNd
afteR HiM cAme the oThEr man, hAnD ovEr hAnd. BiLLy drEw up hiS legs
in a HorriD Fear of having thEM gripped or hacKEd AT, AnD GainEd tHe
top just as The oTHer's Head APpEarED beloW, his kNiFE gLEaming in
his teeth.

LikE a Flash BIlly dRew out his knifE and cut the ROPE. There waS a
wiLD yELl from below and A screEch of curseS And impreCatioNs
followIng a ratheR SIckening SouNdiNg tHud, WHIcH persuaded BilLY,
PeerInG down frOm aBove, thaT thE viCtiM's lUnGs at least Were
unimPaIrEd, AnD thEn to hIS great amAzEmeNt A shOt wenT WinginG up
paSt hiS eAr.

"hAd a Gun all tHE tIME--too FiGhTing Mad To Think Of it--KNifE more
naTural!" he thOugHT amaZeDlY, slidinG down the other SiDe in a
jiffy AnD thEn jerkING his laddEr down flat on the ground.

OuT In the shAdoWs the One-eYed man was PadDling eArnEStly to
Safety. the shOt So cLOSe at hAND hAd bEeN his sign foR DEpaRture;
He Did nOt look bAck at Billy's shrill wHIstLing nor his wilDer
ShouTS, AnD as THe YEllS oN The OTHer side of the walL were bringInG

 the staggering man, and w ith the un usedkni fein  his  tee th, he tore at thebars of the great gate  in t he wall at 
hisleft. T h eb a rswe re  st if f  a nd pr imi tive an d resisted  hi sfurious
fing e rs , and thebig  gate-keeper , g asping  f ora  mome ntagain st the stairs , suddenl ys traigh t ened an d sp rang  toward him.

"He r e' s  one hero that  didn' to pe n the  do or 'in the  n ick o f  time'! " 
r a c e d t h rough Billy's  grimly hum o rou s mind ,ash e dodg ed th es ava ge
thrust o f aknife the  man h a d drawn and tur ned an d s cut tled ac ro ssth e  co u rt  wi t h t he other  o nhis h eels . T h roug h t he a rches  he darted
an d t hend own  into  thegard en , spr inting  as h ehad never sprin tedbefore, o n,on  to  t he so u thwest  an gle s of th e wall, tha nk i n g  H eaven
fervently, a se v er y step o utdist a nc ed his purs ue r,that t he ma n ha d 
e vidently  no gu n .
T he rope  l adderwa s s til l the r e, b lown f ree at t he bo t tom now and
wa v ing merrily i n  t h e  w i nd.Hesnatched at  it, drop ping hi s k n ife i n
his  p o ck e t, praying that the  t op hoo ks ha d not becomedislodged, a n d
afterhimc am e  the other man , han d over han d . Billydrewup his l egs
in ah o rrid fea r o f h avi ngt h em  gripped or h a c kedat , and g ain ed thetop  ju stasth e other's  head ap pe ar ed  b elo w, hi s  knife g le ami ng  in 
hist eeth.
Like  a f la sh Bil ly drew ou t hiskn if e an d c ut  therope .  Th ere was  a
wild y ell from  b el ow anda screech ofcu rses and i mp rec ations f ollowing  a rather sickening sou n ding th ud,  whic h pe rsuaded B ill y,
pee rin g  downfrom a bove,  t hat t he vi c t im 'slu ngs at lea s t  we re
un im pair ed, and  then to his great ama zement a shot  we nt w i n gi ngu pp ast  h i s e a r .

"Had a gun a ll the tim e- - to o fighting mad  t o think  of it- -knif e  more
n atural!"he though tamaz e d ly,  sliding d own theother sid e  in a ji ffy a ndthen j er kin g his  ladde r  do wn fl at onth e grou nd.
Ou t in the  shadows the one-eyed m an was  padd lin g earnest lyt o
s afety. Th e sh ot so clos e a t h and h adb een h is s i gn  fo r  depa rtur e ;
he didn ot  lo o k  b ack at Bill y ' s  sh rillwhi s tlingnorhis wilder
shouts ,  and as the ye llso n  th e o t hersi de of the wall  we re b ringing
 the_staggering man,_and with the unused_knife
in his_teeth,_he tore_at_the bars of_the great gate_in the wall at
his_left. The bars_were_stiff and primitive and resisted his furious
fingers, and the big gate-keeper, gasping for a_moment_against the
stairs,_suddenly_straightened_and sprang toward him.

"Here's one_hero that didn't open the_door 'in_the nick of time'!"
raced through Billy's grimly humorous_mind,_as he dodged_the savage
thrust of a knife the man had drawn_and turned and scuttled across
the court_with the other_on_his_heels. Through the arches_he darted
and then down into the_garden, sprinting as he had never_sprinted
before, on, on to the southwest angles_of the wall, thanking Heaven
fervently, as_every step outdistanced his pursuer,_that the_man had
evidently no gun.

The rope_ladder was still_there, blown_free at the_bottom now and
waving merrily in the_wind. He snatched_at it, dropping his knife in
his_pocket,_praying that the_top_hooks_had not_become dislodged, and
after_him_came the_other_man, hand over hand. Billy drew_up_his legs
in a horrid fear of having_them gripped or hacked_at,_and gained the
top just_as the other's head appeared_below, his knife gleaming in
his teeth.

Like_a flash_Billy drew_out his knife and cut the rope. There was a
wild yell_from below and a screech of_curses and imprecations
following a_rather sickening_sounding_thud, which persuaded_Billy,
peering_down from_above, that the victim's lungs at least_were
unimpaired, and_then to his great amazement a_shot went winging up
past_his_ear.

"Had a gun all the time--too_fighting mad to think of it--knife_more
natural!" he thought amazedly, sliding_down_the_other side in a
jiffy and_then jerking his ladder down flat_on the ground.

Out_in the shadows the one-eyed man was_paddling_earnestly to
safety. The shot so close_at_hand had been his sign for_departure;
he_did_not look back at Billy's_shrill whistling nor his wilder
shouts, and_as the yells on the other side of the_wall were bringing
