bs was looking for him. This gave him a new lease of
life. It was almost as good as a long breath. But he couldn't
answer--could make no sound to indicate where he was. The call came
again from almost beside the door. Then he saw Stubbs glance in among
the shadows and move off again. He kicked weakly at the floor. Then he
heaved his shoulders with a strength new-born in him, and the fellow's
tired fingers weakened,--weakened for so long as he could take one
full breath. But before he could utter the shout the merciless fingers
had found their grip once more. The man on top of him, now half
crazed, snapped at his ear like a dog. Then he pressed one knee into
the pit of Wilson's stomach with gruelling pain. He was becoming
desperate with the resistance of this thing beneath him.

Once again Stubbs appeared at the door. Wilson raised his leg and
brought it down sharply. Stubbs jumped at the sound and looked in more
closely. He saw the two forms. Then he bent swiftly and brought the
butt of his revolver down sharply on the fellow's temple. What had
been a man suddenly became nothing but a limp bundle of bones. Wilson
threw him off without the slightest effort. Then he rolled over and
devoted himself to the business of drinking in air--great gulps of it,
choking over it as a famished man will food.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No."

"Can ye stand up?"

"In a minute."

"Pretty nigh the rocks that time."

"He--had a grip like iron."

"Better keep out in the open sea where ye can be seen."

Wilson struggled up and, except for a biting pain in his throat, soon
felt himself again.

"Where's Danbury?" he asked.

"Dunno. But we can't stop to look for him. That gang has gone wild.
Guess we've pretty nigh cleaned out the place an' now they are runnin'
free."

"Won't Otaballo reach here soon?"

"Can't tell. If he doesn't he won't find much left but the walls. I'm
goin' arter them an' see what I can do."

"Better keep your eyes open. They'll shoot you in a minute."

"Mebbe so, mebbe not."

He led the way along an intricate series of corridors to a broad
flight of stairs. Above there was a noise like a riot.

"If I can git 'em inter one room--a room with a lock on 't," he
growled.

As they hurried along, Wilson caught glimpses of massive furniture,
gilded mirrors, costly damask hangings brought over three hundred
years before when this was the most extravagant country on the face of
the earth. They took the broa