overhearing him. The light which he still gripped swayed back and
forth and showed him Alan again, and he raised his arm before his face
as he recoiled.

The consternation of the man was so complete that it checked Alan's
rush toward him; he halted, then advanced silently and watchfully. As
he went forward, and the light shone upon his face again, the big man
cried out hoarsely:

"Damn you--damn you, with the hole above your eye! The bullet got you!
And now you've got Ben! But you can't get me! Go back to Hell! You
can't get me! I'll get you--I'll get you! You--can't save the
_Miwaka_!"

He drew back his arm and with all his might hurled the flashlight at
Alan. It missed and crashed somewhere behind him, but did not go out;
the beam of light shot back and wavered and flickered over both of
them, as the torch rolled on the floor. Alan rushed forward and,
thrusting through the dark, his hand struck the man's chest and seized
his coat.

The man caught at and seized Alan's arm; he seemed to feel of it and
assure himself of its reality.

"Flesh! Flesh!" he roared in relief; and his big arms grappled Alan.
As they struggled, they stumbled and fell to the floor, the big man
underneath. His hand shifted its hold and caught Alan's throat; Alan
got an arm free and, with all his force, struck the man's face. The
man struck back--a heavy blow on the side of Alan's head which dizzied
him but left him strength to strike again, and his knuckles reached the
man's face once more, but he got another heavy blow in return. The man
was grappling no longer; he swung Alan to one side and off of him, and
rolled himself away. He scrambled to his feet and dashed out through
the library, across the hall, and into the service room. Alan heard
his feet clattering down the stairway to the floor beneath. Alan got
to his feet; dizzied and not yet familiar with the house, he blundered
against a wall and had to feel his way along it to the service room; as
he slipped and stumbled down the stairway, a door closed loudly at the
end of the corridor he had seen at the foot of the stairs. He ran
along the corridor to the door; it had closed with a spring lock, and
seconds passed while he felt in the dark for the catch; he found it and
tore the door open, and came out suddenly into the cold air of the
night in a paved passageway beside the house which led in one direction
to the street and in the other to a gate opening on the alley.