With the sound from the first movement of the latch, Smith-Oldwick
opened his eyes, but though he endeavored to disengage himself
from the girl he realized that the newcomer had seen their rather
compromising position. The girl, whose back was toward the door,
seemed at first not to realize that someone had entered, but when
she did she turned quickly and as her eyes fell upon the man whose
terrible face was now distorted with an expression of hideous rage
she turned, screaming, and fled toward the alcove. The Englishman,
flushed and embarrassed, stood where she had left him. With the
sudden realization of the futility of attempting an explanation,
came that of the menacing appearance of the man, whom he now
recognized as the official who had received them in the room below.
The fellow's face, livid with insane rage and, possibly, jealousy,
was twitching violently, accentuating the maniacal expression that
it habitually wore.
For a moment he seemed paralyzed by anger, and then with a loud
shriek that rose into an uncanny wail, he drew his curved saber
and sprang toward the Englishman. To Smith-Oldwick there seemed
no possible hope of escaping the keen-edged weapon in the hands of
the infuriated man, and though he felt assured that it would draw
down upon him an equally sudden and possibly more terrible death,
he did the only thing that remained for him to do--drew his pistol
and fired straight for the heart of the oncoming man.
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