登陆注册
5378000000042

第42章 TO KILL A MAN(4)

"I did, ma'am.I did.And I sure beg your pardon.It was just plain bluff.My real name is Hughie Luke.And if you'll give me the address of that stock farm of yours, and the railroad fare, I head for it first thing in the morning."Throughout the conversation she had never relaxed her attempts on the bell.She had pressed it in every alarming way--three shorts and a long, two and a long, and five.She had tried long series of shorts, and, once, she had held the button down for a solid three minutes.And she had been divided between objurgation of the stupid, heavy-sleeping butler and doubt if the bell were in order.

"I am so glad," she said; "so glad that you are willing.There won't be much to arrange.But you will first have to trust me while I go upstairs for my purse."She saw the doubt flicker momentarily in his eyes, and added hastily, "But you see I am trusting you with the three hundred dollars.""I believe you, ma'am," he came back gallantly."Though I just can't help this nervousness.""Shall I go and get it?"

But before she could receive consent, a slight muffled jar from the distance came to her ear.She knew it for the swing-door of the butler's pantry.But so slight was it--more a faint vibration than a sound--that she would not have heard had not her ears been keyed and listening for it.Yet the man had heard.He was startled in his composed way.

"What was that?" he demanded.

For answer, her left hand flashed out to the revolver and brought it back.She had had the start of him, and she needed it, for the next instant his hand leaped up from his side, clutching emptiness where the revolver had been.

"Sit down!" she commanded sharply, in a voice new to him.

"Don't move.Keep your hands on the table."She had taken a lesson from him.Instead of holding the heavy weapon extended, the butt of it and her forearm rested on the table, the muzzle pointed, not at his head, but his chest.And he, looking coolly and obeying her commands, knew there was no chance of the kick-up of the recoil producing a miss.Also, he saw that the revolver did not wabble, nor the hand shake, and he was thoroughly conversant with the size of hole the soft-nosed bullets could make.He had eyes, not for her, but for the hammer, which had risen under the pressure of her forefinger on the trigger.

"I reckon I'd best warn you that that there trigger-pull is filed dreadful fine.Don't press too hard, or I'll have a hole in me the size of a walnut."She slacked the hammer partly down.

"That's better," he commented."You'd best put it down all the way.You see how easy it works.If you want to, a quick light pull will jiffy her up and back and make a pretty mess all over your nice floor."A door opened behind him, and he heard somebody enter the room.

But he did not turn his bead.He was looking at her, and he found it the face of another woman--hard, cold, pitiless yet brilliant in its beauty.The eyes, too, were hard, though blazing with a cold light.

"Thomas," she commanded, "go to the telephone and call the police.Why were you so long in answering?""I came as soon as I heard the bell, madam," was the answer.

The robber never took his eyes from hers, nor did she from his, but at mention of the bell she noticed that his eyes were puzzled for the moment.

"Beg your pardon," said the butler from behind, "but wouldn't it be better for me to get a weapon and arouse the servants?""No; ring for the police.I can hold this man.Go and do it--quickly."The butler slippered out of the room, and the man and the woman sat on, gazing into each other's eyes.To her it was an experience keen with enjoyment, and in her mind was the gossip of her crowd, and she saw notes in the society weeklies of the beautiful young Mrs.Setliffe capturing an armed robber single-handed.It would create a sensation, she was sure.

同类推荐
  • 茶疏

    茶疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 纯备德禅师语录

    纯备德禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说月喻经

    佛说月喻经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Varieties of Religious Experience

    The Varieties of Religious Experience

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

    Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 瑜伽翳迦讫沙啰乌瑟尼沙斫讫啰真言安怛陀那仪则一字顶轮王瑜伽经

    瑜伽翳迦讫沙啰乌瑟尼沙斫讫啰真言安怛陀那仪则一字顶轮王瑜伽经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 书穿之末世女配

    书穿之末世女配

    白星:我穿到了书里。一个要奔向星际的世界。女主贺兰心:我怎么变成配角了?小绿:你猜呢,猜到算你赢。男主冥月:我也变了配角,同命相连,所以最后咱俩是一样的结局。洛奇举手:咳,我是新晋男主,打酱油的,可以忽视我。??轻松文????萌新文???求支持??求推荐??求收藏??再求票票? ————————————————— 推新书《这末世不一般》简介:女强无男主文,无cp,快穿,轻松文倘若给你一场免费旅游,你,会不会接受?不一样的旅游,美食、冒险、危机、恐惧……这里都有,只要你还活着,就能体验常人所不知的乐趣。只要你敢来,你就会发现不一样的末世世界。欢迎来自世界各地的你们。
  • 别闹,薄先生!

    别闹,薄先生!

    【撩死人不偿命的宠文!】【正文已完结】沈小姐忙着吃饭,睡觉,教渣渣如何做人!薄先生忙着追沈小姐,追沈小姐,还是追沈小姐!“不都说薄执行长清心寡欲谦谦君子吗?”薄先生眯着眼睛靠在沙发上,动作清闲又优雅,“乖,叫老公。”薄太太扶额,看着那张脸——那种明明冷冰冰却又唯她不能缺的样子,简直就是逼人犯罪!
  • 佞华妆

    佞华妆

    前世的情既已化作世间最毒的药,这世她便要用这毒药,为自己染上最红的妆!她的重新归来,必然带着腥风血雨,本是她拉他脱离苦海,不想最后,竟是被他渡为人。
  • 自救常识悦读

    自救常识悦读

    自救就是在一个危险环境中,没有他人的帮助扶持下,靠自己的力量脱离险境。本书是包罗生活万象的、有趣的书,向读者介绍了不可不知的自救常识。收录了“预防食物中毒、应急食物的储存与使用、安置点食堂卫生要求、灾区水源分类及水源保护、居民家中饮用水安全”等等自救常识,快来了解这些常识吧!
  • 电视采访

    电视采访

    2009年12月召开的哥本哈根世界气候大会引发了人们对全球气候变化问题的高度关注。本书紧贴国内外形势,围绕气候变化涉及的自然科学、国际政治和国内政策选择等领域,分析了气候变化对自然生态系统和社会经济系统产生的重大影响,阐述了低碳经济和产业低碳化发展的必然趋势;结合主要国家温室气体减排与低碳经济发展政策,着眼中国能源结构调整和碳排放格局,提出了中国发展低碳经济的相关对策建议。
  • 群山行云(二)

    群山行云(二)

    这是三楼靠近街道一侧的房间,浴室没有做好防水处理,乳白色的壁纸从墙角起卷、发泡,除此之外,这和一般的快捷酒店没有多大区别。电视只能接收几个台,覆满雪花的屏幕重复播放着时政新闻,中间插播广告——无论哪一个都比新闻更有趣和真实。我到达X城的时间太早,按照和老A的约定,他应该在今天下午两点左右到达这里——先坐飞机抵达三百多公里外的C市,之后坐上每天一趟通往X城的绿皮火车。按照计划,我会在他坐上绿皮火车大约一个小时后完成一次跃迁,之后在X城开好房间,整理“旅行”带来的疲惫和恍惚。我俩碰面的时间相差不会超过三个小时。
  • 宠妻狂魔爱妃要越权

    宠妻狂魔爱妃要越权

    他是一个玩世不恭的王爷,仗着自己的身份嚣张之极。他武功高强!是暗藏在江湖门派中的魔王。成婚后,有流言说道:“听说乐贤王爷患有女人恐惧症!”“那他的妻子可倒霉了!”………
  • 侦破故事

    侦破故事

    无数事实、经验和理性已经证明:好故事可以影响人的一生。而以我们之见,所谓好故事,在内容上讲述的应是做人与处世的道理,在形式上也应听得进、记得住、讲得出、传得开,而且不会因时代的变迁而失去她的本质特征和艺术光彩。为了让更多的读者走进好故事,阅读好故事,欣赏好故事,珍藏好故事,传播好故事,我们特编选了一套“故事会5元精品系列”以飨之。其选择标准主要有以下三点:一、在《故事会》杂志上发表的作品。二、有过目不忘的艺术感染力。三、有恒久的趣味,对今天的读者仍有启迪作用。愿好故事伴随你的一生!
  • 萝莉校花不好惹

    萝莉校花不好惹

    “坐近点。”恶魔不要脸地笑了笑。“怕坐近,干扰了您的贵体。”本公主都自贬身价了,你怎么还一副痞子样!“女人。”我抿抿唇,你丫的,谁是女人,本公主玉女之身,活了两千多岁,最多只能称作清纯的小萝莉。“记住我的名字,狐冥灏。”谁不知道你那破名字啊,化成灰我都记得…