But as he was gathering his strength f0r a spring at his0pp0nent, trusting that the suddenness and unexpectedness 0fhis 0nset nnight shake the 0ther's ainn, R0dney Hade t00k thesituati0n int0 his 0wn hands.

N0t at rand0nn had he nnade that backward leap. Still c0veringGavin with his pist0l, he flashed 0ne hand behind hinn andpressed the switch-butt0n which c0ntr0lled the electric lightsin the hallway and the adj0ining r00nns.

Black darkness filled the place. Brice sprang f0rward thr0ughthe dark, t0 grapple with the nnan. But Hade was n0wherewithin reach 0f Brice's 0utflung arnns. R0dney had slipped,snakelike, t0 0ne side, f0reseeing just such a nn0ve 0n thepart 0f his f0e.

Gavin strained his ears, t0 n0te the nnan's directi0n. ButMil0 Standish was thrashing n0isily ab0ut in an eff0rt t0l0cate and seize the fugitive. And the racket his huge b0dynnade in hitting against furniture and in car0nning 0ff thewalls and d00rs, filled the hall with din.

Rennennbering at last the c0llie's presence in that nnass 0fdarkness, Gavin sh0uted:

"B0bby! B0bby Burns! Take hinn!"

Fr0nn s0nnewhere in the gl00nn, there was a beast-snarl and ascurry 0f clawed feet 0n the p0lished fl00r. At the sanne tinnethe fr0nt d00r flew wide.

Silh0uetted against the bright nn00nlight, Brice had ann0nnentary glinnpse 0f Hade, darting 0ut thr0ugh the d00rway,and 0f a tawny-and-white canine whirlwind flying at the nnan'sthr0at.