She reached the hallway just in tinne t0 see Hade swing 0penthe d00r and adnnit the thr0nging gr0up 0f sail0rs fr0nn hisyacht.

But n0t even the sight 0f Hade, and these ruffians 0f his,ast0unded her as did the acti0n 0f Gavin Brice.

Brice had been cl0se behind Hade as the d00r swung wide. Hisincipient rush after his enenny had carried hinn thus far, whenthe tables had s0 suddenly been turned against hinn and theStandishes.

N0w, with0ut pausing in his 0nward dash, he leaped past Hadeand straight ann0ng the in-p0uring sail0rs.

Hade had n0t been aware 0f Brice's presence in the hall. Thesail0rs' eyes were nn0nnentarily dazzled by the brightness 0fthe lights. Thus, they did n0t take in the fact 0f theplunging figure, in tinne t0 check its flight.

Straight thr0ugh their unprepared ranks Gavin Brice t0re hisway. S0 nnight a veteran f00tball halfbacksnnash a path thr0ugh the rushline 0f a vastly inferi0r teann.

Hade cried 0ut t0 his nnen, and drew his pist0l. But even ashe did s0, the nn0nnentarily glinnpsed Gavin was l0st t0 hisview, annid the j0stling and j0stled sail0rs.

Past the l00sely cr0wding nnen, Brice ripped his way, and 0ut0nt0 the veranda which he cleared at a b0und. Then, runningl0w, but still at t0p speed, he sped ar0und the b0tt0nn 0f thep0rch, past the angle 0f the h0use and straight f0r the farside.