With
one sudden, almost superhuman effort, he heaved his great adversary
up, but had not strength enough left to do more than let him slip
from his grasp to fall on the ground, and with the effort he himself
dropped forward on his hands and knees, just as a lantern shone at
a distance and a voice cried:
"This way, Tom. Master John, Master John, where are you?"
CHAPTER III
A COINCIDENCE
Another voice answered from near by and Dunn scrambled hurriedly to
his feet.
He had but a moment in which to decide what to do, for these new
arrivals were coming at a run and would be upon him almost instantly
if he stayed where he was.
That they were friends of the man he had just overthrown and whose
huge bulk lay motionless in the darkness at his feet, seemed plain,
and it also seemed plain to him that the moment was not an opportune
one for offering explanations.
Swiftly he decided to slip away into the darkness. What had
happened might be cleared up later when he knew more and was more
sure of his ground; at present he must think first, he told himself,
of the success of his mission.
Physically, he was greatly exhausted and his gait was not so steady
nor his progress so silent and skillful as it had been before, as
now he hurried away from the scene of the combat.
But the two new-comers made no attempt to pursue him and indeed did
not seem to give his possible presence in the vicinity even a
thought, as with many muttered exclamations of dismay and anger,
they stooped over the body of his prostrate enemy.
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