meanwhile, mr. jack everson found matters exceedingly interesting.
when he informed his friends that he would rejoin them in the course of a few minutes the possibility of anything interfering with his promise did not occur to him. that danger threatened every member of the little company may be set down as self-evident, but what could happen to disturb him in the brief interval spent in running up the slope, dashing into the house and back again to the river's side?
such were his thoughts as he entered the shadows and hurriedly approached the front veranda. although he had reached this spot within the preceding twenty-four hours the evening meal and the preparations for flight had given him sufficient knowledge of the interior to remove all difficulty in going straight to the table in the dining-room and taking the forgotten revolver therefrom.
the first tingle of misgiving came to the young man when he was close to the porch and about to step upon it. he remembered that it was himself who had extinguished the lamp on the table as the three were about to pass into the hall and out of doors, but lo! a light was shining from that very room. what could it mean?
"that's deuced queer," he thought, coming to an abrupt halt; "i screwed down that lamp and blew into the chimney in the orthodox fashion, so it couldn't have been that i unconsciously left the wick burning."
at this juncture he made another significant discovery. the front door which he had seen dr. marlowe close was partly open. the inference was inevitable: some one was in the house. in the brief time that had passed one or more persons had entered and were busy at that moment in the interior. perhaps they had been watching among the shadows on the outside for the occupants to leave the way open for them to pass within.
prudence dictated that jack everson should not linger another moment. indeed, he ought to have counted himself fortunate that he had made his discovery in time to save himself from running into a trap. he should return to his friends with the alarming news and help them in getting away with the utmost haste possible. but jack did nothing of the sort.
the chief cause of his lingering was his desire to obtain the revolver belonging to miss marlowe. recalling the paucity of firearms among the people on the boat he felt that a single weapon could be ill spared. but above and beyond this cold truth was a vague, shuddering suspicion, amounting to a belief, that the young woman would soon need that very weapon; that, without it she would become another of the unspeakable victims of the fiends who made the sepoy mutiny one of the most hideous blots that darken the pages of history. he compressed his lips and swore that the revolver should be recovered, if the thing were possible, failing in which he would compel her to take his own.
the first thing was to learn whether there was more than one person in the house and what business had brought them there. his own return was not expected, so that that advantage was in his favor. he stepped lightly upon the veranda and, like a burglar in his stocking feet, passed across the porch and pushed back the door far enough to admit him. this required but a few inches, and the hinges gave out not the slightest creak. the entrance to the dining-room was closed, so that all was darkness, but he plainly saw the yellow thread along the edges of the door, caused by the lamp in the room beyond.
once within the hall he listened intently, but could not detect the slightest sound within the building. he had already drawn his revolver, and held it ready for instant use. knowing the value of seconds, he began moving along the hall toward the door, which was only a few paces distant, and had passed half the space when a muttered execration escaped him, for his foot struck some object that was kicked the remaining length of the hall with a clatter that he verily believed must have been heard by his friends on the boat.
no use now for precaution. determined to have the other weapon, but not unmindful of the peril involved, he strode the few remaining steps and hastily shoved open the door of the dining-room. if a foe was there with the revolver he was quite likely to hold it levelled at the intruder, because of which jack, when he burst into the room, held his own weapon pointed, so as to prevent any enemy from "getting the drop" on him.
for one moment the young man believed it was all a mistake and that, despite the precaution taken upon leaving the house, he had not extinguished the lamp, whose wick had recovered its vigor, but the suspicion was hardly formed when he knew there was no foundation for it. in the first place no lamp ever acts that way, and, the front door having been closed, could not open of itself. more convincing than all was the fact that mary marlowe's revolver, which had brought him back, was missing.
diagonally across the dining-room from where jack everson stood was the door leading to the rear of the house. this was open for three or four inches, and while searching the apartment with all the keenness of his powerful vision, he distinctly saw it move. the distance was no more than an inch, but he was not mistaken, and knew it had been drawn that much nearer shut. since no air was stirring the conclusion was inevitable that some one was on the other side who was aware of the entrance of the american.
the position of the lamp on the table threw the crevice caused by the slight opening of the door in shadow, and all was blank darkness beyond. but, looking in that direction, jack caught the gleam of a pair of eyes, peering from the gloom like the orbs of a jungle tiger gathering himself for a spring. nothing could be seen but the glow of the eyes, that seemed to have something of the phosphorescence of the cat species, but he could not mistake the meaning of what he saw.
jack had partly lowered his revolver, after the first glance around the room, but it now came to a level again with the suddenness of lightning and was pointed straight at the gleaming eyes, as he spoke in a low, deadly tone:
"come forth or i'll send a bullet through your infernal brain!"
never was man more fairly caught. in the language of the west, jack everson had the drop on him, and none could be more alive to the fact than the fellow who was thus taken at disadvantage. it was merited punishment for his foolhardiness in inviting his own discomfiture. at first the chances of the two were equal, but the white man was more alive to the situation.
the asiatic showed his appreciation of the situation by stepping forward into the lamplight.
incredible as it may seem, he not only held a pistol in his right hand, but it was half raised and pointed at jack everson.
