NEAR TO DEATH.
The Irishwoman had come up behind Hal so softly—she wore rubbers—that the youth did not hear her, and he was, therefore, thoroughly startled when she made the exclamation quoted at the end of the preceding chapter.
Ferris and Macklin jumped to their feet and both rushed out in the hall.
"What's the row, Mary?" cried the latter.
"Sure an' that's phot Oi want to know," replied the woman. "Oi found this fellow pakin' in the kay-hole of your dure, so Oi did."
"It's Hal Carson!" exclaimed Ferris. "So this is the way you followed me, eh?" he continued.
"Who is Hal Carson?" asked Macklin, grasping the youth by the arm.
"Old Sumner's new clerk and office boy," replied Ferris. "Don't let him get away."
Macklin gave a whistle.
"Dat's kinder serious, if he follered yer here. Wot have yer got ter say fer yerself?" he demanded, turning to Hal.
"Let go of my arm," returned Hal. "Are you the only one who lives in this building?"
"No."
"Then I presume I have a right to enter the hall-way, haven't I?"
"That won't wash, Carson!" exclaimed Ferris. "You are doing nothing but following me, and you know it."
"Just you step inside, do you hear?" commanded Macklin. "That's all right, Mary, I'll take care o' him," he added to the woman.
"Oi wondher if he was up in me apartment," she said, suspiciously. "Oi'll go up an' see if there is anything missing."
The woman departed, and Macklin tried to shove Hal into the room.
"Stop that!" ordered the youth.
"Don't pay no attention to him," cried Ferris. "He's a regular spy, and he's trying his best to get us all into trouble."
Macklin caught Hal by the arm. The next instant Hal received a terrible blow behind the right ear that almost stunned him.
"Now I think yer will come in an' mind," howled Macklin. "Take hold o' him, Ferris."
The tall boy came out, and before Hal could recover he was dragged into the apartment and the door was closed and locked.
When he came to realize what had happened he found himself confronted by the angry pair.
"That's what you get for spying on us," said Ferris.
"Tain't no healthy business fer a feller ter be in around here," added Macklin, with a coarse laugh.
"I want you to open the door," returned Hal, as calmly as he could.
"That's right!" laughed Ferris. "I suppose you think you can command us to do anything, don't you?"
Hal walked toward the door and shook it. It was strongly built, and to break it down was out of the question.
"Give me the key," he said.
Another laugh followed this speech.
Hal glanced out of the window. It was tightly closed, and the distance to the court below was fully twenty feet.
The youth looked at Macklin, who had resumed his smoking.
"What do you propose to do with me?" he asked.
"That is hard ter tell," replied the tough. "It all depends on wot Ferris is got ter say."
"You have the key of the door?"
"I kinder think it's in my pocket."
"Give it to me."
Macklin chuckled.
"Don't waste yer breath; yer may need it."
He had hardly spoken when Hal sprang upon him. The youth was thoroughly aroused, and a well directed blow sent Macklin sprawling in one corner, while his pipe went flying in another.
The tough uttered a howl as he went down, and Ferris gave a cry of consternation.
"Now will you give me the key?" demanded Hal.
"Git orf of me!" spluttered Macklin.
"Let up there," put in Ferris.
"Stand back, Ferris," cried Hal. "I am not to be trifled with."
"Pull him orf!" roared Macklin.
Ferris advanced, but rather gingerly.
He knew Hal's strength, and he had a great horror of being struck.
Macklin tried to rise, but Hal hit once more and he went down a second time. Then Hal sat down on his body.
"Hand over the key."
Hal had an idea the key was in Macklin's outer pocket, and into this he inserted his hand.
It soon came in contact with what he was searching for. He tried to withdraw the key, but now Macklin began to squirm worse than ever, and he had hard work to master the fellow.
"Help me, Ferris!" howled the tough.
"Don't you dare come near," said Hal.
"Don't mind him—help me," said Macklin again.
Ferris hesitated, but at last approached and caught Hal by the arm.
"Let Macklin up," he said.
Instead of replying Hal sprang to his feet. In one hand he held the key, and with the other he shoved Ferris up against the wall.
"Now let me pass!"
"Don't do it!" howled Macklin.
"I won't," replied Ferris.
He caught Hal by the coat tail. This compelled the youth to turn once more. He aimed a blow at Ferris' head, and the fellow went down over the table.
Hal now thought he saw his way clear to escape. He bounded toward the door, and was just inserting the key into the lock when Macklin sprang up.
Beside the stove lay a heavy billet of wood, which the man had intended to split up for kindlings. Macklin caught up the stick, and jumping behind Hal, hit the youth a fearful blow directly on the top of the head.
With a low cry, Hal sank down in a heap. Macklin gave a sudden gasp, and Ferris straightened up.
"Have you—killed him?" asked Ferris in a tone, of horror.
"I don't know," replied the tough. "Dat was a kinder heavy crack, wasn't it?"
Ferris shuddered. A thin stream of blood was issuing from Hal's head, and this made the tall boy sick. He approached and gazed at Hal's pallid face and motionless form.
"I'm afraid you have killed him, Macklin," he said.
"Me killed him?" cried the tough. "I kinder think you had as much ter do wid it as me."
Ferris had a sudden chill dart down his back-bone at these words. If anything was wrong it was certain Macklin did not intend to shoulder the blame.
"What made you hit him so hard?" he asked.
"I couldn't help it. Let's see how bad he is."
Macklin approached Hal and turned over the limp body. Then he placed his hand over the youth's heart.
"He ain't dead yet. Dat was a hard crack, but he's got a strong constitution, dat feller has. Say?"
"Well?"
Macklin came up close to Dick Ferris, who was now as white as a sheet.
"We is good friends, Ferris, ain't we?"
"Ye-as."
"Den let me do sum'thin' fer yer."
"What is it?"
"I'll tell yer. Yer see der feller ain't——"
Macklin broke off short, as a footstep sounded in the hall-way.
"It's der old woman comin' back," he muttered.
"Your wife?"
"Yes."
"Oh, what shall we do with the—the body?" cried Ferris, in alarm.
As he spoke the door-knob was turned, and then came the tones of a woman's voice:
"Let me in, Tommy!"