Swiftly opening the partition door, he thrust in his hand, pulled a covering off from the bunk, then after closing the door, he proceeded rapidly to tie the corners together, muttering meanwhile, “Eesa mak a da loop, lak a da bag. See! Ha, ha, ha, ha!”
To Virginia the trap appeared so simple and ingenious, its application so promising of success, that as she watched its preparation her heart leaped to the opportunity presented as a last chance.
“Attack them now—attack them now!” urged her judgment with startling force. Louder it seemed to grow, till at last, maddened by the very repugnance of its conception, a sickening sense of fear overpowered her, her nerves suddenly collapsed, and she seemed to lose the power of action.
Having completed the snare, which had taken only a few moments to prepare. Jack bent forward, showing the white of his teeth as a wolf of its fangs when about to spring on its prey.
“Now together!” he whispered.
Virginia saw her danger and realized the crisis of all her efforts to make atonement for the wrong she had caused Constance was at hand.
Again the affrighted despairing cry burst in an audible whisper from her lips.
“Help! Help! Oh, God in heaven, help!” Just what Jack would have done in his fury it is impossible to say, for the liquor had frenzied him, and Virginia’s stubborn resistance had aroused in him a latent devil. His intention, whatever it may have been, was frustrated by Sam, who at that moment smashed in the window, covered him with his revolver and shouted, “Throw up your hands!”
The crash of broken glass arrested Jack’s attention, and upon looking around he discovered the muzzle of a large caliber revolver thrust through the broken window and leveled straight at him.
So sudden was the surprise, so unexpected and imminent the danger, that he automatically flung up his hands.