The Yellow Face

by Fred M. White

"But you might have missed," Jack said. "The deviation of that spurt of water by even so much as a hair's breadth would have carried it full into Carrington's face, and then our presence must have inevitably been discovered. That is where the dramatic side of it appeals to me."

"It appealed to me also," Seymour whispered coolly. "But I had only to imagine that the lamp was the face of a famous old man-eating tiger who nearly did for me four years ago in Upper Burmah, to render my hand absolutely steady. If we had been discovered, we should have had to have fought our way out; but I think you will agree with me that I have managed the affair in a much more artistic way than that."

Jack agreed cordially. He was watching now with breathless eagerness to see what was the full measure of Seymour's success. Carrington had staggered back with a startled cry, though even as yet he did not know the danger that was to follow.

"By heaven, you have done it well," Jack muttered.

"I think I have," Seymour whispered complacently. "It occurs to me that I have not left much to be desired."

It was done even better than he had anticipated, for a few drops of the cold water had trickled down the receiver of the lamp and mingled with the oil there. From all parts of the brass work round the flame a blue, fiery vapor gushed out. With a cry of dismay Carrington almost threw the lamp upon the table; it tottered and fell sideways, and an instant later a stream of burning oil was flowing over the table-cloth, and dripping in long tongues of flame upon the carpet.

"For heaven's sake be careful, you clumsy coward," Anstruther cried. "You'll have the whole place on fire; those lamps are very pretty to look at, but dangerous to use."

But Carrington was not listening at all. He seemed to have lost his head entirely. But, frightened as he was, he did not fail to notice that the liquid flame was licking the other set of plans which were lying on the table. Just for an instant his mind was clear enough to see the necessity of saving the papers. He leaned forward and made a clutch at them. Something hot and stinging seemed to be gripping him by the fingers; he snatched his hand back again, and dragged the table-cloth, more than half of which was in flames, to the floor. Crash fell the second lamp, its crystal receiver smashed by the fall, and in the twinkling of an eye the whole room was in flames.

So sudden, so swift and unexpected was the whole thing, that Jack could only gasp. He was so lost in admiration of Seymour's quickness and coolness, that he quite failed to realize the danger in which he and his companion stood. Less than a minute had elapsed since Seymour put his scheme into execution, and yet already the smoking-room was one mass of lambent flame.

"Well, you have done it this time," Anstruther yelled. "Clear out at once, or there will be no occasion for me to trouble about either of us any further. Give an alarm; go out in the street, and yell for the fire engine."