As he came through the doorway, the crash of Deland’s revolver drowned all other sounds.
The bullet splintered the door casing over Patsy’s head.
Bang!
Another ball whizzed by Patsy’s head.
The hall was only dimly lighted by the rays that came from the lamp in the side hall, and for an instant Patsy could not see his quarry. The flash from his revolver on the second shot revealed him.
Deland was darting up the main stairway, not daring to wait to open a door, and evidently bent upon reaching the veranda roof and thence making his escape.
Patsy now saw him plainly, and that he again was about to fire, and he dropped like a flash to his knees. He was not quite quick enough, however.
Bang! went the weapon, and the bullet tore through the flesh on Patsy’s left shoulder.
He felt the sting and the gush of hot blood. He was[Pg 38] up on the instant, revolver leveled, and was pumping lead up the stairway with the rapidity of a gatling gun.
The report of the weapon was mingled with another sound—the crash of a body at Patsy’s feet.