It was impossible to figure out where she had come from, or what she thought she was doing, but a bulging, slightly intoxicated Russian matron with bluish hair piled high on her head, a rusty orange dress and altogether too many jewels scattered here and there about her ample person, stood regarding him with a mixture of scorn, surprise and shock.
Malone crowded her aside without a thought and jerked the door open. Behind her he could see the melee still continuing, though it looked by now as if the Russians weren’t very sure who they were supposed to be fighting. The Mongol’s great head rose for a second above the storm, shouting something unintelligible, and dropped again into the crowd.
Malone focused on the matron, who was standing with her mouth open staring at him.
“Madam,” he said with stern dignity, “wait your turn!”
He ducked inside and slammed the door behind him. There was a small knob to bolt the door with, and he used it. But it wasn’t going to hold long, he knew. If the mob outside ever got straightened out, the door would go down like a piece of cardboard, bolt or no bolt. Undoubtedly the gigantic Mongol could do the job with one hand tied behind his back.
Malone turned around and put his own back to the door. Women were looking up and making up their minds whether or not to scream. Time stood absolutely still, and nobody seemed to be moving—not even the two directly before him: a frightened-looking little old lady, who was trying to hold up a semiconscious redhead.
And, somewhere behind him, he knew, was a howling mob of thoroughly maddened Russians.
8
The door rattled against Malone’s back as a hand twisted the knob and shook it. He braced himself for the next assault, and it came: the shudder of a heavy body slamming up against it. Miraculously, the door held, at least for the moment. But the roars outside were growing louder and louder as the second team came up.
Where was the Mongol? he wondered. But there was no time for idle contemplation. The scene inside the room demanded his immediate attention.