When the next rush brought a man into view Carlson fired, and he knew by the scream that he had hit once more. The pistol dropped from his hand, and his body swayed. But the girl realized everything in an instant. Quick as thought she snatched up the pistol with her right hand as she knelt beside him, and her other arm went around him.
At that instant a perfect fusillade of shooting sounded from the outer room, followed by screams, yelling and groaning. Then a masked man with a pistol in his hand bounded wildly into the half-opened door of the bathroom. But Ina fired from their darkened corner before he saw them, and he fell backward among the debris.
Carlson felt everything growing dark.
“Ina?”
“Yes, dear; we’ve won the fight!”
His head sank against her breast, just as two policemen appeared in the doorway.
She dropped the pistol and put both arms about him.
VI
“Miss Holden?” asked one of the officers, turning his bull’s-eye lantern on them.
She did not answer, but looked long and tensely at Carlson’s white unconscious face. Then she pressed a kiss on his forehead.