CHAPTER XLII
SELF-DEFENCE
If a man is found in the house at night, he can be generally captured by getting the drop on him, that is to say, getting an aim on him before he aims at you, and make him hold up his hands.
But there are cases when, in order to save another or yourself, to attempt this is merely to get killed.
If a man is rushing on you it is no use calling “hands up.” Shoot instead of talking.
This especially applies to a man rushing on with a knife. He most probably will throw it into you if you are not quick.
With an automatic pistol there is little in a room to hide behind which gives protection and it only gives the opponent courage and time to take a deliberate shot through the obstacle, if you try to shelter yourself. If he tries to take shelter behind something impenetrable, if you fire into what he is sheltered behind it often brings him out and enables you to get a shot at him.
If he is behind a small tree the big bullet of a .45 Army Automatic would probably go through and hit him and, even if it did not go through, it would frighten him so that he would show himself and give you the opportunity to shoot him.
A big-game shooter knows of many dodges to induce a dangerous animal who has hidden, to show himself, or charge.
Calling to an imaginary person behind the attacker as “Look out Tom, he’s coming your way, shoot,” will perhaps make a man, expecting an attack from his rear, expose himself to you in front. Throwing something towards him may make him move. The great thing is to keep him moving and prevent his shooting back.