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The Siege of Kemp’s House
"Proposedatrap—likeafool,"saidKemp,"andsentmyproposaloutbyamaidservant.Tohim."
AdyefollowedKemp'sprofanity.
"He'llclearout,"saidAdye.
"Nothe,"saidKemp.
Aresoundingsmashofglasscamefromupstairs. AdyehadasilveryglimpseofalittlerevolverhalfoutofKemp'spocket. "It'sawindow,upstairs!"saidKemp,andledthewayup. Therecameasecondsmashwhiletheywerestillonthestaircase. Whentheyreachedthestudytheyfoundtwoofthethreewindowssmashed,halftheroomlitteredwithsplinteredglass,andonebigflintlyingonthewritingtable. Thetwomenstoppedinthedoorway,contemplatingthewreckage. Kempsworeagain,andashedidsothethirdwindowwentwithasnaplikeapistol,hungstarredforamoment,andcollapsedinjagged,shiveringtrianglesintotheroom.
"What'sthisfor?"saidAdye.
"It'sabeginning,"saidKemp.
"There'snowayofclimbinguphere?"
"Notforacat,"saidKemp.
"Noshutters?"
"Nothere.Allthedownstairsrooms—Hullo!"
Smash,andthenwhackofboardshithardcamefromdownstairs. "Confoundhim!"saidKemp."Thatmustbe—yes—it'soneofthebedrooms. He'sgoingtodoallthehouse.Buthe'safool. Theshuttersareup,andtheglasswillfalloutside. He'llcuthisfeet."
Anotherwindowproclaimeditsdestruction. Thetwomenstoodonthelandingperplexed. "Ihaveit!"saidAdye."Letmehaveastickorsomething,andI'llgodowntothestationandgetthebloodhoundsputon. Thatoughttosettlehim!They'rehardby—nottenminutes—"
Anotherwindowwentthewayofitsfellows.
"Youhaven'tarevolver?"askedAdye.
Kemp'shandwenttohispocket.Thenhehesitated."Ihaven'tone—atleasttospare."
"I'llbringitback,"saidAdye,"you'llbesafehere."
Kemp,ashamedofhismomentarylapsefromtruthfulness,handedhimtheweapon.
