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The Siege of Kemp’s House
ThentherevolvermovedalittleandtheglintofthesunlightflashedinKemp'seyes.Heshadedhiseyesandtriedtoseethesourceoftheblindingbeam.
"Surely!"hesaid,"Adyehasgivenuptherevolver."
"Promisenottorushthedoor,"Adyewassaying. "Don'tpushawinninggametoofar.Giveamanachance."
"Yougobacktothehouse.ItellyouflatlyIwillnotpromiseanything."
Adye'sdecisionseemedsuddenlymade. Heturnedtowardsthehouse,walkingslowlywithhishandsbehindhim. Kempwatchedhim—puzzled.Therevolvervanished,flashedagainintosight,vanishedagain,andbecameevidentonacloserscrutinyasalittledarkobjectfollowingAdye. Thenthingshappenedveryquickly. Adyeleaptbackwards,swungaround,clutchedatthislittleobject,missedit,threwuphishandsandfellforwardonhisface,leavingalittlepuffofblueintheair. Kempdidnothearthesoundoftheshot. Adyewrithed,raisedhimselfononearm,fellforward,andlaystill.
ForaspaceKempremainedstaringatthequietcarelessnessofAdye'sattitude. Theafternoonwasveryhotandstill,nothingseemedstirringinalltheworldsaveacoupleofyellowbutterflieschasingeachotherthroughtheshrubberybetweenthehouseandtheroadgate. Adyelayonthelawnnearthegate. Theblindsofallthevillasdownthehill-roadweredrawn,butinonelittlegreensummer-housewasawhitefigure,apparentlyanoldmanasleep. Kempscrutinisedthesurroundingsofthehouseforaglimpseoftherevolver,butithadvanished. HiseyescamebacktoAdye. Thegamewasopeningwell.
