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."Incidentally, I'll betyou haven't jumped like that for years.Never mind.It's very good for theliver.And now would you mind joining your boss over in the corner, sweetLudwig? And if you're a very good boy, perhaps I'll let you go to sleep.'3"GOOD OLD SAINT!"The commendation was wrung spontaneously from Roger Conway's lips; and SimonTemplar grinned."Hustle along this way, son," he remarked, "and we'll have you loose in twoflaps of a cow's pendulum.Then you can be making merry with that spare coilof hawser while I carry on with the good work --Jump!"The last word detonated in the end of the speech like the fulmination of acharge of high explosive at the tail of a length of fuse.And Roger jumped- noliving man could have failed to obey that trumpet-tongued command.A fraction of a second later he saw-or rather heard-the reason for it.As he crossed the room he had carelessly come between the Saint and Marius.And, as he jumped, ducking instinctively, something flew past the back of hisneck, so close that the wind of it stirred his hair, and crashed into the wallwhere the Saint had been standing.Where the Saint had been standing; butSimon was a yard away by then.As Roger straightened up he saw the Saint's automatic swinging round to checkthe rush that followed.And then he saw the telephone lying at the Saint'sfeet."Naughty,'' said the Saint reproachfully."Why didn't you shoot the swine?" snapped Roger, with reasonable irritation;but Simon only laughed."Because I want him, sonny boy.Because it wouldn't amuse me to bounce himlike that.It's too easy.I want our Angel Face for a fight.And how I wanthim!"Roger's hands were free, but he stood staring at the Saint helplessly.He said suddenly, foolishly: "Saint-what do you mean? You couldn't possibly--""I'm going to have a damned good try.Shooting is good-for some people.Butthere are others that you want to get at with your bare hands."Very gently Simon spoke-very, very gently.And Roger gazed in silent wonder atthe bleak steel in the blue eyes, and the supple poise of the wide limbershoulders, and the splendid lines of that reckless fighting face; and he couldPage 109 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlnot find anything to say.And then the Saint laughed again."But there are other things to attend to first.Grab that rope and do yourstuff, old dear-and mind you do it well.And leave that iron on the floor fora moment-we don't want anyone to infringe our patent in that pickpockettrick."A moment later he was cutting the ropes away from Sonia Delmar's wrists.Lessing came next; and Lessing was as silent during the operation as the girlhad been, but for an obviously different reason.He was shaking like a leaf;and, after one comprehensive glance at him, Simon turned again to the girl."How d'you feel, lass?" he asked; and she smiled."All right, "she said."Just pick up that gun, would you?.D'you think you could use it?"She weighed the Bowery Boy's automatic thoughtfully in her hand."I guess I could, Simon.""That's great!" Belle was back in the Saint's sleeve, and he put out his freehand and drew her towards him."Now, park yourself right over here,sweetheart, so that they can't rush you.Have you got them covered?""Sure.""Attababy.And don't take your pretty eyes off the beggars till Roger'sfinished his job.Ike, you flop into that chair and faint in your own time.Ifyou come blithering into the line of fire it'll be your funeral.Sonia,d'you feel really happy?""Why?""Could you be a real hold-up wizard for five or ten minutes, all on yourownsome?"She nodded slowly."I'd do my best, big boy.""Then take this other gat as well." He pressed it into her hand."I'm leavingyou to it, old dear- I've got to see a man about a sort of dog, and it'sblamed urgent.But I'll be right back.If you have the least sign of troublelet fly.The only thing I ask is that you don't kill Angel Face-not fatally,that is.S'long!"He waved a cheery hand, and was gone-before Roger, who had been late indivining his intention, could ask him why he went.But Roger had not understood Hermann's mission.And even the Saint had taken fully a minute to realize the ultimatesignificance of the way that hurtling telephone had smashed into the wall; butthere was nothing about it that he did not realize now, as he raced down thelong, dark drive.That had been a two-edged effort-by all the gods! It was ablazing credit to the giant's lightning grasp on situations-a desperate bidPage 110 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlfor salvation, and simultaneously a vindictive defiance.And the thought ofthat last motive lent wings to the Saint's feet.He reached the lodge gates and looked up and down the road; but he could seeno car.And then, as he paused there, he heard, quite distinctly, theunmistakable snarl of the Hirondel with an open throttle.The Saint spun round.An instant later he was flying up the road as if a thousand devils were bayingat his heels.He tore round a bend, and thought he could recognize a clump of trees in thegloom ahead.If he was right, he must be getting near the cliff.The snarl ofthe Hirondel was louder.He must have covered the last hundred yards in a shade under evens.And then,as he rounded the last corner, he heard a splintering crash.With a shout he flung himself forward.And yet he knew that it was hopeless.For one second he had a glimpse of the great car rearing like a stricken beaston the brink of the precipice, with its wide flaming eyes hurling a long whitespear of light into the empty sky; and then the light went out, and down thecliff side went the roar of the beast and a racking, tearing thunder ofbreaking shrubs and battered rocks and shattering metal.And then anothercrash.And a silence.The Saint covered the rest of the distance quite calmly; and the man who stoodin the road did not try to turn.Perhaps he knew it would be useless."Mr.Prosser, I believe?" said the Saint caressingly.The man stood mute, with his back to the gap which the Hirondel had tornthrough the flimsy rails at the side of the road.And Simon Templar faced him."You've wrecked my beautiful car," said the Saint, in the same caressing tone.And suddenly his fist smashed into the man's face; and Mr.Prosser reeledback, and went down without a sound into the silence.4WHICH WAS CERTAINLY very nice and jolly, reflected the Saint, as he walkedslowly back to the house.But not noticeably helpful.He walked slowly because it was his habit to move slowly when he was thinking.And he had a lot to think about
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Tematy
IndexJohn Norman Gor 04 Nomads of Gor
Stasheff, Christopher Rogue Wizard 04 A Wizard in Peace
Colette Sidonie Gabrielle Klaudyna 04 Klaudyna odchodzi
White James Szpital Kosmiczny 04 Statek Szpitalny
Emilie Richards [Ministry is Murder 04] A Lie for a Lie (pdf)
Roberts Nora Bracia MacKade 03 i 04 Więzy krwi tom1 Serce Devina tom2 Miłoœć Shane'a
John Connolly Charlie Parker 04 The White Road (com v4.0) (lit)
§ Preston Douglas, Child Lincoln Perdergast 04 Martwa natura z krukami
Clancy Tom Jack Ryan 04 Polowanie na Czerwony PaŸdziernik
Sivec Tara Pokusy i łakocie Niezbyt grzeczna rzecz o miłoÂści