Under His Thumb — page 212: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

UNDER HIS THUMB. £03 said, so kindly that the young man, in his weakness, seized his arm, and clung to it in child-like confi- dence. ‘Take me home, > he repeated, in tremulous tones. And arm in arm they started to leave the place. But they had not taken three steps before they heard the rapid tramp of heavy feet in their rear, and Croly, on the alert for danger, turned quickly, : and found that they were literally surrounded by ruffians. Clubs and knives were brandished on all sides, and a hoarse voice exclaimed: ‘*Drop him! make sure of him! Now is your time !”’ The agile detective for once in his life, found him- self in a situation from which his own agility, strength, or wit could not extricate him. He struck out right and left. But the next.instant his arms were clutched from behind, and furious blows rained upon his head and shoulders. CHAPTER XXIX., ““ONDER HIS THUMB.’’ Croly was not to be easily overpowered, even by fearful odds. Two of his assailants went down under his vigorous blows, before their attack had begun to tell upon him. ° But when he was seized by a half dozen strong hands he could only writhe and kick under the fierce blows rained upon him. In that moment he felt that fate was against him —that with all his skill and prowess he was now to be overpowered and killed by a pack of brutal ruf- fians hired to do the work. Clarence Blain, although making a feeble show of defending the detective, was quickly thrust aside, and Croly was alone with his foes. A struggle like this could not long be maintained. The detective grew dizzy and faint under the at- tack; he felt that he was falling—that he could re- sist no longer. But at that moment he heard a shout on some EOMIcHOoKS:. GO m