Adventure, January 20, 1922 — page 176: what you’re looking at

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

174 did no damage. Blaze ripped them all off, which left the large window unprotected. ‘““What’s the idea?” asked one of: Sales’ men. “You ain’t goin’ in, are yuh?” “May have to,” said Blaze calmly. “Carlin!” shouted Black Mora. yuh hear me?” “Go ahead,” said Blaze. ‘Talk fast!’’ “T’ve got two women in here,” stated Black Mora. “Tl make a trade with yuh, Carlin. You let me and my men get out and get away and I'll give yuh the wimmin and the kid. Talk fast or the deal’s off. We go free, or by the wimmin and kid git what you give us, sabe?” “No gut,” declared Frenchy weakly. “Don’ trus’ him, Blaze.” “Go to the rear and tell Sales to try to smash in the door,’ whispered Blaze to one of the men. “Tell him to hit it hard.” The man ran to the corner and circled the building. Blaze ducked below the window-sill and crept in close. “Well, are yuh goin’ to talk business?” growled Mora. There was a note of uneasi- ness in his voice, as if his nerves were badly worn. Blaze did not reply. Suddenly there was a crasheat the rear door, which threatened to tear the door from its hinges. Blaze shot upright, vaulted through the window and dropped flat on the floor. He had succeeded in attracting all the attention to the rear and not a man in the building had seen him come in. The blows were shattering the door, tearing off the hinges. Pistols flashed and bullets thudded into the door, but the door was too thick for the bullets to injure the men outside, who were using a wagon- wheel for a battering-ram. The pistol flashes momentarily lighted the place for Blaze, and he was able to locate the women, who were bound and sitting upright against the top of an overturned table. Blaze crawled to them, while Black Mora and his men expended am- munition against the door and _ cursed brokenly. Blaze reached the women and touched one of them on the head to satisfy himself that he was not mistaken. “Go out the front!” ordered Mora. “That —— door won’t last another smash. Jump out the window and take a chance. Those —— women——” “To Adventure es) feeling in the darkness. Blaze was Mt on his feet now, crouched in front of the women, and Mora’s groping hands touched him. “Who in ——?” grunted Mora. Blaze clubbed his gun, striking at Mora’s head with the barrel, but he misjudged direction and struck Mora’s shoulder, elicit- ing a yelp of pain. Mora flung himself forward, encircling Blaze with both arms. As they crashed to the floor there came a sound of splintering wood as the door gave way, the shouts of men, the thudding of pistols. Blaze went down with Mora on top of him, clawing, biting, striking blindly. Blaze drew up his knees as he fell, and was thus able to prevent Mora from reaching his throat. His wounded arm was caught under Mora’s knee, and his shoulder came in con- tact with a table-leg. Mora slackened his frenzied attempt to reach Blaze’s throat and grasped Blaze by the knees, trying to throw them aside. Like a flash, Blaze rolled sidewise, landed on his knees and sprang to his feet. Mora clawed himself upright, cursing hoarsely. Outside a conflict seemed to rage, but Blaze and Mora had the room to themselves. Blaze had lost his gun and he knew that Mora must be in the same fix. This thought was only a flash, for Mora dived into him again. Blaze smashed him with a right-hand swing, but Mora growled hoarsely and grappled Blaze around the waist. Weakened as he was, Blaze was no match for Mora in this kind of fighting, yet he continued to drive short blows to Mora’s already disfigured face. They crashed into an upturned chair and went down, fighting with tooth and nail. Mora’s breath was sobbing into Blaze’s ear and there seemed to be little pressure from Mora’s left arm. Blaze wondered if the blow from the pistol barrel had not injured Mora’s shoul- der. Blaze was almost exhausted, but he fought savagely. He managed to get his fist beneath Mora’s chin, driving upward with every ounce of his strength. Mora groaned and that groan was his undoing. Blaze laughed. He was a better man than Mora. Blaze laughed aloud, a wheezing chuckle. Mora blubbered a curse and tried to get his fingers around Blaze’s throat, but Blaze tore his hand away and ~ C@ONNIGLOOOKS MORA stepped across the room, ° (E@