"
Bart showed the gleaming top of the weapon in his pocket, backing to the
door.
Just then the door behind him was forcibly thrust open, its edge hitting
him violently. Then someone pounced upon him.
The attack was sudden and effective. A piece of rope was looped deftly
about Bart's arms, holding him helpless, secured behind, and as he was
pushed roughly against the desk. Lem Wacker's evil face leered down upon
him.
"Don't you holler!" ordered Lem.
As he spoke, he leaned over the railing. The waste box held a mass of
cotton that had packed some of the parcels disposed of at the sale that
afternoon. Lem grabbed up a handful, and forcibly stuffed it into Bart's
mouth.
"Wacker! Wacker!" gasped Colonel Harrington in affright, "don't--don't
hurt him. This is dreadful--"
"Shut up!" ordered Lem Wacker recklessly, "you want something and don't
know how to get it. I do--and will."
He snatched at Bart's tightly-buttoned coat and tore it loose, groped
inside and drew out a package.
"I've got it," he announced. "No!--he ripped off the end of the
parcel--here's a haul."
Bart writhed, choked on the loose strangling filaments of cotton, but
could not utter a word.
Pages:
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194