United States or Caribbean Netherlands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Still, I make it a rule to give myself the benefit of every doubt." There was, indeed, no sign of ambush that he could detect in any quarter, nor any indication that Popinot's Apaches were posted thereabouts. Nevertheless, Lanyard produced his automatic and freed the safety-catch before opening the door. "A thousand thanks, my dear Count!" "For what? Doing myself a service?
"It's no use your shouting for Bridgers because Bridgers is on the way to the jug," said McNorton. "I have a warrant for you, van Heerden." The doctor turned with a howl of rage, snatched up the pistol which lay on the table, and thumbed down the safety-catch. Beale and McNorton fired together, so that it seemed like a single shot that thundered through the room.
The pistol was already loaded, its charge of compressed air awaiting but the touch of release. Bullard undid the safety-catch, took a glance round, and passed between the curtains, re-drawing them till they almost touched. With his left hand he grasped the edges at a level with his chin, leaving a narrow aperture above that level through which he could aim.
His hand slipped into his pocket, with his thumb he lowered the safety-catch of the pistol. But the hand with the pistol in it did not leave his pocket. The steps of the orderly had come to a sudden silence. Raising his head heavily, Swanson saw the man, with his eyes fixed upon him, standing at salute.
"Yes, I think I must settle accounts with this gentleman, but I don't want to use this," he added thoughtfully, as he pushed up the safety-catch and dropped the weapon in his pocket; "we might be able to gas him. Anyway, you can do no more good or harm," he said cynically.
Might not this advantage of the door defended only by the girl have been noted by the men on the other side of that partition? And she? Her back was to the engine and her corner blind pulled down. She would see nothing till her door began to open; and even had she nerve for killing, she could not shoot; for, in pity of her white hands, he had fixed the safety-catch of Melchard's gun.
He knew instinctively by her accents that she was terrified beyond measure and that he need not expect treachery from her. With one hand he clutched the sill, with the other he reached up and shifting the safety-catch on with his thumb, let his revolver fall into the room.
The grim, silent man beside him lifted something on to his knees, and there was a faint click like the safety-catch of a gun being released. A frog in the ditch near by set up a low, meditative croaking. Uncle Bill raised his head abruptly. Their straining ears caught the sound of someone running, stumbling along the uneven track that wound in from the shore.
"Stand back!" she cried. He jumped at her, and she pulled the trigger, but nothing happened, and the next minute she was struggling in his arms. The man was hysterical with fear and relief and was giggling and cursing in the same breath. He wrenched the pistol from her hand and threw it on the table. "You fool! You fool!" he shouted, "the safety-catch! You didn't put it down!"
He got the fore-sight and back-sight in a line on the stick, seized the traversing-handles, released the safety-catch, and pressed the button with his right thumb with the persistency of a man who cannot make the waiter answer the electric bell. "Tap tap tap." There was a series of explosions as though the sparking plug of a motor-bicycle was playing tricks.
Word Of The Day