Part 33 (1/2)

”Never! How have you the impudence to place your feet on these steps!

How did you come here?”

”I was brought. When Teresa declined to admit me, I decided to wait until your return, for I knew you were out in the city. I am here. Now we will go in together. You shall leave me with Teresa while you take away the foreigners and return.”

The man spoke as if fully confident that Tortora would comply. The gondolier seemed hesitating, but suddenly he cried:

”As I must die, I'll not leave you to torture my sister! The Ten will destroy me, but not until I have killed you, Mullura!”

”He has drawn a knife!” exclaimed d.i.c.k, noting as well as possible in the darkness the movements of Reggio.

”It sure is the real thing now!” said Buckhart.

”Terrible!” groaned Professor Gunn. ”Where are the authorities? It should be stopped!”

Mullura had watched closely, and now he lost not a second in whipping out his own knife.

”Fool!” he sneered. ”You are no match for me! I shall kill you, and save the Ten a task!”

Tortora held his knife at arm's length toward the sky, as if invoking the a.s.sistance of a higher power. Then he started up the steps.

”Fair play!” cried d.i.c.k Merriwell, springing from the gondola. ”If we can't stop this business, Brad, we can see fair play!”

”You bet your boots!” roared the Texan, following promptly.

The professor called to them in the greatest consternation, but they did not heed his appeals.

Mullura waited for Tortora to come within reach. Being higher up, he had the advantage.

Suddenly the gondolier darted to one side and sprang up the steps until he was on a level with the other man. Mullura tried to prevent this, but he was not quick enough. He leaped forward, striking at the gondolier.

Reggio flung up his hand and warded the blow, the knives clinking as they met and rasping as they parted with a twist.

The gondolier gave the other a swing and then struck under like a flash, but Mullura leaped backward and escaped.

The struggle that followed was of a silent, deadly sort.

d.i.c.k and Brad pressed near to watch, but did not try to interfere between the men.

Suddenly a door was flung open and a fan of light flared out upon the steps. In the open doorway, holding a lighted candle above her head, was a girl.

Both d.i.c.k and Brad gasped as they saw her, for they were struck with the fact that she was wonderfully beautiful. She was not more than seventeen, with eyes and hair as dark as deepest midnight. Her features were finely molded.

The girl's face was very pale and her lips were parted. She made a wonderful picture as she stood there peering out at the fighting men.

The light of the candle enabled the men to see how to get at each other.

Mullura cried:

”He forced it on me, Teresa! I do not wish to kill him, but now it is his life or mine!”

Saying which he crouched at a little distance. He sprang forward on the steps, made a false thrust with his knife that bore a dark stain, then plunged beneath the arm Reggio flung up.