Part 38 (2/2)
She heard him.
”Frank! Frank! Save me!”
”I will!”
The promise was given with the utmost confidence.
At that moment, however, the ruffian whose wrist Frank had broken, leaped upon the girl and grasped her with his uninjured arm.
”_Carramba!_” he snarled. ”You save-a her? Bah! Fool! You never git-a out with whole skin!”
”Drop her, you dog!” cried Frank, pointing his revolver at the fellow--”drop her, or I'll put a bullet through your head, instead of your wrist!”
”Bah! Shoot! You kill-a her!”
He held the struggling girl before him as a s.h.i.+eld.
Like a raging lion, Frank tore at the panel.
The man with the girl swiftly moved back to a door at the farther side of the room. This door he had already unfastened and flung open.
”_Adios!_” he cried, derisively. ”Some time I square wid you for my hand-a! _Adios!_”
”Th' spalpanes are comin' up th' shtairs again, Frankie!” cried Barney, in the ear of the desperate boy at the door.
Frank did not seem to hear; he was striving to break the stout panel so that he could force his way through the opening.
”Frank! Frank! they're coming up th' shtairs!”
”Let them come!”
”They'll make mince mate av us!”
”I must follow her!”
”Well, folly, av ye want to!” shouted the Irish lad. ”Oi'm goin' to shtop th' gang!”
Crack! The panel gave. Crack! splinter! smas.h.!.+ Out came a long strip, which Frank flung upon the floor.
Barney caught it up and whirled toward the stairs.
The desperadoes were coming with a rush--they were well up the stairs.
In another moment the leading ruffian would have reached the second floor.
”Get back, ye gossoons! Down, ye haythen! Take thot, ye b.l.o.o.d.y pirates!”
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