Part 5 (1/2)

”This place is going up to-night,” he explained. ”That police agent will know all about it and it will be searched at once. I can't get my camera away and I don't want it found.”

As he spoke Fedor was laying a long strip of fuse from the room to the ground floor. Striking a match he lit the end.

”In half an hour the place will be a furnace,” he said coolly.

What to do with the police agent was a problem.

”I can't kill the fellow in cold blood,” remarked Fedor, ”and I can't leave him here to be burnt alive.”

Finally they dragged the man outside and left him lying in the darkest corner of the alley they could find.

”Some one will find him when the fire starts,” was Fedor's conclusion.

But some one found him much earlier, and their clemency nearly cost them their lives!

Yvette and Fedor started for the Mohawk and d.i.c.k walked swiftly over to the General's house. It was very late and not a soul was stirring in the now deserted streets. Without difficulty d.i.c.k found the leaded window and scarcely troubling about the slight noise he made, forced it partly in, poured in a liberal supply of petrol and flung after it a lighted match. Instantly there was a most satisfactory sheet of flame.

A moment later d.i.c.k was hammering at the front door, shouting at the top of his voice. He aimed at making all the confusion he could.

Instantly the street was in an uproar. People poured half-dressed from the houses, and from General Mestich's residence came a stream of frightened domestics, screaming in terror and half-choked with smoke.

Slipping unnoticed into the house, d.i.c.k made straight for the _salon_.

As he entered, General Mestich was in the very act of withdrawing the treaty from the secret receptacle. He turned towards d.i.c.k and their eyes met.

Traitor though he was, the Galdavian General was a cool and brave man.

His hand dropped to his pocket and a revolver flashed out. But he was just a fraction of a second too late. d.i.c.k's hand was ready on his automatic, and as the General's revolver came out d.i.c.k fired from his pocket and the leader of the Galdavian revolution fell dead with a bullet through his heart.

A moment later d.i.c.k, the precious treaty in his pocket, had joined the shouting throng in the crowded street. As he did so, a burst of flame from the old storehouse announced the success of Fedor's plan and added to the general confusion.

d.i.c.k worked himself clear of the crowd and dashed off at top speed for the Mohawk. Yvette was already seated at the wheel, with the engine started ready for instant departure. As d.i.c.k sprang into his seat Fedor laid beside him a loaded rifle.

”Ten shots, explosive bullets,” he said coolly. ”It may be useful if you are followed.”

Then hastily they shook hands and the Mohawk leaped forward for the hill road and safety.

The moon was unfortunately very bright, and it was not until they had gone five or six miles that d.i.c.k ventured to draw a breath of relief.

”We ought to be safe now,” he said. ”We must find a place to fly from.”

The words were hardly out of his mouth when the roar of a big car behind them caught his ears. They had forgotten the bound and blindfolded police agent.

That very astute individual had been found and released by a pa.s.ser-by a few minutes after they had left the warehouse! Frantic with rage and determined to catch d.i.c.k at all costs, he had acted with wonderful promptness. His first step was to send out cars loaded with armed policemen to block all three roads leading from Langengrad so that d.i.c.k's motor should not get away. Had he been found a few moments earlier d.i.c.k and Yvette must have been hopelessly trapped. But the delay of a few minutes had given them a priceless advantage.

Looking back as the big car came swiftly on, d.i.c.k caught the gleam of rifle barrels in the moonlight. His plan was swiftly made.

At the top of a steep slope, where the road made a sharp curve and dipped into a small depression, d.i.c.k bade Yvette halt. Blessing Fedor's foresight, he took the rifle from the car and in the shadow flung himself down on the gra.s.s bordering the road. For five hundred yards below him the road stretched in a smooth unbroken descent.

As the pursuing car came into sight d.i.c.k took careful aim and fired, aiming not at the men, but at the engine of the car. His first shot was low, and he saw a burst of flame as the explosive bullet struck the road a few yards short of the car.

His second shot got home. The big car lurched, slewed round, and das.h.i.+ng into the side of the road, toppled over. Evidently the explosive bullet had wrecked the steering gear.