The Boy Allies in the Baltic; Or, Through Fields of Ice to Aid the Czar

by Clair W. Hayes

  CHAPTER XXVII.

  A FIGHT WITH A MADMAN.

  When Jack came to himself he was sitting in a chair in a well lightedroom. For a moment the blinding glare made it impossible for the lad tomake out his surroundings, but gradually his eyes became accustomed tothe light.

  Before him, an evil smile on his face and a revolver in his hand, stooda large man in an attitude of leisurely nonchalance. Jack recognizedCount Blowinski instantly and made a move as though to rise.

  "Sit still!" commanded the count harshly.

  Jack sank back in his chair. He said nothing.

  "Well," said the count, "so we meet again, eh, Lieutenant Templeton? Ibelieve that is the name, isn't it. Lieutenant Templeton."

  "That is my name," said Jack.

  "Well, I don't know whether it is or not. But before I am through withyou it won't make much difference what your name is--perhaps I shouldsay, was."

  Jack made no reply to this threat and the count continued:

  "It grieves me much that I cannot also have with us your friend andfellow-spy. I would have brought him along, but I couldn't very wellcarry both of you. So I chose you, because you are the largest."

  "Thanks," said Jack dryly.

  "Oh, well," said the count, "I'll go back when I have disposed of you.Maybe he will still be there."

  "In that event," said Jack to himself, "it is up to me to play fortime." Aloud he said: "Seems to me one of us should satisfy you."

  "So it would, under ordinary circumstances," said the count. "But theseare extraordinary circumstances. You both tricked me. Therefore youshall both pay. If I cannot find your friend when I return to hunt forhim, I shall find him later."

  "There is one thing that pleases me, at any rate," said Jack.

  "I am glad to hear that," returned the count. "Would it be impolite forme to inquire what that one thing may be?"

  "Not at all. The thing that pleases me is to know that eventually youwill suffer for your treachery. The idea of a man of your kind sellingout to the enemy."

  "That's enough of that kind of talk," said the count angrily. "Anotherword like that, and I'll shoot you as you sit there."

  "I can't see that the time will make any difference," said Jack quietly.

  "Neither will it," was the reply. "However, I intend to use my ownjudgment."

  "And may I ask how you intend to perform this execution?" asked Jack.

  "You may," was the reply. "I intend that you shall sit in that chair. Ishall move back a ways, for I want to do a little practice. It will makeno difference if I do not kill you with the first shot; in fact I hadrather that I did not. A little suffering won't be too great payment forwhat you have done."

  "You are a nice sort of a gentleman, aren't you," said Jack.

  "That's neither here nor there. Time was when I was a gentleman. Youhave made it impossible for me to continue so. That is why you mustdie."

  "You were never a gentleman," said Jack quietly. "A gentleman is alwaysa man of honor. You could never have been a man of honor."

  "You think so, eh? Well what you think has nothing to do with matters.Are you ready to die?"

  "No," said Jack. "Are you?"

  "What has that to do with it?"

  "A lot. I was just wondering if you would be able to meet your death ascalmly as I shall be able to meet mine."

  "So! a boaster, eh?"

  "No, I am no boaster," said Jack.

  "What are you, anyhow? An Englishman?"

  "Yes. How did you guess it?"

  "I have seen many of your kind. I thought so. Well, there will soon beone Englishman less in this world."

  "So you say," said Jack. "To tell the truth, I'm not sure you havecourage enough to shoot a man, when he is looking at you."

  "You shall see."

  "Of course, I know it would be easy enough for you to shoot a man in theback," said Jack. "That's about your size."

  The Russian was becoming furiously angry. His face turned a deep red.

  "You shall see," he said again.

  "Well, why don't you shoot?" demanded Jack.

  In his heart he had no doubt that the Russian would shoot. But the ladbelieved that if he could get the man angry enough, he could throw himoff his guard for a second. Once the revolver wavered, Jack had decidedto spring upon the count, come what might.

  Now the count moved back another step. He raised his revolver carefully.Jack's heart sank, for there was no sign of nervousness in the man'smanner. The lad was about to hurl himself forward anyhow, when therecame an interruption from an unexpected source.

  The door to the room suddenly burst in. Jack gave a cry of glad surpriseas he saw Frank's face framed in the doorway. As his chum dashed throughthe door, Jack fell suddenly to the floor; and it was well that he didso, for a second later Count Blowinski's finger pressed the trigger ofhis revolver.

  The bullet whizzed through the air right where Jack's head had been amoment before.

  But the count had no time to fire again, for Frank and the Russian wereupon him. Neither was armed and they dashed in close before the countcould aim and fire.

  Frank seized the count's revolver arm and thrust it upward. The Russiandashed in and grasped the hand that extended high in the air with therevolver. A first twist failed to dispossess the count of his weapon,but a second sharp twist had a better result. The revolver went hurlingthrough the air, crashed through a window pane and fell to the street.

  Then Count Blowinski, a powerful man, turned to give battle with hisbare hands. With a sudden cry of rage, he hurled the two from him, and,stooping, seized a chair.

  As his Russian opponent sprang in, the count raised the chair high inthe air and brought it down on the man's head.

  There was a thud as the improvised weapon struck him, and the Russianrolled on the floor. The count had successfully disposed of one of hisfoes. He sprang toward Frank.

  The count had dropped the pieces of the chair after striking theRussian, apparently feeling able to account for Frank with his hands.

  But there was one thing he seemed to have forgotten. That was Jack.

  The count had not had time to watch the result of the shot when he firedat the lad and believed his bullet had gone home. When he sprang towardFrank, it was with the belief that he had a single adversary to contendwith.

  Therefore, he was unprepared for the attack that Jack launched frombehind.

  Jack, having picked himself up from the floor, had been circling aroundseeking a good chance at the count. He had been on the eve of jumping inwhen the count had seized the chair with which he disposed of theRussian, but had dropped back, unable to prevent the fall of the blow.He still felt the effects of the blow he had received in the alley, buthis head was clearing fast and he was gaining strength rapidly.

  Now, seeing the count advance upon Frank, Jack sprang forward.

  His left hand grasped the collar of the count's coat, and checked him inhis rush. As the count turned upon his new adversary, he encounteredJack's fist, which struck him squarely in the face with terrific force.The count staggered and at the same moment Jack struck again.

  The second blow also went true.

  Now the count recovered himself with an effort, and lowering his head,charged directly at Jack. The latter would have stepped nimbly out ofthe way and avoided the rush had it not been for the prostrate form ofthe Russian over which he tripped now. Count Blowinski threw his armsabout Jack and hugged him in a tight embrace.

  The breath was all but squeezed from Jack's body and it seemed that hisribs must crack. Had the count been able to retain the pressure anothermoment, Jack must have collapsed. Fortunately, however, the count'sbreath also gave out and he was forced to release his hold.

  Jack sprang back gasping for breath, even as Frank leaped upon the countfrom behind and clasped his fingers in his throat.

  With a fierce roar of rage, the count wheeled upon Frank, broke loosethe lad's hold, and before
Jack could come to his chum's assistance, hadhurled the lad clear across the room. Frank's head struck the edge of atable with a terrible force and he dropped to the floor unconscious.Thus had the count been able to dispose of a second of his foes.

  He now turned just in time to meet Jack's rush.

  But Jack had decided by this time that it was foolish to close with thecount, who was possessed of tremendous strength. The lad had laid hisplans carefully as he was momentarily recovering from the count's lastembrace. He had determined to hold his opponent off at arm's length, ifpossible.

  For a time, it seemed that Jack would succeed. As the count cameforward, Jack crouched, and sent a hard right hand blow to the count'snose. Apparently the count didn't think much of this style of fighting,for he rushed forward.

  This time Jack was able to sidestep nimbly and he floored the count witha well-directed right blow just above the ear as he passed. He sprangforward to take advantage of this opening, but the count suddenlyreached out and grabbed the lad by the legs.

  Jack tumbled over on top of his foe.

  Now both combatants threw their arms about one another and struggled forsupremacy. Jack was still on top and he was determined to stay there ifit were humanly possible. The count was struggling as strenuously to getfrom beneath Jack.

  Suddenly Jack felt a finger press his cheek, missing his eye by a scantinch. Immediately Jack, by a great effort, freed himself of the other'shold, and sprang to his feet.

  "Trying to gouge, eh?" muttered the lad.

  It was exactly what the count had tried to do. He had been seekingJack's eye with his finger, and he had all but found his mark.

  Count Blowinski also got to his feet.

  One rush he made at Jack. This, too, the lad escaped by a quick sideleap, and again his fist crashed to the side of his opponent's head.

  Once more the count turned and rushed and again Jack adopted the sametactics. The count staggered from the effect of the blow he received ashe passed, then righted himself and seemed about to charge again.

  Jack made ready to receive him.

  But, so suddenly that Jack could make no move to stop him, the countturned in his tracks, leaped to the door, pulled it open and disappearedinto the hall.

  With a startled cry Jack leaped after him.

  But when the lad reached the outside door and gazed up and down thestreet there was no sign of Count Blowinski.

  "Now I wonder where he could have gone to," said the lad.

  He gazed both ways for several minutes. Then, with a shrug of hisshoulders, he turned and re-entered the house.

  "He's gone," said Jack. "Now I'll see what I can do for Frank."

  He ascended the stairs.