CHAPTER XXVIII
THE ALARM
The man realized in that instant that he had been tricked. He snarledlike a beast and sprang to one side.
Muggs was upon him before he could utter a cry. They clashed, eachtrying to find the other's throat. Muggs found that this would be noeasy battle. Here was a man who was used to rough tactics, such as didnot meet with the approval of the Black Star.
Across the room they fought, Muggs trying to get the advantage, tryingto keep the other from shrieking for help, trying to get in a blow thatwould silence his adversary for a time.
The servant fought to carry out his orders that Muggs should be keptprisoner; but Muggs fought with the knowledge that he was trying toprevent the Black Star from having success in his latest undertaking,trying to help Roger Verbeck to victory.
Back and forth across the room they continued to battle. They foughtfiercely, and both were becoming exhausted. Now they were on their feet,wrestling, and now they were upon the floor, rolling over and over,striking at each other, reaching for each other's throat and eyes.
And finally Muggs managed to get the grasp for which he had beenstriving. The servant gave a groan of pain, and his hold on the valetrelaxed. Muggs choked--choked, and finally sprang to his feet andlooked down at the unconscious man.
He would be unconscious for some time, Muggs knew, as he did not intendto waste precious time binding and gagging him. He ran to the doorthrough which the Black Star had gone, and stood there for a moment tolisten. He heard nobody outside--remembered that nobody had beenattracted by the sounds of combat.
Muggs lifted the curtain, opened the door, and stepped into a dark hall.He had no weapon, no electric torch, not so much as a match in hispocket. He ran lightly to the end of the hall and found another door.This he opened cautiously, an inch at a time. He found that it openedinto a room that was dimly lighted, a room that did not seem to haveseen much use.
Muggs hurried in and closed and locked the door behind him. On theopposite side there was another door; Muggs listened at that for a time,and then opened it. He found himself facing another hall.
He hurried into it, and went on. He came to a flight of stairs and wentup. He realized, now, that he had been in a basement. At the top of thestairs was a large room, half filled with rusted machinery and emptypacking cases.
Muggs stooped and picked up from the floor a short iron bar; he had aweapon now. On he went, across the big room to a window. He looked out.
He was in the manufacturing district, he knew. This building was an old,abandoned factory. He could see the yard filled with scrap iron, thehigh fence around it, and, beyond, the empty street. Farther beyond thatwas the city, flashing with light.
Muggs started to raise the window. It stuck, but he managed to pry it upwith the bar of iron, stopping now and then to listen and watch. Hecouldn't convince himself that the Black Star had left no guard otherthan the servant now unconscious below. That wasn't at all like theBlack Star, Muggs thought. There must be a trap somewhere.
Then he remembered that the Black Star had been forced to move quickly.Perhaps this headquarters had not been completed when the mastercriminal had taken up his abode there.
Muggs got the window up, put out his head and looked around. It waspitch dark beneath the window and along the wall. Muggs got through,lowered himself and dropped.
He crouched against the wall, listening, the bar of iron clutched in hishand, ready for instant fight if occasion demanded it. Then he startedfollowing the wall, going toward where he had noticed a gate in the highfence.
He reached the corner of the building, and glanced around it cautiously.Not far from him, he seemed to see something move. Muggs was not sure atfirst whether it was an elusive shadow or a man. He decided an instantlater that it was a man.
He scarcely breathed now. He had escaped thus far, and he did not intendto be stopped. He did not intend to waste much time, either. Even now,perhaps, the Black Star and his followers were surrounding the Brannitonresidence. Even now, perhaps, they were robbing women of their jewels,rendering the three men they had decided to abduct unconscious, andpreparing to carry them away.
Like a shadow, the iron bar held ready, Muggs crept along the wall inthe direction of the guard.
He was within ten feet of him when a match glowed. The flame shot up,and Muggs could see that the match was burning in the man's cuppedhands, and that he was trying to light a cigar. Muggs covered the tenfeet in two springs, the iron bar swept through the air and landed.There was a little whimper, and the Black Star's guard was stretched onthe ground.
Muggs turned and ran across the yard. He had decided not to try thegate, for there might be another guard there. He sprang, grasped the topof the fence, running the risk that it might be charged and deadly,found that such was not the case, and drew himself up. A moment later,he was in the street.
Muggs never had been much of a runner, but he ran to-night. Up thestreet he went, his elbows glued to his sides, head bent forward,stumbling and staggering over the rough cobblestones, but makingexcellent progress. There was no person on the street, no vehicle insight. This was an old manufacturing district far down the river, wherethere was nothing to attract people. Only a few street lights wereburning, and they were far apart.
Almost breathless, Muggs ran on. His heart was pounding at his ribs, hisside pained, his breathing was labored. He turned a corner into anotherstreet, and continued running!
Would he never reach a telephone? Would he never run across a member ofthe police force? Was there nobody in that end of town who could helphim? Block after block he ran, always looking for a light, for a dingysaloon, for some place where he could get into communication with policeheadquarters and give the alarm. He was in despair; he felt that hecould not keep up much longer.
Presently he saw lights ahead of him, and felt hope and joy surge withinhim. Ahead, only two blocks away, was one of the barns of the citystreet railway.
Panting, exhausted, Muggs stumbled through the entrance and ran into thelittle office. Half a dozen conductors and motormen sprang from theirbenches and hurried toward him.
"Quick--telephone!" Muggs gasped. "Police----"
He saw the telephone instrument on the wall, and lurched toward it. Hegrasped the receiver, tore it from the hook, began calling into thetransmitter. One of the conductors was trying to talk to him; one of themotormen was trying to stop him from using the instrument until heexplained. Muggs threw out a foot and kicked him away.
"Police headquarters! Police headquarters!" he shrieked. "Thisheadquarters? Give me the chief! This is Muggs! Yes--Muggs!Hurry--hurry!--That you, chief? Mr. Verbeck there? This is Muggs. Ijust--got away. Black Star's gang--going to raid--Branniton house--getjewels--kidnap them swells----"
And then Muggs sank slowly against the wall.
His words had electrified the conductors and motormen. They picked himup, and one of them continued the conversation, telling what hadhappened, but he soon found himself talking to nobody. The chief hadrecognized Muggs' voice and that had been enough.
The conductors and motormen threw water into Muggs' face, and he gaspedand sat up. They helped him to a bench and sat him there, while hefought for breath, grasped his chest where it pained, struggled toregain his strength.
"Got--to get there----" he gasped.
"Where?" one of the men cried.
"Richard Branniton's house--in the--West End!"
"The foreman's flivver's out in front; he'll let us use it," a conductorcried. "I don't go on duty for an hour yet. Come on!"
He ran toward the curb, and Muggs staggered after him. Muggs got intothe cheap little car. The obliging conductor cranked it and sprang inbeside him.
"We'll get there quick, or we'll shake every bolt and nut off the blamedthing!" he said.
The flivver lurched away down the street.
* * * * *
It would have done Muggs good had he been able to see the effect of
hismessage at police headquarters. The chief sprang from his chairshrieking the news. Verbeck and the sheriff dashed with him through theassembly room and out to the street, and as they went, the chief shoutedhis orders. The reserves ran out and sprang into the automobiles, thedeputies did the same.
"Good Muggs!" Verbeck cried, as he drove like a fiend through thestreets. "I knew he'd do it--if he had a chance!"
Verbeck swung between two street cars, causing two motormen to turn palefor an instant, and then to curse joy riders. Strung out behind thepowerful roadsters were the police cars. The sirens were not workingnow. The chief had issued orders that they were not to be used if itcould be avoided, as it would indicate to the Black Star and his menthat they were coming.
"Hope we get him this time!" the chief shrieked into Verbeck's ear."Drive, man, drive!"
Verbeck drove. He forced the powerful roadster to do its utmost. Hecalled upon the expensive engine to pay for itself this night. He swungaround other vehicles, dashed around corners, swept up hills like acomet.
They passed through the retail district, and got on a wide avenue wherethere was not so much traffic, and where better speed could be made. Andnow they were in the section of better residences, speeding on.
They turned another corner--and the Branniton house was but four blocksaway.