back contents forward {{frabfp212.png}} || eagles of the sky || most good--then a swift rush into the shack and crushing the ex-war veteran before he could fully grasp the meaning of it all. Easy enough to figure it out after this manner, but there must be considerable chance that matters would not work so smoothly. For one thing it must be considered that Oswald Kearns was no weakling, but a more or less athletic figure, accustomed to feats of strength and agility beyond the measure of an ordinary man. Then, too, he was known to be irrational, even to the length of being considered dangerous when thoroughly aroused and it went without saying that he must always be well armed for in his reckless way of living he must many times be in close touch with desperate characters, some of whom might conceive it worth while to plot against his liberty, with a heavy ransom in their mind's eye. It was quite too late for either of them to think ocr> jdf slipping off, since the light from the interior fix> of slipping off, since the light from the interior ocr> bf the shack poured through the open door and fix> of the shack poured through the open door and dissipated the friendly darkness in that especial vicinity. Consequently all they could do was to continue to crouch there in the shadow of the well curbing, and await whatever was scheduled to come to pass. [[212]] back contents forward