Page:By order of the Czar.djvu/87



BY ORDER OF THE CZAR. 7$

m the Jew's living room, the apartment where he and Grunstein had drunk confusion to the foe. The mob is at the door ; they have broken down the two other doors, and are thundering at this. Ferrari draws his knife, kisses the blade and snarls. The mob have broken in one of the panels. There are two bolts on the upper half of the door. Ferrari undoes one of these, whereupon half the panel gives way, and there is a yell of triumph without, followed by a yell of pain. Two arms that were thrust into the opening have been instantly seized by Fer- rari in one bony hand, to be literally scored from wrist to elbow with red gashes that leave the flesh hanging like loose bandages.

And now Ferrari's lips are red, for he has kissed his knife again, and he laughs like a maniac. " Come on, scum of the earth ! Don't be bashful. Come on ; there's /oom for all of you, and to spare ! " But they did not hear a word, although they had paused for a moment to let the wounded assailants fall to the rear.

Bang, bang, crash came the blows upon the door, as if a very battering-ram of old had got to work. They were determined men, these ; not the sort who passed on because they met a strange resistance ; besides, they knew the value of Grunstein's store. Down came the top half of the door, and crash into the faces that looked in went Ferrari's knife amidst howls of pain and execration.

And they saw Ferrari, those who were not blinded with his knife, and he laughed aloud, and yelled, and leaped, and flourished his weapon, and had nearly lost his life, as a consequence, the sharp crack of a pistol and the whiz of a bullet causing him at once to dodge his head and rush for the second room. He had only just time to
 * swing the door upon the jambs and bolt and bar it when

the mob were inside the next room and had flung them- selves upon the door ; but it was made of stronger and