two bloomers to begin with, and then put in some perfectly marvellous stuff towards the end of the lunch. Why, bless you, I could have walked to the door and avoided all the knobs with perfect ease. But I didn’t trust you to play a sporting game. You’d never have let me get out of this alive. Careful now—”
For, with his face distorted with rage, the “Duke” sprang forward, forgetting in his fury to look where he put his feet.
There was a sudden blue crackle of flame, and he swayed for a minute, then fell like a log. A faint odor of singed flesh filled the room, mingling with a stronger smell of ozone.
“Whew,” said Tommy.
He wiped his face.
Then, moving gingerly, and with every precaution, he reached the wall, and touched the switch he had seen the other manipulate.
He crossed the room to the door, opened it carefully, and looked out. There was no one about. He went down the stairs and out through the front door.
Safe in the street, he looked up at the house with a shudder, noting the number. Then he hurried to the nearest telephone box.
There was a moment of agonising anxiety, and then a well known voice spoke.
“Tuppence, thank goodness!”
“Yes, I’m all right. I got all your points. The Fee, Shrimp, Come to the Blitz and follow the two strangers. Albert got there in time, and when we went off in separate cars, followed me in a taxi, saw where they took me, and rang up the police.”