The crowd drew back.
While all this was going on, Hal had led Chester to the window leading
into the basement, and silently the lads lowered themselves through it.
Then, as the mob raged without, they made their way up the steps, through
the hall, and up a second flight.
There, at the head of the stairs, they paused. Before them were two
rooms, and they were not certain in which the Apache chief had
taken refuge.
"You take the one on the right, Chester," whispered Hal.
Chester nodded and they advanced, Chester toward the door on the right
and Hal toward the one on the left. They opened the doors upon the
same instant.
But Duval had heard sounds in the hall, and his quick wit had detected
the ruse. Therefore, when the lads flung open the doors, there was no one
to be seen in either room. They turned and stared at each other blankly,
and as they did so a bullet whistled between them.
Duval, stepping from behind the door where he had been concealed, had
opened fire on them.
"Down!" cried Chester, and dropped to the floor.
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