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| Round The Red Lamp | Arthur Conan Doyle |
The Los Amigos Fiasco. |
Page 5 of 5 |
It was monstrous and incredible, but there it was. There was no getting round it. The man was there talking when he ought to have been dead. We all sat staring in amazement, but United States Marshal Carpenter was not a man to be euchred so easily. He motioned the others to one side, so that the prisoner was left standing alone. "Duncan Warner," said he, slowly, "you are here to play your part, and I am here to play mine. Your game is to live if you can, and my game is to carry out the sentence of the law. You've beat us on electricity. I'll give you one there. And you've beat us on hanging, for you seem to thrive on it. But it's my turn to beat you now, for my duty has to be done." He pulled a six-shooter from his coat as he spoke, and fired all the shots through the body of the prisoner. The room was so filled with smoke that we could see nothing, but when it cleared the prisoner was still standing there, looking down in disgust at the front of his coat. "Coats must be cheap where you come from," said he. "Thirty dollars it cost me, and look at it now. The six holes in front are bad enough, but four of the balls have passed out, and a pretty state the back must be in." The Marshal's revolver fell from his hand, and he dropped his arms to his sides, a beaten man. "Maybe some of you gentlemen can tell me what this means," said he, looking helplessly at the committee. Peter Stulpnagel took a step forward. "I'll tell you all about it," said he. "You seem to be the only person who knows anything." |
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Round The Red Lamp Arthur Conan Doyle |
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