The other two ruffians halted irresolute for an instant, and I drew my revolver. In the faint light of the passage I could scarcely see their villainous faces. The countenance of the coolie is not expressive at best, but I could feel, rather than see, the stolid rascality of their appearance. Their wish seemed to be to take me alive if possible. After a moment of hesitation there was a muttered exclamation and one of the desperadoes drew his hand from his blouse. “Oh!” cried Luella. “He's got a knife!” Before he could make another movement I fired once, twice, three times. There was a scramble and scuffle in the passageway, and the smoke rolled thick in front, blotting out the scene that had stood in silhouette before us. Fearful of a rush from the Chinese, I threw one arm about Luella, and, keeping my body between her and possible attack, guided her to the stair that led upward at nearly right angles from the passage. She was trembling and her breath came short, but her spirit had not quailed. She shook herself free as I placed her on the first step. “Have you killed them?” she asked quietly. “I hope so,” I replied, looking cautiously around the corner to see the results of my fusillade. The smoke had spread into a thin haze through the passage. “There's one fellow there,” I said. “But it's the one I knocked down.” “Can't you see the others?” inquired Luella. “No more in sight,” said I, after a bolder survey. “They've run away.” “Oh, I'm glad,” said Luella. “I should have seen them always if you had killed them.” “I shouldn't have minded giving them something to remember,” said I, vexed at my poor display of marksmanship, but feeling an innate conviction that I must have hit them. “What on earth did they attack us for?” exclaimed Luella indignantly. “We hadn't hurt anything.” Before I could reply to Luella's question, a tattoo was beaten upon the door and a muffled shout came from the other side. I stepped down from the stair to listen. “Are you hurt?” shouted Corson. “What's the matter?” “No damage,” I returned. “I drove them off.” Corson shouted some further words, but they were lost in a sudden murmur of voices and a scuffle of feet that arose behind. “Look out!” cried Luella peremptorily. “Come back here!” I have said that the passage opened into a little court, and at the end a lamp gave light to the court and the passage. As I turned I saw a confusion of men pouring into the open space and heading for the passage. They were evidently Chinese, but in the gleam of the lamp I was sure I saw the evil face and snake-eyes of Tom Terrill. He was wrapped in the Chinese blouse, but I could not be mistaken. Then with a chorus of yells there was the crack of a pistol, and a bullet struck the door close to my ear. It was all done in an instant. Before the sound of the shot I dropped, and then made a leap for the stair. “Oh!” cried Luella anxiously; “were you hit?”