The two doors were connected at the top by an iron rod, so fixed that
when either door was slid open the other opened also. Carl saw at a
glance that he could slide the one door and get into the other room
before the lion had time to get out, for as soon as he was through he
could close the door against the lion. But, he reasoned, suppose the
lion did manage to squeeze through while he was getting into the other
room. Then if there was no other available exit out of the other room,
things would be worse than before. He would be trapped.
What could he do? Once more his gaze roamed about the room. His eyes
rested on the couch. Yes, that might answer. His fears for Sana gave
him speed. It was but the work of a moment to get that couch and prop
it upright against the door of the den. Fortunately for Carl the
workmanship of the door was none too good. Near the floor the masonry
had fallen away, exposing the bars of the framework. Unmindful of the
sniffing lion, Carl forced the chains nearest the door through the
bars, secured the chains and brought them through to his side of the
cage. The suddenness of his movements took the lion unawares, and it
made no move at Carl, but drew slightly back in fright. The locks were
snapped and Carl stood up to contemplate his work. It might do? But he
had his doubts. What would happen when he opened the door to get at
Amshied?
As he pondered for a moment, a cry came to his ears. Sana had awakened
from her stupor to find the grinning face of Amshied close to hers.
With a smothered cry, Carl slid the door aside sufficiently to squeeze
through and sprang into the room.
The lust-ridden Berber had partly torn Sana’s clothing from her, and
was forcing his attentions upon her. The girl, horrified with fear,
tried to free herself from his grip.
But a whirlwind was upon him. He had no time to get to his feet nor
make any attempt to defend himself. With a fierce lunge Carl literally
threw himself upon Amshied, forcing him to the floor.
Although taken by surprise as he was, Amshied was no weakling. Carl
soon found this out when with a violent twist of his body Amshied
rolled over and clutched at Carl’s throat. With a trick learned at
school Carl broke the hold, but Amshied was endowed with brute strength
and he seized Carl around the body with both arms. Together they rolled
across the floor, bringing up with a thud against the door.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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