In a flash I saw his fell design. The telephone directory lay open
on one of the pedestals. He must have been consulting it when he
heard me on the stairs; he had another look at it now; and that gave
me my opportunity. With a presence of mind rare enough in me to
excuse the boast, I flung myself upon the instrument in the corner
and hurled it to the ground with all. my might. I was myself sent
spinning into the opposite corner at the same instant. But the
instrument happened to be a standard of the more elaborate pattern,
and I flattered myself that I had put the delicate engine out of
action for the day.

Not that my adversary took the trouble to ascertain. He was looking
at me strangely in the electric light, standing intently on his
guard, his right hand in the pocket where he had dropped his
revolver. And I - I hardly knew it - but I caught up the first
thing handy for self-defence, and was brandishing the bottle which
Raffles and I had emptied in honor of my arrival on this fatal
scene.

"Be shot if I don't believe you're the man himself!" cried the
colonel, shaking an armed fist in my face. "You young wolf in
sheep's clothing. Been at my wine, of course! Put down that
bottle; down with it this instant, or I'll drill a tunnel through
your middle. I thought so! Begad, sir, you shall pay for this!
Don't you give me an excuse for potting you now, or I'll jump at
the chance! My last bottle of '84 - you miserable blackguard - you
unutterable beast!"

He had browbeaten me into his own chair in his own corner; he was