Part 12 (1/2)
”Your money and valuables,” he commanded.
”Help yourself,” the detective invited cheerfully.
As the holdup man reached into an inside pocket, Mr. Nichols' fist shot out, catching him squarely under the jaw. The startled thief staggered back and dropped his bag of loot. Before he could recover from the blow, the detective wrenched the revolver from his grasp.
”Look out!” Penny screamed. From the opposite side of the room the other holdup man was taking careful aim at the detective.
Mr. Nichols whirled and fired. The shot buried itself in the wall, but it was close enough to the crook to warn him that the detective was no amateur at handling firearms.
”Scram!” he yelled warningly to his companion.
They fled into the garden with the detective in close pursuit. The two thieves were too hard pressed to give any thought to the lost bag of loot. Several shots were exchanged but the men succeeded in reaching their car which was parked in the driveway. The engine roared as they sped away. Springing into his own automobile, Nichols took up the pursuit but he soon abandoned it as useless, returning to the house.
There he telephoned the police, offering not only the license number of the fleeing automobile but a detailed description of the men.
”The radio cruiser ought to pick them up in a few minutes,” he told Penny.
While a curious crowd gathered about he took a knife and extracted the bullet which had been fired into the wall.
”What will you do with that?” someone questioned.
”Keep it for evidence,” he explained. ”And this revolver as well, although now that I've used it, all fingermarks probably have been obliterated.”
The women were clamoring for their lost jewelry, so with Penny's a.s.sistance, the detective distributed the articles.
”I feel just like Santa Claus taking presents out of my pack,” he declared jokingly. ”Here's your brooch, Penny. Did you think you were going to lose it?”
”Yes, I did, Dad. I saw red when that man tore it off my dress.”
”So did I.”
”You certainly didn't show it. You advised me to make no resistance.”
”That was because I didn't want you to be shot.”
”Then you turned right around a second later and took a big chance yourself. You might have been killed.”
”I knew what I was about,” the detective returned quietly.
Mrs. Dillon came up to Mr. Nichols, gripping his hand. Her own was trembling.
”You were marvelous, simply marvelous!” she said tremulously. ”Never before in my life have I witnessed such a display of courage.”
Others joined in the praise until Mr. Nichols was embarra.s.sed. He hurriedly began to distribute the remainder of the stolen jewelry.
”Your necklace,” he said to Mrs. Dillon, presenting it to her.
”Thank you, thank you,” the woman murmured gratefully. ”How can I ever repay you for saving my pearls?”
”By taking better care of them in the future,” he responded grimly.