The whole house is
afire!"
Nick heard and darted for the stairs, at once realizing how well the
lightning had done its terrific work. Before he could reach the lower
hall, dense volumes of smoke were pouring through the house, and one
entire side of the fated dwelling was in flames.
Nick thought of the woman in the cellar below, and, with Chick and Patsy
at his heels, he led the way to the diamond plant. The electric light
had been extinguished by the lightning stroke, but Nick soon located the
body of Cervera, and together the detectives brought her out and laid
her upon the ground some rods away from the burning dwelling.
"She's done for, poor wretch!" muttered Nick, as he looked at her
bloodless face.
He was right.
Senora Cervera had danced her last dance--a terrible one it was! She
had lapsed into a merciful unconsciousness, from which she never
emerged.
Next came Kilgore, and they easily found him. He lay stretched upon the
ground, dead and scorched almost beyond recognition, at the base of the
metallic rod through which he had met his fate.
"Lend a hand here," said Nick. "We'll place him with his confederate
until we can have them properly removed."
"So be it," said Chick, gravely.
Pages:
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217