Blome
made a spasmodic upheaval of shoulder and arm. Snecker a second later
flashed into movement.
"Steele blurred in my sight. His action couldn't be followed. But I saw
his gun, waving up, flame red once--twice--and the reports almost boomed
together.
"Blome bent forward, arm down, doubled up, and fell over the table and
slid to the floor.
"But Snecker's gun cracked with Steele's last shot. I heard the bullet
strike Steele. It made me sick as if it had hit me. But Steele never
budged. Snecker leaped up, screaming, his gun sputtering to the floor.
His left hand swept to his right arm, which had been shattered by
Steele's bullet.
"Blood streamed everywhere. His screams were curses, and then ended,
testifying to a rage hardly human. Then, leaping, he went down on his
knees after the gun.
"Don't pick it up," called Steele; his command would have checked anyone
save an insane man. For an instant it even held Snecker. On his knees,
right arm hanging limp, left extended, and face ghastly with agony and
fiendish fury, he was certainly an appalling sight.
"'Bo, you're courtin' death,' called a hard voice from the crowd.
"'Snecker, wait. Don't make me kill you!' cried Steele swiftly.
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