He opened it at the breech, put
something in, and snapped the breech-block. Then, crouching
down, he rested the end of the barrel upon the ledge of the open
window, and I saw his long moustache droop over the stock and
his eye gleam as it peered along the sights. I heard a little
sigh of satisfaction as he cuddled the butt into his shoulder,
and saw that amazing target, the black man on the yellow ground,
standing clear at the end of his fore sight. For an instant he
was rigid and motionless. Then his finger tightened on the
trigger. There was a strange, loud whiz and a long, silvery
tinkle of broken glass. At that instant Holmes sprang like a
tiger on to the marksman's back and hurled him flat upon his
face. He was up again in a moment, and with convulsive strength
he seized Holmes by the throat; but I struck him on the head
with the butt of my revolver and he dropped again upon the floor.
I fell upon him, and as I held him my comrade blew a shrill call
upon a whistle. There was the clatter of running feet upon the
pavement, and two policemen in uniform, with one plain-clothes
detective, rushed through the front entrance and into the room.
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