He could still feel his eyes starting from his head, his tongue seemed to fill his mouth completely.
Percival released him instantly and fell back a yard or so, ready, however, to spring upon his man again at the first sign of treachery.

No more than sixty seconds elapsed between the beginning and the end of the encounter.

It was all over in the twinkling of an eye, so to speak.

In fact, it was over so quickly that the first man to reach the door after the report of the revolver rang out, found the two men facing each other, one coughing and clutching at his throat, the other erect and menacing.

For the first time, Percival took his eyes from the purplish face of the banker.