He rose so quietly that the others did not see or hear him in the dark outer room.

They did not hear the slight metallic click of the safety on his pistol.
For the space of a breath he stood and looked at them.

He no longer sensed the words Quade was uttering.

He was going in coolly and calmly to kill them.

There was something disagreeable in the flashing thought that he might kill them from where he stood.