"But let's talk it over among ourselves--who is listening there ?" Hobart glanced behind at the nearly closed door.

It was for only a second he was off guard, yet that was enough.

With one leap forward, West struck, his clinched fist smashing against the side of the fellow's jaw.
It was a wicked, vicious blow, with all the propelling force of the body behind it, and Hobart went down stunned, crashing the door tightly shut as he fell.

Once he strove blindly to reach his feet, tugging madly at the weapon in his pocket, but West, feeling no mercy, and wide awake to the fact that any shooting would mean a call for help, struck again, sending his groggy opponent flat, and unconscious.

It was all the swift work of a minute, and there had been no noise to arouse alarm.