The woman shrieked.

The butler suddenly sprang upon the last man to enter, and sent him spinning down the steps.

Almost at that instant there was a scream from upstairs.

Quest took a running jump and went up the stairs four at a time.

The butler suddenly snatched the revolver from Hardaway's hand and fired blindly in front of him, missing Quest only by an inch or two.
"Don't be a fool, Karl!" the woman called out.