Read "Envoy Extraordinary" by E. Phillips Oppenheim online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
For the fourth time in fifty years, the alarm bell from the Great House pealed out its brazen, dramatic summons. Hard sleepers though the Norfolk people proverbially are, the reply to its call was amazing. The park was studded with hastening figures in various states of _déshabille._ Messengers were running everywhere explaining the situation. Hidden marksmen, from concealed places in the wood, had been shooting at the plane. Volunteers were asked for to beat out the covers, carrying weapons if possible. At least a score of dogs, barking joyfully at their unexpected freedom, had been set loose. Fresh volunteers were arriving all the time. Dr. Andrews on his bicycle, racing backwards and forwards, seemed to be responsible for a certain orderliness with which the heterogeneous mob of villagers and guests alike were commencing the search.
"His lordship says to shoot if you must, but try to make a capture if you can."