He came slowly across the room.

Below they could hear the roar of the freight.
"This ain't your job," the Irishman continued savagely.

"We want the cop, and we're going to have him." Quest had stolen a yard or two nearer during this brief colloquy.
Gallagher's mate from behind shouted out a warning just a second too late.
With a sudden kick, Quest sent the revolver flying across the room, and before the Irishman could recover, he struck him full in the face.
Notwithstanding his huge size and strength, Gallagher reeled.

The operator, who had just begun to realize what was happening, flung himself bodily against the two thugs.

A shot from the tangled mass of struggling limbs whistled past Quest's head as he sprang to the window which overlooked the track.