These burglars, like all of their craft, were ready to do murder if it seemed necessary.
Lee tripped the burglar with the revolver, and the shot went into the floor.

The other burglar was coming up the stairway with tremendous leaps.

The house seemed to be arousing.

Badger heard a woman scream.
"Kill him!" was panted by one of the villains.
Then the jimmy descended, and though the Westerner tried to knock the blow aside, his arm was beaten down, and the jimmy fell on his head with crushing force.

Badger's head seemed to split open under that blow, and a blur of blood and mistiness followed.