The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-24

[ boss, standing in the doorway at the
| Callabasas barns, saw horseman rid
ling at leisurely pace up the Thief
| River road. The barnman scrutinized
! the approaching stranger closely.
TRere was something strange and
something familiar in the outlines of
CHE figure. But when the night rider
hka dismounted in front of the barn
ldib0r, turned his horse loose, and, limp
| irg stif1y walked forward on foot, the
| man rubbed his eyes hard before he
could believe them. Then he uttered
All incfedulous greeting and led Henry
de Spain into the barn Office.
There's friends of yours in your
room upstairs right now" he declared,
hulging with shock. De Spain, sitting
down, forbade the barnman to disturb
them, on'y asking who they were.
When he had asked half a dozen
tpore leisurely questions and avoided
answering twice as many, the barnman
alt De SPANS request helped him up
stairs. Beside himself with excite
Inent, the night boss turned, grinning.
| as he laid one hand on the doorknob
and the o.hsr on De SPANS shoulder.
| ''You couldn't have come" he whis-
| pered loudly, "at better time"
/ The entryway was dark, and from
/ the silence within the room one might
have thought Its occupants, If there
Were such, wrapped in slumber. But
at intervals a faint clicking sound
could be heard. The night man threw
open the door. By the light of two
stage-lamps, one set on the dresser
land the other on a window ledge, four
men sat about rickety table in life
Il and-death struggle at cards. No voice
"A broke the tense silence, not even when
the door was thrown broadly open.
N No one-neither Lefever, Scott,
Frank Elpaso nor McAlpin--looked up
when De Spain walked into the room
and with the night man tiptoeing be
hind, advanced composedly toward the
group, Even then his presence would
Ehaye passed unnoticed, but that Bob
IScott's ear mechanically recorded tke
blimps step and transmitted to his
ftrai6e1 Intelligence merely notice OF
Esomething unusual.
4 Scott, picking up his cards one at a
time as Lefever dealt raised his eyes
Startling as the sight of the mar
4 gwen ap for dead must nave been, ne
\ muscle of Bob SCOTS body moved
n His expression of surprise slowly dis
\ solved into a grin that mutely invited
the others, as he had found out for
himself. to find out for themselves.
Lefever finished his deal. threw down
the pack, and picked up his hand. His
suspicious eyes never rose above the
level of the faces at the table; but
when he had thumbed his cards and
looked from one to the other of the
remaining players to read the weather
signals, he perceived on SCOTS face
an unwonted expression, and looked to
where the scouts gaze was turned for
Ian explanation of it. Lefever's own
eyes. at the sight of the thinned, fa-
miliar face behind Elpaso's chair,
lstarting opened like full moons. The
big fellow spls%d one hand out, his
cards hidden within it, and with the
other hand rgudently drew down his
Ipile of chips. Gentlemen" he said
lightly, "this game is interned." He
rose and put silent hand across the
table over Elpaso's shoulder. Henry
he exclaimed impassively, zone qysss
| tion. If you please-and only one: How
in thunder did you do lit"