Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-07
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
HDRUCE, old man" he said


spirit in the movement, shook the hand
away.
There's no call for talk between
you and Inc, Jim," he said wearilS.
Talk can't change things just nov
l wanted to kin you" He shuddered.
The man with whom Zoraida hao
whispered was speaking quietly with
Rios. Kendric, seeing them beyonu
Bruce's bowed head, saw fire of re-
bellion burning in Rios eyes. Then,
surprising him when he expected an
outburst, Rios merely shrugged his
shoulders and left the room. The serV-
ant came on to Barlow. Again he
whispered. Barlow heard him through
stolidly, then for the first time looked
long and steadily at kendric. kendri-
guessed from the working of his face
that he was struggling with his own
problem. Gradually the sailor closed
his mouth until Mt last the teeth were
clamped tight, the muscles ut the cor
ncrs of his jaw bnlging.
Barlow" said Kendric then, there
is too Internally much whispering IN
corners in this house. Even II we
three seem to be at cross purposes
now we have been friends
You talk of friendship' Barlow
spoke with cold bitterness. Whcn
here / crawl around with hoic IN
my shoulder when West there In ms
chair has just tried to bore you and
got smashed in the face for his troh-
bic. After what's happened tonight
man, you and me are alone
lie stalkcd off to the door. But at
the threshold he paused long enough to
turn and muttcr: 1--WE all know what
we are after. ! guess. Don't fool your
self. Jim Kendric. that everything
landslidin your way
Plainly Ioraidas orders had been
intended to clear the room save 1or
KCndric. For the servant came TO
Rruce when Barlow had gone and spoke
TO him. Kcndric tried to catch the
words. but could not. But he saw
Bruce suddenly jerk up his mead ana
watched n slow return or color lht0 the
drawn face. Then Bruce. eycing Nen-
dric with suspicion and in open nos
tility. quilted him in a silence that was
ominOuS. ,u.o It.,
mirtb burned hot through him. lie had
shot Barlow in Brucc's quarrel, not
knowing Barlow in the dark. and Tor
this BARLOW hated him. Bruce had
sought 70 kill him. and for this Bruce
! hated him. lie had sought to bctricn!
Rrttv. and Betty hated him. He had
nlnycd fair with them all. and now all
of thcm were set against him.
"Dcvil take the whole outht!' he
cricd out pasSionately. 'From now on
| lin Kcndric. you feather Your own
nest and hit the one-man trail for the
| open 1;do.s
oo,,,"orGs hoI constituted sort of
hastcr of ceremonies, came TO kendrlc
| his look curious but not unfricndly. Inc
box with its gold was still in his hands
''You will follow me. ScnOr! h" in
vitod 'La Senorita Rcinita awaits
"I'n do nothing of the sort. snapped
rKondric. IL am going outside for n
smoke and you can tell your lady queen
so with my compliments.
But the man stood in front of him;
shaking his head obviously. lie looked
distressed. In his simple mind orders
from Xoraida we're orders absolute. ana
yet slight largrssc as Jim bought re-
sucrt and sopcthing akin to affection.
"I,otrr YOU will smoke outside,
scnor," he urged. "Now 1t would be
bcst-oh surely. best, senior to fol-
low me to La Senoritn.'
Jim showed by lfim toward the door.
The fellow looked trific uncertain,
his small calibcr brain confused by
, two contcndng impulses. But in an
instant long habit and an old fear that
| was greater than his new liking as
serted themselves. lie slipped between
, Kcndric and the door. and at his glance
the other servant joined him. The
two glanced at each other and then at
Kcndric's set and determined face,
and then looked swiftly down the long
hallway behind them. This look was
.I.,a 70 on,
l ing: that way Ind their companion gone
= hastily when ZOraida had left; that
) way. perhaps, would he be returning
presently with other of her hireling pack
! at his heels.
! STAND aside" commanded jim
~ m on my way.
They were Stalwart men and they did
not stand aside. Rather they stenuc,
closer together. shoulder to shoulder
= grim in their stubborn obedience to the
orders they had been given. Sick 4
waiting and words and instructions
Kpndric bore down on them. vOwinl
to go through. though they might raise
an outcry and double their strength
They were ready for him aud stood VI
to him. But their impulse of obcdienc,
and routine duty was pale, weak mo.
tive before his rage Mt eternal hin
drance. He charged them fikc a mac
bull he struck to right and left Will
the mighty blows OF luSty battle JOY
and, though they struck back and sough
TO praDplc with him he hurled one O
them against the wal. with n bleeding
mouth and sent the other tOppling back
ward. crashing to the floor in the hall
And through he went, grOwlini
savagcy. But only to confront tn
third man returning with half a doZrI
sullen eyed half-brc at his heels
only to see beyond them the bright in
tcrcStcd eyes of Toraidn.
Call your hound dogs off" he roarct
at her. "I'm going through"
Zoraida clapped her hands.
"MuChachoS, she commanded them
pistols or knives, mind you -
She drew up close to one wall an
watched; she might have been an ex
cited child at three ring circus
Kendric found time to marvel Mt he
even as he shot by her, hurting tn
whole of his compact weight into tn
mass of bodies defying him passage
way. And az flesh struck flesh, Xoraid
clapped her hands again and watche
eagerly.
One against six-seven," sh
whispered. Zone against nine!' sh
added, for already the two men VIII
had sought to hold Kendric back fror
the hallway were up and after him
I