Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-11
cling him. he left the man locked In
a small rear room and took the key

Clay knew that he was in i pre-.
carioas situation. II Spurand return.
ed with Kitty and captured him there
he was lost. The man would make
no more mistakes.EA Certainly ne
|'weuld leave no evidence against him
except that 4of his own tools. The
Intruder would probably not be killed
Openly. He would either simply dis.
appear or he would be murdered, with
lNvitnesses framed to show self-defense
The cattlernans was as much outside
the law as the criminals, were. He
had no legal business In this house.
But one thing was fixed in his mind,
He would be no inactive victim. II
they got him at all, it would be only
after a fighting finish.
To Clay, standing at the head OF
the stairs, came a sound that stiffened
him in a tense wariness. "A key was
being turned in the lock OF the street
door below. He moved back into the
deeper shadows as the door swung
open. ,
Two men entered. One Of them
cursed softly as he stumbled against
a chair insthe dark hall.
Where's that rat Joe ?" be demand
ed in aNsubdued voice. %t :' y
Then came a click of the lock. The
sound OF the street rain ceased. Clay
knew that the door hNd been closed
and that he was shut In with two
desperate criminals.
What have they done with Kitty?
Why was. h n with them? He
asked himself that question even as
he slipped back into a room that
opened to. the left. =.
He CROPPED his way through the
light to guide him. His fingers found
the edge of a desk. Round that he
circled toward a closet he remem
bered having noted. His arm brush
ed the closet door. Next moment he
was inside and had closed 1t. softly
behind him.
And none~ too soon. For into the
DOM came the gunner almost on his
heels. t
"Jerry'll raise hi" a.heavy voice
was saying as they entered the room.
and that amt all. Well land in
stir il we don't look out. we just
ducked n bad fall. The bulls pretty
near had us that time we poked our
nose out from the park at Seventy
second street."
y Some one pressed a button, and the
room leaped to light. Through the
open crack Of the closed door Clay
ond of the eunmen was out of range
of his vision.
From the sound Of creakine furni-
ture Clay Judged that the unsee man
had sat down heavily. ut was that
blowout queered us. And say-how
came the bulls so hot on our trail?
Who raped to emp
Must "a been that boob wit the
COLL. He got busy quick. Well, Jerry
won't have to salve the cops this
time: We made our getaway all
Say. where's Joey?" ~,
Pulled a sneak likely. wha's it
matter? Listen! What's that?
Some n was coming up the stairs!
The men in the room moved eau
tiously to the door. The hall light
was switched on.
10, jerry" Gorilla Dave called
softly.
He closed the room door and the
sound Of the voices was shut off in
stantly.
The unlimited guest dared not step
out of the closet to listen. for at any
instant the men might re-enter. He
crouched in his hiding place, the
thfrty-eight in his hand.
The minutes dragged unfortunately.
More than nee Clay almost made up
his mind to steal out to learn what
the men were doing. But his judg-
ment told him he must avoid a brush
with SO many if possible.
The door opened again.
Nov beat it and do as 1 sar If
you know what's good for you." a bull
lying voice was ordering.
The owner of the voice came in
and slammed .the door behind him.
He sat down at the desk, his back to
the closet. Through the chink Clay
saw that the man was Jerry Du-
rand.
From his vest pocket ne took a fat
black cigar. struck a match and lit
it. He slumped down in the swivel
his mind was busy working out a
Clay stepped softly from his place
of refuge, but not SO noiselessly that
the gangman did not detect his pres
ence Jerry swung round in the chair
and leaped up with cat-like activity.
He stood without moving poised on
the balls Of his feet, his deep-set eyes
narrowed to shining Sits. 1t was
long on the man holding steadily the
menacing revolver.
Don't you! I've got the dead
wood on. you" said the Arizonan, a
trenchant sadness in his speech. "1n
shoot you down sure as his hot"
Durand's face wore an ugly look
Of impotent malice. but his throat
was dry as a.. lime kiln. He could not
estimate the danger that confronted
him nor what lay back of the mans
presence.
What you dom here?" he de-
manded.
MAXIM my party CALI" retorted
Clay easily.
Jerry cursed him with a low, saw
age stream OF profanity. The gang
man enraged was not a sight pleas
ing t o see: =
II reckon heaven, hi. and high
water couldn't keep you fnom cussfn'
now. Relieve yore mind proper, Mr..
Durand, Then We'll talk business
murmured Clay in the low, easy drawl
that eve suggested weakness.
The ex-prize-fghter's flow OF Ian
guage dried up. He fell silent and
stood swallowing his furious rage. It
had come home to him that this mar
row-aanked young fellow with the
close-griPped jaw and the cool, steady
eyes was entirely unmoved by his
threats. &
Quite through erervescing?" ask
ed Clay contemptuously.
The gang leader made no answer.
He chose to nurse his venonr>silently.
Where's Kitty Mason? ?"
Still no answer.
II asked. you what -ou've done with
Kitty Mason?"
That's my business"
!, by b; Go !, ID y you'l tel, or Ill tear
Clay backed to the door, found the
key. transferred It to the inner side
Of the lock, turned It, and>put 1t In his
pocket.
The cornered n .ooL =
chance. Ne ducked for the shelter of
the desk. tore open a drawer and
snatched ont an automatic.
Efwaf1fA mAny,s1s, aa -