The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-10-11
CHAPTER IV. nTANDn

Cairns resolved to walk up to the next crossing, and then turn back. He replaced his watch and started aneaC, when a dark figure jumped out of somes hrubs On the lawn ahead or some shrubs on the lawn ahead of to the sidewalk. and advanced upon him with arms outstretohed. fncurv- ing threateningly. At the same in stant Cairns heard soft steps padding g swiftly up behind
 His thought was that these night hawks had seen his watch and the thought was no swifter than his ao- tion. He brought up his cane with a fierce half-turn. of his wrist, the fer rule flashing from the ground, and put. his weight into the expert jab that landed the end of the stout cane
 fairly in the pit of his opponents stomach and sent him gasping to the
 ground.
 Almost in the same movement swung about, crouching a little as his
 cane swfshed through the air in a
 ha1f-circ1e. He caught the gleam of weapon in an attracting hand,
 and he got home fairly upon the eI-
 bow of the arm to which the hand belonged.
 It was a hard blow, we'll delivered, and the stiffly elastic cane was won derfully effective. With a howl or pain his second asdailant dropped the weapon, tinkling, to the sidewalk, clutched his elbow convuIs1veIy with his free hand. and, still emitting cries of pain and astonishment, sped back along the course he had taken 70 creep up on Cairns.
 Cairns gave one glance at the figure that still writhed in anguish and ut ter loss of wind, then stopped and Jojo ha xxyaS 2 or, it's delicate keenness ruined by the fall to the hard cement, the end broken off the blade that, but for his alertness, would have slashed into his jugular. It was plain that they had not been after his watch, but his life.
 "In bet I smashed that chaps el- bow,' Cairns told himself, with a lit tie chuck1e of satisfaction. Then he grabbed the fallen man by his collar, dragged him back to the coping. and hofsted him up to the lawn above. Hit by blow that would effectually inter- fere with his digestion for some time to come, the man, dark-co1ored negro, was still practically helpless, and Cairns lugged him across the wet turf to a clump of bushes. kneeIing beside him while the deftly searched him for souvenirs of the occasion. He found them and tucked them awtay DeIOre the man began to Il1Odn more connected1y.
 In the meantime Cairns had made up his mind what to do. He wanted to make sure who was back of the at tack. He strongly suspected Quando. Hurried1y as the man wnose arm ne had smashed had made off. he was pretty sure he recognized in him the negro who had tried to trail him from the clairvoyants. who must. some how, have succeeded, and who, later, had been able to pick him up again as he emerged from the hotel, despite his rehabilitation to normal. He recollected that he was wearing the same raincoat that had covered his old clothes for the time being, making the job not so hard, after all.
 Quando had put them on to this murder because Cairns had tried 70 find out something about Paxton. Paxton. must have a great call on the negress' powers, and if she was so willing to commit crime on suspicion, then it was because Paxton had him. self committed crime that kept him in hiding, a crime that Quando must know of, might have even partrcrpar- ed in. and was fiercely eager to cover bedause Cairns, whom she very ev1- dently believed to be a detective or some enissary of justice, had clumsily tipped himself off when he gave her his palm to read.
 But to give Quando over to the law would arouse publicity. It would force his own hand as to why he was seeking Paxton. and he knew that, like Rhiney. the police and the gen. eral public would make fun of him, an amateur detective with a hunch, who had essayed to guard a man from death, and when he failed, tried to suggest the supernaturhl
 That was the way they would look at it. Also, Quando might nor yer have warned Paxton. She might not even know where he was else she would have rernaiIed that pink enveI- ope of his PubHcitywould effect that warning, if Paxton was III any way implicated with Forsythe's unac- countable demise on the day of the thirteenth
 Cairns had been attacked, and he had got away with it. So far, so good. Even if charged, QuIando would have her denials and alibis. Cairns did not undervaIue the craftiness of the self-sty1ed descendant of the Queen of Sheba. And in St. Louis,for the time, he could go no farther. Besides, he wanted to get to New York to Iook for his next bit of puzzle.
 Nor had he overmuch time left to get his train. He sharply slapped the negro's cheek until he opened his eyes.
 Now, then" parked Cairns. s.how much did Quando give you 10 try su do me up? Talk. or I'll land you where you won't see a crap game m five years"
 The hint of hope expressed made the fellow fairly voluble.