The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-06-02
Tim goIn' through. .

Chh I DE SURE tlil you try IT, Nn,
don't you get in through the roof In
stend o the Window"
Can get in that way?'
"Surest think you know--if the trap
door amt latched. Say. stick arount
outside my room half sec, will your
The cattleman waited In the dark
ness of the passage. II his enemies
were trying to ambush him in the
house next door the girls plan might
| save him. He would have chance
at least to get them unexpectedly In
the rear.
II could have been scarcely more
than two minutes later that the young
woman joined him. They padded soft
~ along the corridor till they came to
fight Of stairs running up. The
girl led the way, taking the treads
without noise In her stocklnged feet.
Clay followed with the utmost caution.
She took him toward the rear to n
ladder which ended at dormer half
door leading to the roof Clay fumbled
with his fingers, found a hook, I'M
fastened II, and pushed open the trap.
He looked up into starlit night and
n moment later stepped out upon the
roof. Presently the slim figure of the
girl stood beside him.
They moved across to a low wall,
climbed II and came to the dormer
door of the next house. Clay knelt
and lifted II an inch or two very slow
ly. He lowered II again and rose.
I'm a heap obliged to you. Bfiss.p
he said In low voice. You're a
game little gentleman"
she nodded. "My name Is Annie
Millikan."
Mine is Clay Lindsay. want to
come and thank you proper some day."
II take tickets at Heath's Palace
Of Wonders two blocks down." she
whispered. Look out for yourself.
Don't let 'em get you. Give 'em a
chance, and that gang would croak you
sure. You will be careful. won't your"
II never threw down on myself yet"
The girls fiippancy broke out again.
"Say, femme know when the weddin'
is and I'll send you salad bowl"
she flashed at him saucily as he turned
to go.
Clay was already busy with the door.
Darkness engulfed him as he closed
the trapdoor overhead His exploring
feet found each tread of the ladder
with the utmost caution. Near the
foot OF it he stopped to listen for any
sound that might serve to guide him.
40
noiseless as 1t was dark.
Again he had that sense OF cold
finger-tips making a keyboard of his
spine. But he trod down the panic
and set his will to carry on. He
crept forward along the passage. Ev-
cry step or two he stopped to listen.
nerves keyed to an acute tension.
A light of stairs brought him to |
what he knew must be the second |
Boor. To him there floated a murmur |
Vt sounds. He soft-footed 1t closer,
reached the door. and dropped noise
ock on the outside. With Infinite
,recaution against rattling he turned
/, slid II out, and dropped II In his
.oat pocket. His eye fastened to the
opening.
Three men were sitting round
able They were making blufr at
playing cards, but their attention was
ocused on door that evidently led
nto another room. Two automatic
evolvers were on the table close to
he hands Of their owners A black
ack lay In front OF the third man.
Hay recognized him as Gorilla Dave.
he other two were strangers to him.
Something evil In the watchfulness
( the three chilled momentarily his
ems. These fellows were the gun
len of New York he had read about
paid nssassins whose business 1t was
D frame Innocent men for the penten-
AIRY or kill them in cold blood. They
ere of the underworld, without con-
cience and without honor.
A soft step sounded In the corridor
eliind the man ut the keyhole He
nd not time to crawl away nor even 20
Sc before a man stumbled against
I'm.
Clay had one big advantage over
Is opponent. He had been given
n instant Of warning. His right
rm went up around the neck
7 his foe and frightened there. His
IT hand turned the Ssoorknob. Next ,
oment the two men crashed into the |
pom together the Festerner rising /
his feet as they came. with the body
the other lying across his back from :
- to shoulder.
Gorilla Dave ieaped to his feet. The c
her two gunner. caught at dlsad- |
intage a few feet from the table c
we'd for their automatics. They were q
10 late Clay swung his body down
ard from the waist with a quick. :
rong jerk. The man on his back I
lot heels over head as though he 4
I'd been hurled from catapult. 5
ashed face up on the table. and t
jagged II over with him la his for I
ard plunge to the wall. b
Before any one else could move or j
eab. Lindsay's gun was out. p
Easy now" His voice was gentle
awl that carried menace "Lem- &
p he boss of the rodeO a while. No | =,