The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-06-09


exits were being watched.
Presently he picked up another taxi.
He hesitated whether to go TO the
address Annie had given him or to join
the chase uptown. Reluctantly. he de-
cIded to visit the house.
Clay paid his driver and looked at
the house numbers as he moved up
the street he wanted Many OF the
residences were used to keep dodgers
in. Others were employed for less
reputable purposes.
His overcoat buttoned to his neck,
Clay walked without hesitation up the
steps of the one numbered 243. He
rang the bell and waited. his right
hand In the pocket of his overcoat.
The door opened cautiously a few
inches and a pair of close-set eyes
In wrinkled face gimleted Clay.
"Whadya want?"
"The old man sent me with a mes
sage" answered the ArIzonan prompt
ly. Got everything ready for the
girl?"
Say, who the hi are youseT
zone of Sims friends. Listen, we
got the kid-picked her up at drug
store"
81 don know watcher fairy tales
about"
Clay put his foot against the door
to prevent 1t from being closed and
drew his hand from the overcoat peck
ct. In the hand nestled q blue-nosed
persuader.
Unless the eyes peering into the
night we're bad barometers of their
owners inner state. he was in panic |
of fear
Love o. Gawd, DIDN'T shootT" he |
chartered. II amt nobody but the |
caretaker"
He backed slowly away, followed by |
Lindsay. The barrel Of the thirty
eight held his eyes fascinated. BY |
the light of his flash Clay discovered
the man to be a chalk-faced little In
consequent.
"Say. don't point that at me-" the
old fellow implored
Are you alone?"
"You know It,"
"Is Jerry comm himself with the
othersT
"They don't none of them tell me
nothin'. I'm nobody. I'm only Joey"
UNLOAD what you know. Quick.
I'm In a hurry"
The man began rambling. whin-
ing tale.
The Arizonan learned that room
had been prepared on the second floor
for a woman. Slim had made the ar
Joe had heard Durand's
name mentioned, but knew nothing Of
the plans.
'I'll look the house over. Move
along In front of me and don't make
any mistakes. This six-gun is liable
to permeate yore anatomy with lead"
The cattleman examined the first
floor with an especial view to the ex-
its. He might have to leave In hur-
ry. If so, he wanted TO know where
he was going The plan of the sec {
ond story was another point he feat |
ured as he passed swiftly from room |
to room. From the laundry in the
basement he had brought up a coil {
|
hand and foot. After gagging him, G
be left the man locked in a small q
rear room and took the key with him. I
Clay knew that he was in a precari- t
)us situation. If Durand returned l
With Kitty and captured him here he i
vas lost. The man would make no /
more mistakes. Certainly he would 4
cave no evidence against him except
hat of his own tools. The intruder q
would probably not be killed openly. a
lie would either simply disappear or y
Re would be murdered with witnesses
ramed to show self-defense. The 4
attleman was as much outside the Il
iw as the criminals were. He had +
o legal business in this house. But r
ne thing was fixed In his mind. He Q
'ould be no inactive victim. If they
OF him at all it would be only after
fighting finish. c
To Clay, standing at the head of
he stairs, came sound that stiffened s
i'm to tense wariness. key was e
eing turned in the lock of the street s.
DOR below. He moved back into the
eeper shadows as the door swung "
pen. n
Two men entered. One OF them d
lrsed softly as he stumbled against m
chair in the dark hall. Il
Where's that rat Joe?' he demand
In subdued voice. q
Then came click of the lock. The st
'und Of the street rain ceased. Clay b;
lew that the door had been closed re
I'd that he was shut In with two cl
,sperate criminals. ey
What have they done with Kitty? til
ny was she not with them? He
ked himself that question even as CT
} slipped back into a room that
'ened to the left. II
He CROPPED his way through the dark
SIS, for he dared not fash his light
guide him. His fingers found the
ge of desk. Round that he cir X
ed toward a closet he remembered
wing noted. His arm brushed the
)set door. Next moment he was in 1t
a 81 IL |