The Holbrook news., 1922-08-25

men in the room in evening clothes. His questing eye fell on tough, scared faces that offered his fears no re- might be agents of Durand.
 He showed all of his chips out, put ting half of them on number eight and the rest on seventeen. His object was to lose his stack immediately and be free to go. To his annoyance the whirling ball dropped into the pocket labeled eight.
 Lets get out of this hole" he said to Lindsay In a low voice. q don't like It."
 "Suits me-" agreed the other.
 As Bromfield was cashing his chips Clay came rigidly to attention. Two men had just come into the room. One of them was "Sllm" Jim Collins, the other Gorilla Dave As yet they had not seen him. He did not look at them, but at his host. There was a question in his mind he wanted solved. The clubman's gaze passed over both the newcomers without the least sign of recognition.
 |. 'T didn't know what this joint was like or I'd never have brought you," apologized Clarendon. "A friend of mine told me about It. He's got queer fancy if he likes this frazzled dive"
 Clay acquitted Bromfeld of con- spiracy. He must have been tailed here by Durand's men. His host had nothing to do with 1t. What for? They could not openly attack him.
 "Slim" Jim's eyes fell on him. He nudged Dave. Both of them, standing near the entrance, watched Lindsay steadily.
 Some one outside the door raised the cry. "The bulls are comln'."
 Instantly the room leaped to fren- zied excitement. Men dived for the doors, bets forgotten and chips scat tered over the floor Chairs were smashed as they charged over them, tables overturned.
 Bromfield went into a panic. Why had he been fool enough to trust Durand? No doubt the fellow would ruin him as willingly as he would Lindsay. The raid was fifteen min utes ahead of schedule time. The ward politician had betrayed him. He felt sure of 1t. All the carefully pre- pared plans agreed upon he jettisoned promptly. His sole thought was to save himself. not to trap his rival.
 Lindsay caught him by the arm. Lets try the back room"
 He followed Clay, Durand's gang men at his heels.
 The lights went out.
 The westerner tried the window. It was heavily barred outside. He turned to search for a door.
 Brought up by the partition, Brom- field was whimpering with fear as he too groped for a way of escape. A pale moon shone through the window upon his evening clothes.
 In the dim light Clay knew that tragedy impended. "Slim" Jim had his automatic out
 i've got you good" the chauffeur snarled
 The gun cracked. Bromfield bleated in frenzied terror as Clay dashed for ward. A chair swung round in a sweeping arc. As 1t descended the splitting of the gun slashed through the darkness a second time.
 "Slim" Jim went down, rolled over. lay like log.
 Some one dived for Lindsay and drove him against the wall, pinning him by the waist. A second figure Joined the first and caught the cattle mans wrist
 Then the lights flashed on again. Clay saw that the man who had flung him against the partition was Gorilla star had twisted his wrist and was clinging to 1t. Bromfield was nowhere to be seen, but an open door to the left showed that he had found at least a temporary escape.
 A policeman came forward and stopped over the figure of the pros- trate man.
 Some ones croaked a guy" he said
 Gorilla Dave spoke up quickly. "This fellow did 1t. With a chair. I seen him."
 There was moment before Lindsay answered quietly. "He shot twice. The gun must be lying under him where he fell"
 Already men had crowded forward to the scene of the tragedy, moved by the morbid curiosity crowd has in such sights. Two policemen pushed them back and turned the still body over. No revolver was to be seen.
 Anybody know who this is?" one of the officers asked.
 "Collins-'Slim' Jim," answered big Dave
 "Well, he's got his this time" the policeman said. Skull smashed"
 Clay's heart sank. In that noise of struggling men and crashing furniture very likely the sound of the shots had been muffled. The revolver gone, false testimony against him. proof that he had threatened Collins available, Clay knew that he was in desperate straits.
 'There was another guy here with him in them glad rags" volunteered one of the gamblers captured in the raid.
 "Who was her" asked the plain clothes man of his prisoner.
 Clay was silent. He was thinking rapidly. His enemies had him trapped at last with the help of circumstance. Why bring Bromfield into it? It would mean trouble and worry for Beatrice.
 Better speak up. young fellow. me ladn adyised the detective HIt wnn,t