Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-05-12

strong Jerk. The man on his back
shot heels over head as though he
had beer hurled from a catapult,
crashed face up on the table, and
dragged 1t over with him in his for
ward plunge to the wall.
Before any one else could move or
speak, L~indsay's gun was out.
easy now" His voice was a gentle
drawl that carried a menace. Lem
me be boss of the rodeo a while. No,
Gorilla, I wouldn't play with that club
If l was you. I'm sure h-l-a-mile
on this gunstuff. Drop it" The last
two words came sharp and crisp, for
the big thug had telegraphed an IN
intentional warning of his purpose to
dive at the mar behind the thirty
eight.
Gorilla Dawes fingers opened and
the blackjack dropped from his hand
to the floor.
"For the love O. Mike, who is this
guy?" demanded M of the other men.
'I'm the fifth member of our little
party" explained Clay.
"Wot tell do youse mean? And
what's the big idea in most KILN the
chief?"
The man who had been flung across
the table turned over and groaned.
Clay would have known that face
among a thousand. 1t belonged to Jer-
ry Durand.
II came in at the wrong door and
without announcin' myself" said the
cattleman, almost lazily, the unhurried
Incidence of his n not shaken.
"You see l wanted to be on time so as
not to keep you waitin'. I'm Clay
Lindsay"
The more talkative of the gunner
from the East side flashed one look
at the two automatics lying on the
floor beside the overturned table. They
might as well have been in Brazil for
all the good they were to him.
Move over to the other side of the
room, Gorilla, and join yore two.
friends" suggested the master of cere-
monies. And don't make any mis-
take. If you do you won't have time
to be sorry for it. I'll ce'tainly shoot
to KILL
The big-shouldered thug shuf1ed
over. Clay stepped sideways, watch
ing the three gunner every foot Of the
way, kicked the automatics into the
open, and took possession of them.
He felt safer with the revolvers in his
coat pocket, for they had been within
reach of Durand, and that member
of the party was showing signs of a re-
turn to active interest in the proceed
ings.
"When l get you right Pll croak you.
By Cd, l WILL sswore the gan lead
er savagely, nursing his battered head.
"No big stiff from the bushes can
run anything over on me-" =
81 believe you" retorted Clay easily.
"That is, I believe you're tellin' me
yore intentions straight. There's no
news in that to write home about.
But you'd better make that If instead
of when. This is three cracks you've
had at me and I'm still a right healthy
rube."
Don't bank on fool luck any more.
I'll get you sure" cried Durand sourly.
The gorge Of the Arizonan rose.
"Mebbeso. You're a dirty dog, Jerry
Durand. From the beginning you were
a rotten fghter-in the ring and out of
it. You and yore strong-arm men!
Do you think I'm afraid of you be-
cause you surround yoreself with dips
and yeggmen and hopnuts, all scum
of the gutter and filth of the earth?
Where l come from men fight clean
and out in the open. They'd stomp
you out like a rattlesnake."
He whipped open the door, stepped
out, closed it, and took the key from
his pocket. A moment, and he had
turned the lock.
From within there came a rush that
shook the panels. Clay was already
busy searching for Kitty. He tore
open door after door, calling her loud
ly by name. Even in the darkness he
could see that the rooms were empty
of furniture.
There was a crash of splintering
panels, the sound of a bursting lOck.
AAiiCo oo NAV0Sh IL 01 CNhO
1t came a heavy pounding upon the
street door. Clay guessed that the
thirty minutes were up and that the
Runt was bringing the police. He dived
back into M of the empty rooms
just in time to miss a rush of men
pouring along the passage to the stairs.
Cut off from the street, Clay took
to the roof again. 1t would not do for
him to be caught in the house by the
police. He climbed the ladder, pushed
his way through the trapdoor opening,
and breathed deeply of the night air
But he had no time to lose. All
ready he could hear the trampling OF
feet up the stairs to the second story
Lightly lie vaulted the wall and
came to the roof door leading down
to number 1913. He found it latched
The caves of the roof projected 50