Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1922-09-01

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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 pair Of close-set eyes
in wrinkled face gimleted Clay.
/ "Whadya want?"
''The old man sent me with mes
sage" answered the Arizonan prompt
ly. "Got everything ready for the
girl?"
"Say, who the hi are youse?"
zone Of Sims friends. Listen, we
got the kid--picked her up at drug
| store"
ST dom know watcher fairy tales
about"
Clay put his foot against the door
to prevent it from being closed and
drew his hand from the overcoat pock-
ct. In the hand nestled a blue-nosed
| persuader.
Unless the eyes peering into the
night were bad barometers of their
owners inner state, he was In a panic
| Of fear.
"Love O. Gawd, d-don't shoot!" he
chartered 81 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
consequent.
"Say, don't point that at me-" the
old fellow implored.
"Are you alone?'
"You know It."
"Is Jerry comm himself with the
others?"
'"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 a rambling, whin-
ing tale.
The Arizonan learned that a room
had been prepared on the second floor
for woman. Slim had made the ar
rangements. 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
Of clOthes-line. With this he tied Joe
hand and foot After gagging him,
he left the man locked in small
rear room and took the key with him.
Clay knew that he was in precari-
Gus situation. Ii Durand returned
with Kitty and captured him here he
was lost. The man would make no
more mistakes. Certainly he would
| leave no evidence against him except
that of his own tools. The intruder
would probably not be killed openly.
| He would either simply disappear or
he would be murdered with witnesses
framed to show self-defense. The
cattleman was as much outside the
law as the criminals were. He had
no legal business in this house. But
one thing was fixed In his mind. He
would be no inactive victim. If they
| got him at all it would be only after
fighting finish.
To Clay, standing at the head of
the stairs, came sound that stiffened
him to tense wariness. A key was
being turned in the lock of the street
door below. He moved back into the
| deeper shadows as the door swung
| open.
/ Two men entered. One Of them
cursed softly as he stumbled against
a chair in the dark hall.
where's that rat Joew he demand
ed In a subdued voice.
| Then came a click of the lock. The
/ sound of the street rain ceased. Clay
knew that the door had been closed
| and that he was shut in with two
| desperate criminals.
What have they done with Kitty?
Why was she not with them? He
asked himself that question even as
| he slipped back into a room that
opened to the left.
He CROPPED his way through the dark
ness, for he dared not flash his light
| to guide him. His fingers found the
| edge of a desk. Round that he cir
cled toward closet he remembered
| having noted. His arm brushed the
| closet door. Next moment he was in
| side and had closed 1t softly behind
him.
And none too soon. For into the
room came the gunner almost on his
| heels.
"Jerryn raise h-l," heavy voice
| roS saving oa they entered the room