New Britain herald., 1923-06-02

Bg Wag IF FauslRg his saNagsn,
the fellaN uttered q hsll0w, then, ike
a warrior smiiiRg his shield with his
spear hefAEe the charge, he swung
his heavy weapon, smashing "a one
hlaw that silFNF-R plated mfrFErgo-
round with lis cluster If hotties,
4 shower Of l00ihnieks, fragments
If glass, spatteP Of oil and vinegar
eaFeFed the Old man IN the end chair,
and he rose with cry that drew a
swift glance from the desperate,
Gray MAS nR0n the point Of launch
ihE himself over ihe table when he
witnessed a peculiar transformation
In hts assailant The mans express
sion altered with alm0si connie sud-
denRess, he lowered his weapon and
took a backward step, Gray, too,
had cause for establishment, for the
elderly man was moving slowly
toward the disinTbeF, his aNereaat,
meanwhile, hanging loosely from his
lett shoulder, like a mantle
That he had heen recognized Was
plain, for the armed man cried, agi-
tatedly; Leak out Tom, ] don't want
any truck with YOU"
The deliberate advance continues
In harsh voice Tom answered II
don't allow anybody 10 interfere with
me when I'm eating'" For every
step he shuffled forward the man he
fore him fell hack corresponding
distance,
Again the newcomer rasped out a
warning, and Gray, too, added his
voice, saving "l.eays him 10 me, old
man. This is my quarrel" As he
spoke he moved around the end Of
the table. hut the mantled figure
halted him with an imporiOus Jerk
OF the head. without In the slightest
diverting his steady gaze. Tom
snapped;
Hands off, stranger! won't
have you huttin' In either don't
allow anybody 10 interfere with me
when I'm eating"
Brief as had been the whole cpl
sode, already passershy had halted.
staring faces were glued 10 the front
windows of the cafe, Well they
might stare at those two tense figures
one advancing, the other retreatnG,
as II 10 the measures OF some slow
dance.
But the tempo changed abruptly
The desperado's back brought up
against the swinging kitchen door: 1t
gave to his weight and decision was
born OF that instant. With a cry he
flung himself backward, the spring
door snapped TO and swallowed him
up with the speed of a camera shut
ter; then followed the sound of his
heavy gushing footsteps.
"HA0!" exclaimed the old man. u
had his buttons counted" with the
words he let fall his overcoat, and
there. beneath II. Gray beheld what
he had more than half suspected,
what indeed was ample cause for the
quarrelsome strangers apprehension.
Held close to the owners body was
what in the inelegant jargon of the
west Is known as a dog leg The
weapon, a frontier Colts of heavy
caliber, was full cooked under the
old mans thumb; the hand holding
it was as steady as the blazing eyes
above.
The street door burst open, noisy
crowd poured into the room Volley
of excited questions was raised,
Amid the confusion Gray heard his
own name shouted, and found HIM
self set upon by two agitated friends,
Mallow and Stoner.
Mallow dragged hiT toward the
uoor.
Gee, Governor! You gave us a
run. We've been coming since noon"
TT was only by the grace of God
Stoner declared. that we heard you
were out here and why you'd come.
We managed to get phone call
through to Jackson, but it was
jackson didn't get to you, did he?'
Malow inquired anXously.
Get to me? No. Nor ! to HIM"
Gray spoke impatiently. What is
this all about?"
Simply this, Governor: Jackson's
we'll is a 'set-up'! For Nelson! We
early dropped dead when we found
out that Parker kid had laid you
against It, Why didn't you tell
ls--?"
What are you saying? | don't
The wells phony. Dry as
pretzel."
I'm what way? saw the oil"
"Ill say you did MalloW
,huckled. Live Oil, too: right out
If old Mamma Earth. Cheap lease
It seventy-five thousand, Ell? It's like |