The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-02-01

He looked up into starlit night and
a moment later stepped out upon the
roof. Presently the slim figure Of the
girl stood beside him.
They moved across to a low wall.
climbed 1t and came to the dormer
door Of the next house. Clay knelt
and lifted 1t an inch or two very SLOW
ly. He lowered 1t again and rose.
"rm a heap obliged to you. Miss"
he said In low voice. You're a
game little gentleman"
She nodded. my name is Annie
Millikan."
Mine is Clay Lindsay. want to
come and thank you proper some day."
Il take tickets at Heath's Palace
of Wonders two blocks down." she
whispered. Look out for yourself.
Don't let 'em get you. Give 'em
chance. and that gang would croak you
sure. You will be careful, won't your"
Il never threw down on myself yet"
The girls fiIppancy broke out again.
Say. femme know when the weddin'
Is and Ill send you salad bowl"
she flashed at him saucily as he turned
to go.
Clay was already busy with the door.
Darkness engulfed him as he closed
the trapdoor overhead. His exploring
feet found each tread Of the ladder
with the utmost caution. Near the
foot Of It he stopped to listen for any
sound that might serve to guide him.
None came. The passage was as
noiseless as II was dark.
Again he had that sense of cold
fnger-tips making a keyboard of his
spine. But he trod down the panic
and set his will to carry on. He
crept forward along the passage. Ev-
cry step or two he stopped to listen.
nerves keyed to an acute tension.
A flight of stairs brought him to
what he knew must be the second
floor. To him there floated q murmur
OF sounds. He soft-footed 1t closer,
reached the door, and dropped noise
lessly to n knee. A key was In the
lock on the outside. With infinite
precaution against rafting he turned
1t. slid 1t out, and dropped 1t In his
coat pocket. His eye fastened to the
opening.
Three men were sitting round a
table. They were making a bluff at
playing cards, but their attention was
focused on door that evidently led
Into another room. Two automatic
revolvers were on the table close to
the hands Of their owners. A black
jack lay In front of the third man.
The other two were strangers to him.
Something evil In the watchfulness
of the three chilled momentarily his
veins. These fellows we're the gun
men of New York he had read about
paid assassins whose business 1t was
to frame innocent men for the peniten-
tiary or kill them In cold blood. They
were Of the underworld, without con-
science and without honor.
A soft step sounded In the corridor
behind the man at the keyhole. He
had not time to crawl away nor even to
rise before q man stumbled against
him.
Clay had one big advantage over
his opponent. He had been given
an instant of warning. His right
arm went up around the neck
Of his foe and frightened there. His
left hand turned the doorknob. Next
moment the two men crashed Into the
room together, the Westerner rising
to his feet as they came, with the body
of the other lying across his back from
hip to shoulder.
Gorilla Dave leaped to his feet. The
other two gunner, caught at dlsad-
vantage few feet from the table,
diyed for their automatics. They were
too late. Clay swung his body down.
ward from the waist with n quick,
strong jerk. The man on his hack
shot heels over head as though he
had been hurled from n cataput,
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, Lindsay's gun was out.
Easy now" His voice was a gentle
drawl that carried a menace. Lem
me be boss of the rodeo while. No,
Gorilla, wouldn't play with that club
II was you. I'm sure h-l-a-mile
on this gunstuff. Drop i'll" The last
two words came sharp and crisp, for
the big thug had telegraphed an un.
intentional warning of his purpose to
dive at the man 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 one 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 I'm 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. II belonged to Jer.
ry Durand.
II came in az the wrong door and
without announcin' myself" said the
cattleman, almost lazily. the unhurried
Incidence Of his manner not shaken.
"You see wanted to be on time so as
not to keep you wattin'. TIN Clay
LlEds2y."
The more laxative OF the gunner
from the East side flashed one look
Mt the two automati's lying ON the
floor beside the overturned table. They
might as well have beer In Brazil for
all the good they were 10 him.