Evening star., 1924-07-13

|
liceman. off his beat-and now you
threaten me! What's the idea?"
! None O. your lip" snarled the
| shorter man, from the bar-counter
| We'll soon show you that you can't
arrest US. Me and my pal is having
spree-and the drinks is on the
| house-that's what. And you amt
| a-going to spoil our run. See, you
| little ck-sparrow?"
| II see perfectly l grinned. But
| you're both under arrest"
| "Oh, we are are we? I'll bloomin'
| well show you we amt, my cocky,'
| roared the tall man. You just stand
| over there, back against the wall
and don't you dare move until l say SO,
or III drill you full Of lead. Have a
| drink on the house. Bill-and don't
! forget to pour me one. you greedy
! blighter."
was backed until l stood against
| the wall to the left OF the door which
| had swung closed after me. / knew
| that there was no hope of any help
| coming from outside. and 1 dared not
! call for aid. While the big man
| picked up my revolver and laid it
on the bar, his partner poured out
| two liberal drinks from a whisky
bottle. They had me covered all the
time, and 1 realized it was futile
| to attempt any desperate measures. l
must just wait and watch. and seize
the first opportunity to turn the
tables on my captors. AS a first
arrest, the affair had been a hope.
less failure. The laugh was on me
but hoped to be able before long
to change that
THE room was a shambles, with
broken glasses, bottles, tables and
chairs scattered about the floor. The
two bulies were unpleasant-looking
customers. Both were sturdy. and
| wore big black boards. 1t was per-
fectly useless to try to force matters.
for drinking had not sweetened their
| tempers. I stood still and watched
them drink generous measures Of neat
whisky, while they argued as to
| what they would do with me. None
of their suggestions was pleasant
to hear. They must have swallowed
at least half a dozen drinks before
plan came into my head. The
sight of my revolver lying on the
bar-counter was an incentive.
II suppose you are both excellent
shots with a revolver" / suggested,
suddenly.
We're Australians amt that
enough?" snarled the smaller man.
Il don't see that your country of
birth has anything to do with shoot
ing" 1 protested. eyeing them closely
for any sign that they were biting
on my bait.
We'll, well blamed we'll show you
that it has" roared the big bully.
| Stick up them bottles, Bill, and we'll
show him whether or not we're good
shots"
1 could have hugged myself with
joy. My plan was working out to
perfection.
The man called Bill quickly ar
ranged the bottles on the far end OF
the counter of the bar. They were
placed in single row facing them,
and no heed was taken as to whether
they were full ones or not. The ma
jority Of them were full. The owner
of the hotel was going to have most
Improbable next few minutes. but
this fact caused me no regrets
When the targets were arranged
the tall man left Bill to guard me
while he drew back to the other end
of the room He fired four shots in
quick succession, and each one took
the neck off a bottle. Then he paused
and jerked his head at Bill.
Your turn, Bill. I'll watch him."
| he said.
The short man took his stand where
the other man had fired from and in
FIVE rapid shots decapitated an equal
number Of bottles.
"oh, good shooting!" 1 cried. en-
Enthusiastically.
What did 1 tell you?" demanded
Bill. Watch me-"
He turned on his heel and fired a
shot over his shoulder, backward.
One Of the lamp chimneys in the
ceiling fell in fragments on the floor.
Wonderful shooting!" l calculated,
/ my eyes never leaving the two men
| for an instant. Ny chance was COM
| ing. You can't better that" I chal-
lenged Bills companion.
With an angry growl the tall man
drew away from the bar-counter and
left me unattended. He aimed at a
bottle on the shelves and took the
cork OFF it. Then he aimed toward
another bottle still standing on the
bar. This was what I had been wait
| ing for. With a quick and silent glid-