The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-07

me. IS It pOSSlDle!
 His gun, held at the hip. pointed straight down the table to Gregory, but his eyes, like those of pugilist, seemed to be taking in every face at the table, and each man felt in some subtle manner that the danger would fall first on him. They did not an- swer, but hands were frightened around re- volver butts.
 And Sally Fortune, bracing herself against the wall with one hand, and in the capable grasp of the other six-gun bal anced, stared in growing amazement on the scene, and shuddered at the silences.
 "Bard," she called, "what have dene?,'
 "You've started game" he answered, "which I presume we've all been waiting to play, What about it, boys? hope you're well paid; I'd hate to die a cheap death.'
 A figure ran around the edge the crowd and stood beside him.
 Stand clear of me, Sally" he muttered, much moved Stand away. This is mans work"
 "The work of pack of coyotes!' she cried shrilly. Il had hunch there was trouble brewin' here. And I followed Bard and Nash to see if I was right. Are you goin' to murder a tenderfoot among you? One that ain't done no real harm? don't believe my eyes"
 "Theys no harm intended him, on my honor Sally" said Lawlor. "All he's got to do is to give up his gun-and- finished weakly-"let his hands be tied"
 'Is that all?" said Sally scornfully.
 Don't follow me, Sally said Bard. Stay out of this Boys, you may have been paid high, but I don't think you've been paid high enough to risk taking chance with me. If you put me out with the first shot that ends it, of course, but the chances are that I'll be alive when I hit the floor, and if I am, I'll have my gun working-and won't miss. One or two of you are going to drop.'
 He moved slowly, deliberately toward the door, around the table. Still they did not shoot.
 Sally" he commanded, "go out of this room and through that door,"
 She passed out of the door and stood there, glimmering figure against the night. Still there was not shot fired though all those guns were trained on Bard.
 He jerked his gun up and fired. not at man, for the bullet struck the thin chain which held the gasoline lamp suspended, struck it with clang, and it rushed down to the table. There was dull report, as scream of Sally from the door, and then liquid fire spurted from the lamp across the table, whipped in flare to the ceiling, and licked against the walls.
 Anthony, scarcely believing that he was still alive, rushed for the door, with a cry ringing in his ears from voice beyond the room One man in all that crowd was near, enough or had the courage to obey that cry even to the uttermost The gaunt form of Calamity Ben blocked the doorway in front of Bard, blocked it with poised revolver.
 Halt" he yelled.
 But the other rushed on. Calamity whipped down his gun and fired, but even before the trigger was pulled Ben was sagging toward the floor, for Bard had shot to kill Over the prostrate form of the cow puncher he leaped, and into the night, where the white face of Sally greeted nm.
 Red light flared in all the windows of the the dining room! shouts and groans and cursing poured out of them. Bard turned and followed her out toward the stable on the run, and he heard her moaning as sne ran: q knew! I knew"
 She mounted her horse, which was tetn- cred near the barn. He chose at random the first horse he reached, gray. threw on his back the saddle which hung from the peg behind, mounted, and they were off through the night.
 A mile, two miles dropped behind them. and then in an open stretch, for he had outridden her somewhat, Anthony refined back. caught the bridle of her horse, and pulled it down to sharp trot.
 "Why have you come?"
 Their faces were so close that even through the night he could see the grim set of her lips.
 "D'you know these mountainS?"
 ''No, but"
 "Then they'd run you down in twelve hours. Wheren you head for?"