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


 the fireplace with bowed head, and Anthony shaded his eyes and stared at the floor until he caught a glimpse of the other and went gently to him.
 He said, "I'm sorrier than lot of words could tell you. Will you sit down, sir, and let me tell you how l came to press, home the question:"
 '.If you want to have it that way"
 They resumed their chairs.
 Chapter lV-John Bard.
 IT WILL explain why changed my
 clothes after I came home. You see,
 toward the end of the show lot of cow boys rode in. The ringmaster was announc- ing that they could ride anything that walked on four feet and wore skin, when up jumped an oldish fellow in a box op- posite to mine and shouted that he had horse which none of them could mount. He offered five hundred dollars to the man who could back him; and made it good by going out of the building and coming back inside of five minutes with two men lead ing a great stallion, the ugilest piece of horseflesh I've ever seen.
 .'As they worked the brute down the arena, it caught sight of my white shirt, suppose, for it made dive at me, reared mp, and smashed its forehoofs against the barrier. By love, regular man eater! Brought my heart into my mouth to see the big devil raging, and l began to yearn
 
 to see which of us would come out on top. You know?'
 The big man noistened his lips; he was strangely excited.
 50 you climbed into the arena and rode the horse?7
 Exactly. I knew you'd understand. After I'd ridden the horse to a standstill and climbed off, good many people gath cred around me. One of them was big man, about your size. In fact, now that look back at 1t, he was good dear like you Tn more ways than one; looked if time had hardened him without making him brit tie. He came to me and said: Excuse me, son. but you look sort of familiar to me. Mind telling me who your mother wasp What could I answer to a."
 A shadow fell across Anthony from the rising height of his father. As he looked up he saw John Woodbury glance sharply, first toward the French windows and then at the door of the secret room.
 Was that all, Anthony
 "Yes, about alL.''
 For few minutes neither spoke Then through the silence came a call.
 Once more, and this time it was unmis- takably clear: "John Bard-John Bard, come out to me"'
 The big, gray man rose with widely star ing eyes as if the name belonged to him, and strode with a humping step into the . secret room. Hardly had the clang of the closing door died out when he reappeared, fumbhng at his throat. Straight to Anthony he came and extended a key from which dangled piece of thin silver chain. It was the key to@the secret room.
 Anthony took it in both hands, like knight receiving the pommel of his sword from him who had just given the acolade, and stared down at it until the cteaking of the opened French windows startled him to
 "Wait"' he called. q will go also"
 The big man at the open window turned. You will sit where you are now," said his harsh voice, but if don't return, you have the key to the room."
 His burly shoulders disappeared down the steps toward the garden, and Anthony siippe dback into his chair; yet for the first time in his life he was dreawing of dis obeying the command of John Woodbury. Woodbury-.yet the big man had risen auto natically in answer to the name of Bard. John Bard! It struck on his consciousness like two hammer blows wrecking some fragile fabric; it jared home like the timed blow of a pugilist. Woodbury? There might be a thousand men capable of that name, but there could only be one John Bard, and that was he who had disappeared down the steps leading to the garden. Anthony swerved in his chair and fastened his eyes on the Dutch cleck. He gave him. self five minutes before he should move. The last minute Anthony spent at the open French window with backward eye on the a1noly. +bn, l,a rono1 10u-, c&oDc