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

break off this talk. I've learned lot"
 Chapter XIX-The Show " OU first" said Lawlor at the door. ss Eve been taught to let an older
 man go first" said Bard, smiling pleasantly. After you. sir"
 Any way you want it. Bard," answered Lawlor,, but as he led the way down the hall he was saying to himself, through his stiffly mnmbing lips: "He knows! There's going to be hell poppin' before long.
 He heightened his stride going. down the long hall to the dining room, and entering, he found the cowpunchers about to take their places around the big table. Straight toward the head to the big chair he stalked, and paused an instant.beside little Duffy Their interchange of whispers was like a muffled rapid-fire, for they had to finish before young Bard, now just entering the room. could reach them and take his desig- mated chair at the right of Lawlor.
 fife knows," muttered Lawlor.
 The food which. Shorty Kilrain and Ca lamity Ben now brought on was distinctly utiiitarian rather than appetizing. Yet the ca emen about the table settled themselves for the meal with pleasant expectation fui.,- equal to that of the most seasoned gourmand in Manhattan restaurant.
 In the meantime little Duffy had passed cn to the next man: :.iI in side mutter, a ne the from lip to lip like a watchword passing along line of sentinels
 As for Bard he stuck by his original ap- parent indifference. For he still felt sure that the real William Drew was behind this elaborate deception and the thing for which he waited was some revelation of the hand of the master. The trumps which he felt he held was in being forewarned; he could not see that the others knew his hand.
 Their meal finished the cowpunchers rolled and lighted cigarettes. Bard, puffing at a cigar which Lawlor had insisted on his accepting, in apparent meditation watched the smoke as it curled about the big gaso- line lamp which hung suspended by slender chain from the ceiling and immedi- a5ely above the table.
 Through the door stalked a newcomer. He paused and cast a curious eye up the
 What the hell!" he remarked naively. " Where's the chief?"
 Fired" beloved Lawlor without mo- men't of hesitation.
 Who fired him?" asked the new man. for the point of a joke, but he caught a series of strange signals from men at the table and many broad wink.
 ., T fired him, Gregory" answered Lawlor. "I fired Nashw
 You see," he said rather weakly, "the used to be foreman here. Ain't no more. Il couldn't stand for his lip."
 An, yes," said Bard "I understand"
 And Lawlor felt that he did understand, and too well.
 Then a second form appeared in the door way, 1.-the, graceful. and the light made her hair almost golden.
 'Ev'nin, fellers," called Sally jauntily. 'Hello, Lawlor; what you doin' at the head Of the table?"
 The bluff was ended. It was as if the wind blew cloud suddenly from the face of the sun and let the yellow sunlight pour brightly over the world; so every one in the rooni at the voice of Sally knew that the vocal answer to her, but each man rose slowly in his place, his gun naked in his hand. and every face turned to Bard. -
 "Gcntlemen," he said in hi1 soft voice, "I xan thnt NolI l1nnW ennu0h to rise when A