The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-04-08

splintered before the first blows of
Pardaloe's sledge, and the stout front
doors gave way. Throwing himself
against the weaker one, SelwoOd
smashed and shouldered through II
and fell into the store. Pardaloe, un-
opposed, dashed in from the front
end, and Selwood. springing from
his momentary shelter, grappled the
form Of man In the darkness. The
two clenched on the floor.
Call off your dogs!" came in a
stentorian voice from. somewhere; 1t
sounded like Big Haynes. Selwood,
rolling his man in a fierce scuffle to-
ward the front, dragged him to the
doorway, threw him into the street,
and ran back to help.
Scott. from outside, had set a
lighted lantern up In the battered
window opening, and fastening to
the door with a second lantern, ran
in to secure the dogs just as Selwood
reached PardalOe. He sat astride n
PROSTATE defender. his bony fingers
fastened on the mans windpipe. Sell
wood understood too well what. that
meant. Catching lantern from
SCOTS hand, he held 1t on the mans
distorted features under Pardaloe's
hand. "Let loose, Bill! Let loose,
tell you! You're killing him."
"Dash 1t: JOHN protested Parda-
loe, struggling to get away from the
gamblers hands, that's what I'm
trying to dole me alone-he tried
to plug me! Who is he? Atkins ~
he exclaimed, as Selwood held the
lantern closer to the mans swollen
face.
Get your knee, out of his chest,
Bill" demonstrated Selwood "Can't
you see he's slipping? He can't
breathe"
With many reproaches aimed at
Selwood for unwarranted interfer-
ence, Pardaloe, shaking himself loose,
baffled and cycling his prey, stood by
till Selwood. bending over the gasp
ing man, saw he was coming to, and
started to drag him forward to throw
him out.
Pardaloe barred his arms. "Stand
away!" he exclaimed in hoarse
growl. "Stand away, John! You
throw'd your'n out. throw mine."
He picked up and carried Atkins
forward bodily. Selwood turned ia
help Scott with the dogs. These had
Big Haynes, greatly embarrassed, be.
hind two big boxes In a corner-and
held back by Scott, they were tearing
| to shreds with fiendish delight the
blanket Haynes had slept in. Haynes
called loudly for quarter. and as Sell
wood went forward again, Scott
while he held the dogs, advised
Haynes to hustle out the back door.
The party was over.
| 1t was the work of only few min.
utes for Selwood to regain his room
back Of the gambling hall. He slipped
out of his rig and began to wash up.
Within fifteen minutes he was back
| at the post he had left on hour ear.
| lier. with the few sitters around him
who had gathered at the last table
where faro was being dealt that Sun
day night.
Hardly ten minutes later three men
| appeared at the open doors of Sci.
woods place. Starbuck. accompanied
by Atkins and Bartoe, walked into
the hall and stood for moment
looking about. Selwood knew what
they were there for-to see whether
he was missing from his ordinary
post. He impassively pressed the
case spring and kept an untroubled
eye on the layout. His visitors lin.
gered only moment, but it was past
the closing hour, and while the last
Of the players struggled out, Star.
buck came in again.
"What have your barn DULLES been
up to tonight. Selwood?" he demand.
ed. without preliminary.
SelwoOd asked what he meant
Starbuck told Of the attack on the
store. "Atkins and Bartoe hold bill
| of sale for that STOCK" he declared
Indignantly. "Things have come to
a pretty pass in Sleepy Cat when legit.
innate owners are to be chewed up
by dogs and thrown out into the
street. This thing has got to stop, or
| you'll have to move your headquar.
tiers out Of this town" Selwood par.
ried with civil answers the questions
roughly asked, and met untroubled
the threats roughly made, and asked
only an occasional question himself.
"Haye you heard any talk Of Vigil
lantes organizing in Sleepy Cat?" he
asked. II don't know much about It.
But the little talk heard here a few
minutes ago about some kind of g
fight at Fyler's store was that the
vigilantes had got after the men who
had robbed Fyler and tried to kill
him. There's no use your talking tc
me about my men: they do as they
please-you know that. Talk Il
.them... he suggested. while Statbuck
livery angry, continued to blow or.
"Bartoe says there were half q
dozen or more men in it--and they're
In the store yet, he says" Selwoot
| ebou0ht pordalna onN nna Yudgo- a.