Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-11-01

WOuuuCu, OciWOou Slppcu Ouc arm
and then the other out of the coat
he wore, and laid the purloined neck
erchief over the right forearm.
Drawing his revolver from the
scabbard in which he had replaced it
when sitting down, Selwood, with the
grip of the gun In his right hand,
wrapped the kerchief loosely over
hand and gun together. When ar
ranged to his liking, he drew his small
hunting-knife, and gradually slit the
bandage on the lower side from end
to end, so that it ny hiding his re-
volver, but ready to jerk off with his
free hand. Putting away the knife,
he rose and, facing the room, reached
with his left hand up behind him and
jerked down the window curtain.
Sitting down again, he made rude
sling Of the curtain, hung 1t from
his neck under his right wrist, and
with his left hand slipped his coat
back again over his shoulders. Sit
ting now quite at ease, he lrew leaf
of cigarette paper from waistcoat
pocket, laid 1t on the table, fished
tiny bag of tobacco from coat peck
ct, opened 1t between his teeth and
his left hand, taking advantage OF
that proceeding to take an extra good
look at the men in front of him, rolled
his cigarette awkwardly on the table
before him, pushed 1t between his
lips, and rose to his feet. He drew
his hat-brim evenly down, so 1t was
neither high nor low, but exactly
shaded his eyes where he stood, and
with the cigarette hanging from his
lip, moved toward noisy group Of
men and asked the nearest one for q
match.
Passing this inspection proved easy.
talking groups-some of the men were
examining revolvers, others slowing
cartridges into various pockets, others
adjusting ammunition belts-trading
tobacco, Boosting, and telling stories;
but while Selwood recognized more
than one Of them either as Calabasas
worthless or River quarter "rats," none
Of them uncovered him.
His apprehension thus fairly well
allayed, he made his way in easy
measure toward the rear end of the
room, where the crowd was thicker.
He had approached within dozen
feet of the Darkroom door and was
thinking Of just how he should ma
neuver an entrance, when it was sud-
denly opened, and out walked Harry
Barbanet, followed by the redoubtable
Bull Page, whose eyes showed mild
stimulation.
The moment was delicate. To turn
quickly away would only be, he well
knew, to excite suspicion and even in
vite particular inspection; the utmost
Selwood could do was to interrupt
conversation near at hand and ask
whether the doctor had come.
Had Bull, the derelict, sold him out
disclosed Selwood's presence and
told what he knew of his intentions?
The gambler did not believe it. Men
on the Rocky mountain frontier
staked their lives at times on what
would seem very slender chances.
But drunkard though Bull was, out
cast among outcasts, Selwood would
have risked his life that Bull, drunk
or sober, would not betray him. The
question that ranked in his mind
was: Had Barbanet in that brief,
piercing glance discovered him? Was
1t imagination that was already trick
ing him into thinking so? He could
not be sure. But some instinct told
him he had been detected and must
measure accordingly. The next mo-
ment Barbanet, now following Page,
passed Selwood without noticing him
and so close on his left that he
brushed him with an impatient
shoulder.
1t needed only an instant for Sell
wood to reason that this was precisely
the way he himself should have acted
If positions were reversed; and he
knew Barbanet's astuteness too well
to believe he would act, in the cir
cumstances, any differently.
Without hesitation, Selwood, taking
of Barbanet's broad should
er, turned promptly to the left, and,
falling into step, walked on directly
behind the two-third and last man
In procession heading straight for
the lower end Of the bar.
It seemed strange to find himself
heading so briskly in such company
and at such a businesslike gait for
a corner Of the room that he had so
good reason to remember. The old
archway had been boarded up, and
q batten door had been set roughly
into it to lead into the barber shop;
1t was for this door that Barbanet
was heading
Nothing could have suited Selwood
better. But just before reaching the
door, Barbanet caught Pages arm.
told him to stop, and attempted to
turn in behind the bar. At this juno
ture Selwood in turn caught Barba-
nets arm and stopped him.
"Don't bother, Harry; you won't
need that gun. Face about-keep
straight ahead"