Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1937-10-15
CHAPTER

but still with that inscrutable smile.
There was no thickness to the voice,
no sliminess to the tongue-only
suggestion of monotonous lndltter-
ence. Then, disregarding his partner
entirely, he attempted to walk thru
him to the next room.
Jack stepped aside. At this point
in Joe's progress of inebriation, it was
best to humor him. Hammond even
allowed him to plod to the bar, where
methodically he ordered drinks for the
house.
Solemnly, but still with that polar
bear smile, Mckenzie Joe watched his
guests imbibe. Then he signaled the
bartender to let the glasses remain
on the bar, while, to the whooping en-
couragement of his watchers, he
smashed them, one after another, up
on the floor, bowling meanwhile to the
applause
Jacks heart went steadily down.
ward. The next step would be for
Mckenzie Joe to pick a fight. 1t
never failed.
The noise caused celebrants to as
semble from every part of the ramb-
ling structure; it even hailed the play
in the gaming rooms, the players
crowding in the doorway. 1t was just
as they began to flood through that
Mckenzie Joe turned from the bar and
his smile vanished
A queer CLEAN came into his hith-
erto vacant eyes. His fingers widen
en- until they were muscular half arcs.
His tremendous shoulders hunched
and his round, beaverlike head shot
forward. Jack had been cut off by
the sudden insurge of the gaming
room crowd. Desperately he attempt
ed to break through.
"Joe!" he shouted. "Joe! Watch
yourself!"
But Mckenzie Joe pretended not to
hear. The crowd fell back, suddenly
silent, leaving in their wake a solitary
man, hypnotized by fear, his hands
gesturing futilely, set, terror-strick-
en- smile on his gray lips. It was
Bruce Kenning.
"Well, Joe," he said jerkily, "having
a good time, eh, Joe"
"Let me through here" Hammond
shouted. "You fools-let me through!
Somebody stop Mckenzie. Do you
want a man killed."
It availed nothing. Mckenzie Joe
was moving forward; Bruce Kenning
attempted to run. A drunken miner /
showed him back into the open. Then
Joe shouted:
"You double-crossing hound!" With '
a lunge, he shot forward. Wildly S
Bruce Kenning struck out and then,
with a cry, strove to dodge him. 1t
was impossible; Mckenzie Joe had |
caught him, one huge arm around his {
neck, blocking off all resistance save
short arm blows, which struck the
prospector's huge chest and iron t
muscled torso with no more result than {
if they had been pounding against |
the trunk of giant fir. Suddenly the {
geologist was spun about, impelled I
by the force of Mckenzie Joe's giant |
muscles. Jack Hammond, now literal s
ly throwing celebrants out of his way l
as he fought to get to his partner, {
saw the face of the man, green-gray
with horror Then Mckenzie Joe be-
gan to beat at Kenning's features '
almost instantly they seemed to be- .
come mis-shapen, swollen, squirting l
red from a dozen decorations as the {
triphammer blows cut deep into his
flesh. Bruce Kenning cried out, an {
agonized appeal. '
"Help me! Help me, somebody"
"Get to him." Hammond shouted. 4;
Haven't you any sense, Mckenzie will {
kill himi'' ;
1t awoke the men about him; they .
stirred; Hammond broke through,
plunging forward that he might leap '
upon his partners back and with
heavy forearm under his chin, pull him
backward, momentarily stopping the
assault. Then a staggering miner
lurched forward.
"Don't jump on a man from be-
hind!" he commanded, attempting to
break the younger mans hold. Around
the World Annie swept into action.
"Keep out of this!" she shouted and
swung blackjack. The man fell. In
stantly roar sounded from a dozen
equally drunken pals; all in an instant,
Hammond found himself surrounded
by milling forms and the wildly fail