The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-08-18
Chapter "a
MGlersn1oke

4 COLD chill fell on Lee as she
! looked from Heffe to Ankrom.
A-krDm.s lips were compressed,
his face rigid.
Heffie laughed 4 don't scare
worth q dam he SAID, and MS
15bacco-stained fangs showed be-
tween the curl of his lips. I'm
leash your wolf an let him bark. "
None Of the other men within
Lee vision smiled with him What
they saw in the eyes of the halter
7 foreman put a cramD in their
facial muscles. One or two shifted
taeIr feet uneasily cast longing
glances toward their horses. Sud
denly slipping. Hefc's smile re-
vealed the scOWl that lay be-
hind IT,
From q distance the pound of
k0Ofs beat across the quiet. Lee,
hearing them, thought il must be
Ring-Legs.
Heffie heard them. too, and a
deeper fame burned through his
lQsky glanc He settled ms raw
boned length more easily against
the door frame Wei" he sneered,
what you Waitin' for?'
I'm waitin' for the rest of that
three minutes to slide past" An
krom said. and Lee saw that a grin
crossed his lips as he added: But
that needn't hold the rest of you
gents back-any time you feel the
need for action just jerk a pistol
loose"
You brash fool" Hehle's cheeks
blazed red. "Nothin' but my per-
snail hatred Of violence holds me
back from lettin' these boys give
you what you're needinr
Lee saw a horstman top the
crest Of Eagle Point. pause an in
slant 10 take in the scene below.
then cautiously urge his pony
down the trail. As he drew nearer
she caught her breath This man
was not Ring-Legs-he was a to-
tsl stranger!
While Ankrom drew a watch
from lis pocket Lees eyes stayed
On the coming horseman. He was
much closer now. near enough for
her 70 make out his features plain
j.. he was clad in a tight-fitting
jacket Of bright velvet and a pair
q bat-Wing chaps over trousers of
green corduroy The chaps looked
Scared and old from long usage,
bat their studdings Of turquoise
and silver told of original worth
Upon ms head was a huge, bell
crowned sOmbrero.
But 1t was lot at his trappings
that Lee was gazing, her glance
"as fastened upon his face. 1t was
daf4- swa. tn and handsome de-
spite tee tight. thin-lipped mouth
- the d ark little ey that
flashed with cunning.
She watched him approach and
slide down from the saddle not
twenty PAGES back of Ankrom. A
Mexican obviously. Lee decided.
and saw him glance at Heffle.
whose mouth spread wide in a vi
clous grin
Why didn't krom look
around The man IN the big SOM
brero was ca.fCoting closer each
second his face Wreathed in a leer
q anticipation. Lee opened her
mouth - call. but no words came.
Cold fear stTangled the cry in her
tHroat as the advancing Mexican
drew the heavy pistol sagging his
holster.
Terror-stricken she watched the
Mexican creep up b hin d An
krom. creep Il 10 a point so near
that bv merely reaching out has
hand the man could have touched
hand 20 slowly M and back and
there as the breath caught m her
throat. it stopped.
Look Behind You"
IT SEEMED 70 Lee that some
i thlng must have frozen the
1aeXIcan's muscles. From the tail
e seT eyes she noted the scOWl
mat warped Hefle'S features as
the Mexican hand began to trem
bic. slowly began TO sag. And with
the sight she suddenly found her
voice.
Abe Abe" she cried Behind
ynu-QmCk
Ankrom & 4 not whirl or even
turn. Swift as light two smooth
long. sidewar PAGES took him out
- the MeNican's reach: placed the
man within has vision and held the
others likewise.
Whv. howdy. Chato Bandera
I'm quite some pleased % see YOU
We're you fgurin 20 wave that gun
~ me-
Blur Aakrom Z"
They were ike wall. ;hoSC
words that fell from the Mexican
twisted mouth The eyes in bi.
lEld face were like two fat burnt
hafae in fnen sheet A tren'ol