The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1939-01-05
~ The FEUD at =
49, SINGLE SHOT !
kMT . ByLuke Short
ByLuke Short

| nedQ. Inc clerk greeted MIN ana
reached for his key.
Seventeen, isn't it, Mr..
QUINN" "Is sixteen taken?"
Quinn asked, accepting the key.
! The clerk looked at him, puz-
zled, then looked at the register.
mo. It's empty"
Il want it," Quinn said. The
clerk was about to speak, but a
look at Quinn stopped him.
Il want the key to the door
that connects seventeen and six
teen, too," the gambler said.
The clerk shook his head. I'm
afraid it's lost, Mr.. Quinn"
Quinn nodded, took the key to
sixteen, and head for the stairs.
At the head of the stairs, Quinn
paused and removed his shoes.
Then he continued down the hall.
Room seventeen, his own room,
was on the back corner around a
small L in the hall. He tip-toed
down the corridor and let him
self noiselessly into room six
teen, which was next to his own.
Then he set about working.
He put on his shoes, because
the carpet made his movement
noiseless. Then, working in the
dark, he got a towel and soaked
it in the pitcher of water, went
over to the connecting door and
poured the water slowly and quiz
city on the rug where it disap-
peared under the door. The rug
soaked the water up and spread
it into the adjoining room. Then
he rose, got the lamp, unscrewed
the wick, knelt tthe room again,
and poured its kerosene slowly
on the rug at the bottom of the
door. Like an oily snake, the
kerosene foated on the surface Of
the wet rug and slid under the
door into the next room. Quinn |
got the wet towel, struck a match,
lit the kerosene and watched the |
flame flare up and crawl under
the door. Swiftly, he laid the wet
towel against the door, eXtin-
gushing the flames on his side of |
it, then rose and went out into
the hall.
He quickly took the ten steps |
in the corridor to room seven /
teen, in serted the key softly, un-
locked the door, swung it open
and stepped inside.
The room was dark except for
the Kerosene flame burning
against the connecting
door. A tall raWbone man in
range clothes with nearly white
hair was kneeling before the
flames trying to slap them out
with his bare hands. Behind !
him stood Winters, holding out
wet towel.
Coed evening, gentlemen"
Quinn draWled.
They both whirled instantly.
"You sent for me, l believer"
It took a half second for the |
two men to realize the situation.
Winters, with a snarl, hurled the
towel at Quinn's head. But the
gambler had anticipated that His
gun exploded at Winters.
Then the wet towel struck
Quinn in the face and wrapped
around his head. He plucked at
it frantically, waiting for the
shots from Winters companion,
but they did not come. When
he Wrenched the towel off, the
room was in darkness. He wait
ed a tense second, then struck a
match. BY it, he saw that Win
tiers had fallen against the door,
slid down it and extinguished the
flames.
But the second man was gone.
The window was open, and from
a solidly embedded hook in the
window frame, a rope trailed out
the open window. He saw the
rope move and ran to the Win
! dow. He heard a body drop,
then the sound of running feet.
Quinn swung out the window
and disappeared down the rope.
In town, Laredo paused just
long enough to tell Chuck: you
stay outa the way. I'm handlin'