Dan faced the circle of scowling faces, smiling gently upon them.
"Look here, Barry," called a voice from the rear of the crowd, "why
do you want to take Haines away? Throw in your cards with us. We need
you."
"If it's fightin' you want," cried a joker, "maybe Lewis an' Patterson
will give us all enough of it at the jail."
"I ain't never huntin' for trouble," said Dan.
"Make your play quick," said another. "We got no time to waste even on
Dan Barry. Speak out, Dan. Here's a lot of good fellers aimin' to take
out Haines an' give him what's due him--no more. Are you with us?"
"I'm not."
"Is that final?"
"It is."
"All right. Tie him up, boys. There ain't no other way!"
"Look out!" shouted a score of voices, for a gun flashed in Dan's
hand.
He aimed at no human target. The bullet shattered the glass lamp into
a thousand shivering and tinkling splinters. Thick darkness blotted
the room. Instantly thereafter a blow, a groan, and the fall of a
body; then a confused clamour.
"He's here!"
"Give up that gun, damn you!"
"You got the wrong man!"
"I'm Bill Flynn!"
"Guard the door!"
"Lights, for God's sake!"
"Help!"
A slender figure leaped up against the window and was dimly outlined
by the starlight outside.
Pages:
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224