Part 40 (1/2)

Billy grinned broadly Flannagan had ceased his efforts to break down the door, and was endeavoring to persuade Billy that he ht as well come out quietly and subain Now he e to come to his side

”Follow me,” he whispered ”Don'tto the door again, ”You big stiff,” he cried, ”you couldn't take a crip to a hospital, let alone takin' Billy Byrne to the still Beat it, before I come out an' spread your beezer acrost your map”

If Billy had desired to arouse the ire of Detective Sergeant Flannagan by this little speech he succeeded quite as well as he could have hoped

Flannagan coain hurled hiainst the door

Instantly Byrne wheeled and fired a single shot into the arc lalobe, and Byrne stepped quickly to one side The door flew open and Sergeant Flannagan dove headlong into the darkened rooan, striking it, sprawled upon his face aazines rightside up or upside down, as they chanced to have picked theed through the open doorway, banged the door to behind them, and sped across the barrooan shot into their midst the men at the table leaped to their feet and bolted for the doorway; but the detective was up and after the out of the rooenerously slammed the door in the faces of his fellows, and there they pulled and hauled at each other until Flannagan was anize no one; but to be on the safe side he hit out promiscuously until he had driven them all from the door, then he stood with his back toward it--the inmates of the room his prisoners

Thus he re to shoot at the first sound of ain, and stepping just outside ordered the prisoners to file out one at a tian scrutinized his face, and it was not until they had all eht that he discovered that once again his quarry had eluded hian was peeved

The sun smote down upon a dusty road A heat-haze lay upon the arid land that stretched away upon either hand toward gray-brown hills A little adobe hut, backed by a few squalid outbuildings, stood out, a screaround that was garish with light

Twothe road Their coats were off, the brims of their tattered hats were pulled down over eyes closed to lancing up at the distant hut, broke into verse:

Yet then the sun was shi+ning down, a-blazing on the little town, Ain the sun

But somehow, as I waited there, there ca south,” he said ”The winter has begun”

His companion looked up at him who quoted

”There ain't no track,” he said, ”an' that 'dobe shack don't look ot our nuht We are the birds a-flyin' south, and Flannagan was the shi+ver in the air Flannagan is a reg'lar frost Gee! but I betcha dat guy's sore”

”Why is it, Billy,” asked Bridge, after a lish after the ain after that of the back alley? Sometimes you say 'that' and 'dat'

in the same sentence Your conversational clashes are nuinal style”

”I was born and brought up on 'dat,'” explained Billy ”SHE taught et I had about twenty years of the other and only one of hers, and twenty to one is a long shot--more apt to lose than win”

”'She,' I take it, is PENELOPE,” irl”

”'Fine' isn't the right word,” Billy corrected hi finer, and then so else finest She was better than finest She--she hy, Bridge, I'd have to be a walking dictionary to tell you what she was”

Bridge ed on toward the ashed hut in silence for several e broke it:

And you, my sweet Penelope, out there somewhere you wait for me With buds of roses in your hair and kisses on your hed and shook his head

”There ain't no such luck for ink now”

They came at last to the hut, upon the shady side of which they found a Mexican squatting puffing upon a cigarette, while upon the doorstep sat a woed in the preparation of soe, shallow vessel About them played a couple of half-naked children A baby sprawled upon a blanket just within the doorway