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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1947-11-27, Page 64 Ve4m i Synopsis Chapter XV: Valdez engages Conroy in a poker game. Valdez, suspicious that t h e game is crooked, surprises the dealer by drawing cards when he had been dealt an apparently winning pat hand. CHAPTER XVI Flash Conroy .stiffened percept- ibly. His eyes Hew open involun- tarily, then his poker face took conunand again, and the slow lids dropped to veil the surprise. Ex- cept for that brief moment of sud- denl jarring astonishment, his face did not change expression. But there was incredulity in his voice is he repeated: "Two, you said?" "Right," said Valdez. Just those few words passed, but instantly, as' if some undercurrent:. of danger had been transmitted, the watching crowd began to fade away from around the table. A sheepish grin quirked the lips of Valdez' nearest opponent as Con- roy dealt Valdez the two cards he had asked for. He picked them up slowly and found a queen of spades and a seven of spades. • The first house .player drew otte card, looked at it—and promptly threw his hand into the center of the table.' The other gambler on the opposite side of the table picked up the one card dealt him, barely glanced at it and followed suit. Valdez laid down his three kings, face up, and raked in the pot, stuffing the money that had been piled up on the table in his pockets. * * * Slowly he glanced around at the silent crowd, his lips grim, his eyes hard and icily cold. "I believe all you ,folks should know something about what' has been going on here," he said,. with a dagger -flash of his dark eyes at Conroy beside him. "Flash dealt .me four kings and an ace, Knowing that I could see that four aces would not be out against me. He had the seven of spades and the queen of spades on top of. the deck. This hombre on my left was holding the eight, nine, ten and jack of spades—which would hive handed him a straight flush in any Roan's language. And that, amigos, Is the kind of crooked work you have all been up against when you gambled here at the Palace." Then Valdez looked squarely in- to Flash Conroy's eyes, turned to face the gambler. "Conroy," he said between his teeth, "according to plan, a man maned Raymond Garvin wanted you to relay the money I've been playing with to the 'big boss.' It ' was to have been his whack out of all the robbery of poor peons and rsettlers frons the Eastern states 'now in Paisano Valley. But Gar - 'sin's dead now and won't be able ao pass on more—any more than he'll be interested in what's hap- pened to his dinero." * * * Valdez nodded, his jaw harden - Ing. "Yes," he repeated, "Garvin's dead. El Caballero Rojo paid him a little visit last night, so he won't be in on that new little thievery deal that has been planned --oh, you know alt about it all right. You needn't took puzzled. "El Caballero Rojo has done me a good turn or two, as he has for many other people, so when he wanted me to do something for him I welcomed the chance. I have been plumb glad to come here to- night, as he asked tne to do, be- cause he is too busy himself right now to deal with snakes." Slowly Michael ,Valdez rose, his eyes never wavering from the speechless gambler. He ben for- ward over the table to emphasize his words, "So tonight I'm getting you for Et Caballero Rojo. Conroy, just as he got .Raymond Garvin. He'll attend to your 'big boss' himself!" The very air in the Palace Saloon ;'`^ .rked as Michael Valdez shot out his last words. Men who already had backed from, the table scram- bled hurriedly- across the big room as, the next instant on the echo of Valdez' challenge, Flash Conroy lived up to his name. With Valdez' last word hanging in the air Conroy leaped from his chair, and his six-gun was out of the holster, whipping up into line with the buttons on Valdez' char- m vest. But Michael Valdez was ready for him. In that same breath he lunged against the houseman on his left, knocked him head over heels into the other member of the trio, who also was on his feet now. Even as the two went sprawling onto the floor, Valdez 'swung around, and two long -barreled six- guns were in his hands. There was a roaring burst of flame from the muzzle of each gun, and Flash Conrby's gun flew from his hand. He made one small flicker of move- ment as if to shake the derringer up his sleeve down into his hand, but stopped on the instant as he looked ino the deadly bores of Valdez' guns. * * * Michael Valdez swiftly backed away then, his guns moving in sweeping arcs as he covered not only Flash Conroy but all the other occupants of the Palace who were directly before hint. 'A curious smile creased the corners of his eyes and mouth as those eyes kept each man present in his range of vision, as though his gaze were centered on each one alone. "There are plenty of rewards on my head!" he taunted. "Perhaps some of you brave men who work for Flash Conroy would like to take a chance on collecting them! If you do, come shooting—I'm warning you! I'd be glad of the chance—for this whole . place has sort of a bad smell to it. I am aiming to air it out a little before I leave." Valdez appeared not to see Flash Conroy's all but imperceptible nod toward the bar. But a split second later, whenthe double-barreled shotgun came up over the mahoga- ny, he swiveled on the balls of his feet. His single gun roared, and the bartender who had obeyed his boss banged against the bar mir- ror, his hands plastered helplessly over his stomach. * * * "Being shot in the middle is a plumb painful business, I know," Valdez drawled, "but it's no more than some of you hombres deserve. I hope you take the warning." His lips curled in a curious whistle, and the next moment El Cielo was pushing his way through the swing door. With his gun still covering the crowd, methodically Valdez tapped the till behind the bar, then stalked over and relieved Conroy of the cash the gambler had on hint. Though apparently -unconcerned, he was fully conscious of the glow- ering looks, the muttered curses that followed him as he moved swiftly. Yet he was fully con- fident that no man there would venture to match his gun skill with his own, not after the exhibition of fast shooting he had just displayed. Moreover, none of them had ever seen Conroy bested before. The gambler's gun -speed had been sup- posed to be unbeatable, unchal- lenged, At Iast, while silence held the room, Valdez backed toward the door, his pockets bulging with loot, El Clelo followed hint. • "I'm giving the whole lot of you exactly ninety seconds to get out of here!"' he snapped. "This hole of Satan is going to be burned to the ground, Or" --he Shot one glance at Flash Conroy --"perhaps if you will say to me the natne of your 'big boss,' so that I may tell it to E1 Caballero Rojo, 1 might let you off—to some extent, Though Madre de Dios! What Ill Caballero Rojo will say to that I don't know!" (To ba Continued) • All Ready to Win—Thorough brushing• is enjoyed by dignified Irish setter Sir Michael of Devon, entry of Mrs. Gertrude Drew in the Winter Fair dog show, "Beautician" is Margaret Harris. Sunday Se 4 ool Lesson By Rev. R. Barclay Warren The Proof of a Christian 1 John 4:15-21; 5:10-13; II John 4-6. GOLDEN TEXT — He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. — 1 John 5:12. "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwel- leth in hint, and he in God." This is the basic belief of a Christian. Some modern teachers present Jesus as merely a great man. Then, of course, the miracles recorded of him become fanciful stories. John is very emphatic. "Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son." A Christian dwells in love. The Greek word translated love in this lesson does not denote mere human affection. -It is tranlated charity in 1 Corinthians 13. It is God -like for "God is love." It is shed br?ad the heart of the individual`' ho be Your Handwriting and YOuBy Alex S. Arnott Which Would Be The Better Wife? Dear Mr. Arnott: 1 am a widower with two children and I am con- templating marriage, I have en- closed two examples of handwrit- ing of women with whom I am corresponding. It would be inter- esting to know what your analysis would be of them. * * Answer: The first example is the writing of a self - willed person who is domineering, as shown by the heavy thick writing and the "flying T bar" in the word "this". There is no doubt that she would be insistent about having her own way with a good measure of sar- casm into the bargain. Do not ex- pect too much generosity from her as the words are cramped close together to reveal a, naturethat believes in the strictest economy and therefore is not likely to be very generous with herself or in giving to others. • * * The second script is a good example of broadmindedness and generosity. The spaciousness of the script indicates the willingness to overlook the faults and shortcom- ings, of ethers. The generosity is revealed in the well -spaced words and the long finals. The writing is clear. The "weight' of the lines is light, a good sign of regard for. the feelings of others and also an interest in spiritual things. The open letter "a" is a good indica- tion that the writer will not hesi- tate to be frank in all her dealings with others. There is a good bal- ance between materialistic and spiritual interests in this example. COW.` Anyone wishing a more eompleie analysis pi -ease send self-addressed starnped envelope to Box .8, room 421, 73 Adelaide S. West, Toronto There is no charge for this soviet, /ISSUE 4e-1947 lieves on the Son of God. This love may be perfected so that we shall have no dread of the judgment. Our mind is not perfect, hence our con- duct is not perfect but our whole life can be motivated by perfect love. The child helping her mother bake, makes sone blunders but all the while she is "helping moth- er." She is acting in love. "We love because He first loved us." Another proof of the Christian is that he has this God -like attitude toward men. We may not admire or wish to emulate our brother but we must love hint with a -pure heart. This is natural for the Christ- ian. "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him- self." He That hath the Son hath life." You need not tell an athlete that he is alive. He knows it. So the Christian has the witness in him- self. He sings. "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine". John mentions one further im- portant proof. "This is love, that we follow his commandments." We have noted that a Christian has a basic belief, a pure love dispel- ling fear, and embracing his fel- low men. He has an inward assur- ance of acceptance with God. Fin- ally, his outward life proves he is a christian. He talks, does busi- ness; etc., in accordance with God's commandments. The world knows, "There is a Christian." - Consumers Launch Membership Drive By finding out the why's of short- ages ceilings, rationing, and by a united effort, Canadian woolen help- ed keep Canada ecc ncnnically sound in war. So that this wartime experience may not be lost, the women of Can- ada through their voluntary organ- izations, are continuing their inter- est in consumer problems, Fifty-six national presidents met in Ottawa to form a self-supporting, indepen- dent Canadian Association of Con - This week the C.A.C. is launch- ing i., membership campaign in evciy city, town and rural area across the Dominion. Volunteer committees are explaining the objects of the 11e\t' association to help people in their communities. Business Opportunity "No," said the club wit, f'* never said he was conceited. 1141 I said was that if Icould buy hint at any prise and sell hint at his own;, I'd make a darned good profit." THh/?FX OSI ETN/NCFORACHMS PAI /S of CO LDS Astantine /2 TABLETS FOR 25r blot : e Plays Safe With Dr. Chases Synsp hit the House What a satisfaction it is for mothers to always have Dr. Chase's Syrup of Linseed and Turpentine at hand to check coughs and colds quickly. For nearly half a century Dr. Chase's Syrup has been the standby treatment for coughs and colds in the great majority of homes. It is just as dependable as ever and just as pleasant to use. Dr. Chase's Syrup of Linseed and Turpentine 35¢ Family size 3 times as much 75¢ °°J say, Old Soy, aren't you letiting your enthusiasm for Grape -Nuts Flakes run away with you?" "Not me, Brother. Chuck those • orchids and get yourself a big econ- omy package of malty -rich, honey= golden Post's Grape -Nuts Flakes. That's the lure for Miss Aloorl . "And don't think she doesn't appreciate all the good nourishment in Post's Grape -Nuts Flakes: carbo- hydrates for energy; proteins for muscle; phosphorus for teeth and bones; iron for the blood; and other food essentials, "Post's Grape -Nuts Flakes, you. know-, are made of two golden grains—wheat and malted barley, They're skillfully blended, baked and then wonderfully toasted to give 'ern that gloriously enticing flavor and crispness. 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