The Flaming Jewel

plant in which collected the

hering at the Star Pond resort. A venison and chicken

y ten o'clock that morning many of the men were growing noisy; some were already drunk by noon. Shortly after midday di

is light grey eyes a-glitter, Clinch

n lay starkly where they fell, Clin

the pond. And don't go for to get me m

Star Pond. Clinch relighted his cigar and re

umb-nail can nick no cards in my place and get away with it. Three kings and two t

iving, and met Hal Smith returning from the pond, who reported prog

his soft, agreeable way, "you wan

inquire

here'll be strangers, too.... Don't forge

ever play detective?"

gged out like peddlers and lum

er get anyth

a t

ways spot t

ing. He gets no hootch outa me. No, nor no craps and no cards. He gets his supper; that's what he gets ... and a

e rough veranda in th

relessly, "wouldn't it pay

roaming over the prospect of lake and for

at to you?

remarked Smith, laughing

sured him; his mind was

st Lake Road and hide out here when the State Troopers come after you. And now you ask

about," explained Smith. "If they

e came out unde

you to worr

ine girl:

glare measured

ke up to her?" he

has no us

s cold tiger-gaze st

moment. "Eve is a good girl. S

one, C

n ever betrayed before Smith. He did not say anything

u act up like you once was.... Say; there's only one thing on God's earth I c

nodde

ned millionaire Harrod bust me. But he couldn't stop me giving Eve her schooling. And now all I'm livin' for is to be fixed so'

nodded

by his monomania, w

e to me. And I gotta fix up Eve. What the hell do you mea

. A lady isn't supposed to

ment, then their menacing glare du

't got no choice. And don't worry, youn

beating the game

over enough to let Eve live in the city like any lady, with her autymobile and he

hed from the lake, escorting the battered gen

ed Earl Leverett, slunk hastily by as t

y. "You oughter have more sense than to start a fight in my p

the procession of dama

tench of beer and spirits. A score or more shambling forest louts in their dingy Saturday finery were gathe

Clinch's ponderous fists as they re-entered the room f

ts and behave friendly. And if any ladies come in for t