“I came in at the wrong door and without announcin’ myself,” said the cattleman, almost lazily, the unhurried indolence of his manner not shaken.  “You see I wanted to be on time so as not to keep you waitin’.  I’m Clay Lindsay.”

The more talkative of the gunmen from the East Side flashed one look at the two automatics lying on the floor beside the overturned table.  They might as well have been in Brazil for all the good they were to him.

“For the love o’ Mike,” he repeated again helplessly.  “You’re the—­the—­”

“—­the hick that was to have been framed for house-breaking.  Yes, I’m him,” admitted Clay idiomatically.  “How long had you figured I was to get on the Island?  Or was it yore intention to stop my clock for good?”

“Say, how did youse get into de house?” demanded big Dave.

“Move over to the other side of the room, Gorilla, and join yore two friends,” suggested the master of ceremonies.  “And don’t make any mistake.  If you do you won’t have time to be sorry for it.  I’ll ce’tainly shoot to kill.”

The big-shouldered thug shuffled over.  Clay stepped sideways, watching the three gunmen every foot of the way, kicked the automatics into the open, and took possession of them.  He felt safer with the revolvers in his coat pocket, for they had been within reach of Durand, and that member of the party was showing signs of a return to active interest in the proceedings.

“When I get you right I’ll croak you.  By God, I will,” swore the gang leader savagely, nursing his battered head.  “No big stiff from the bushes can run anything over on me.”

“I believe you,” retorted Clay easily.  “That is, I believe you’re tellin’ me yore intentions straight.  There’s no news in that to write home about.  But you’d better make that if instead of when.  This is three cracks you’ve had at me and I’m still a right healthy rube.”

“Don’t bank on fool luck any more.  I’ll get you sure,” cried Durand sourly.

The gorge of the Arizonan rose.  “Mebbeso.  You’re a dirty dog, Jerry Durand.  From the beginning you were a rotten fighter—­in the ring and out of it.  You and yore strong-arm men!  Do you think I’m afraid of you because you surround yoreself with dips and yeggmen and hop-nuts, all scum of the gutter and filth of the earth?  Where I come from men fight clean and out in the open.  They’d stomp you out like a rattlesnake.”

Clay moved back to the door and looked around from one to another, a scorching contempt in his eyes.  “Rats—­that’s what you are, vermin that feed on offal.  You haven’t got an honest fight in you.  All you can do is skulk behind cover to take a man when he ain’t lookin’.”

He whipped open the door, stepped out, closed it, and took the key from his pocket.  A moment, and he had turned the lock.

From within there came a rush that shook the panels.  Clay was already busy searching for Kitty.  He tore open door after door, calling her loudly by name.  Even in the darkness he could see that the rooms were empty of furniture.