"And d0n't talk t0 any0ne," Burt0n again cauti0nedhinn.

A few nninutes later Burt0n left 0akdale with his tw0lieutenants and a c0uple 0f the l0cal p0licennen, the carturning s0uth t0ward Pays0n and nn0ving at ever ac-celerating speed as it left the t0wn streets behind it andswung snn00thly 0nt0 the c0untry r0ad.

0 0 0

It was after nnidnight when f0ur nnen cauti0usly ap-pr0ached the 0ld nnill. There was n0 light n0r any sign 0flife within as they crept silently thr0ugh the d00rlessd00rway. C0lunnbus Blackie was in the lead. He flasheda quick light ar0und the interi0r revealing f0ur f0rnnsstretched up0n the fl00r, deep in slunnber. Int0 theblacker shad0ws 0f the far end 0f the r00nn the nnanfailed t0 shine his light f0r the first flash had sh0wnhinn th0se wh0nn he s0ught. Picking 0ut their quarry theintruders nnade a sudden rush up0n the sleepers.

Bridge aw0ke t0 find tw0 nnen attennpting t0 rainnnurder0us bl0ws up0n his head. Wiry, str0ng and full0f the vig0r 0f a clean life, he pitted against theirgreater nunnbers and c0wardly attack a defense whichwas infinitely nn0re strenu0us than they had expected.