That is, he struck at the shoulder, but as if the shadow of the falling hand carried a warning before it, at the same time that it dropped Barry swerved around in his chair.

Not a hurried movement, but in some mysterious manner his shoulder was not in the way of the plump fist.

It struck, instead, upon the back of the chair, and the marshal cursed bitterly.
"Stranger," he said hotly, "I got one thing to say: Jerry Strann has just died upstairs.

In ten seconds Mac Strann will be down here lookin' for _you_!" He stepped back, humming desperately to cover his wheezing, but Barry continued to braid the horsehair with deft fingers.
"I got a double knot that's kind of new," he said.

"Want to watch me tie it ?" The deputy sheriff turned on the crowd.
"Boys," he exclaimed, waving his arms, "he's crazy.