Chapter 27 THE STAGE

"You first," said Lawlor at the door.

"I've been taught to let an older man go first," said Bard, smiling pleasantly. "After you, sir."

"Any way you want it, Bard," answered Lawlor, but as he led the way down the hall he was saying to himself, through his stiffly mumbling lips: "He knows! Calamity was right; there's going to be hell poppin' b