The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1917-04-05

the larger. 1t had been made by
| high-powered rifle; the second was
from a bullet OF a Colts revolver; 1t
was remarked as a miracle Of gun-play
that the two were hardly an inch apart.
In the street few minutes later, De
Spain and Lefever encountered Scott,
who, with his back hunched up, his
cheap black hat pulled well down over
his ears, his hands In his trousers
| pockets and his thin coat collar mod
estly turned against the drizzling rain,
was walking across the parkway from
| the station.
"Sassoon is in town." exclaimed Lee
! fever with certainty after he had told
the story. He waited for the Indians
opinion. Scott, looking through the
water dripping from the brim Of his
seasoned derby, gave it in one word.
WAS" he amended with a quiet
smile.
/ Lets make sure" insisted Lefeyer.
"SuppOsing he might be in town yet,
Bob, where is he?"
Scott gazed up the street through the
rain lighted by yellow lamps on the
( obscure corners, and looked down the
( street toward the black reaches of the
river. "If he's here, you'll find him
In one of two places. Tensions"
''But we've just come from Tent
sons" objected Lefever.
81 mean, across the street, upstairs {;
or at Jim Kitchens barn. If he was
hurried to get away" added Scott re-
fectively, che would slip upstairs over
there as the nearest place to hide; if
he had time he would make for the
barn, where it would be easy to cache
his rife"
Lefever took the lapel of the scouts
coat in his hand. ''Then you, Bob, go
out and see if you can get the whole
story. I'll take the barn. Let Henry
go over to Tensions and wait at the
head of the stairs till we can get back
there"
De Spain found no difficulty in locat-
ing the flight of marble stairs that led
to the gambling rooms. 1t was the only
lighted entrance in the side. street. No
light shone at the head Of the stairs,
but a doorway on the left opened into
a large room brilliantly lighted by
chandeliers. Around three sides of this
room were placed the keno layOuts,
roulette wheels, faro tables and minor
gambling devices. of the casino it
self small cardrOOms opened.
The big room was well filed for
wet night. De Spain took a place
in shadow near one side of the door
way facing the street door and at times
looked within for the loosely jOinted
frame, crooked neck, tousled forehead,
and malevOlent face of the cattle thief.
He could find in the many figures scat
tered about the room none resembling
the one he sought.
A man entering the place spoke to
another coming out. De Spain over
heard the exchange. Duke got rid Of
his steers yet" asked the first.
mot yet"
"Slow game"
1.-THE old man sold quite bunch this
time. The way he's playing now he'll
last twenty-four hours"
De Spain, following the newcomer,
strolled into the room and, beginning
at one side, proceeded in leisurely
fashion from wheel to wheel and table
to table inspecting the players. Few
looked at him and none paid any at
tention TO his presence. At Tensions
table the idlers crowded about one
player whom De Spain, without get
ting closer in among the onlookers
than he wanted to, could not see.
Tension, as De Spain approached,
happened to look up YEARLY. He
spoke in an impassive tone across the
intervening heads: "What happened to
your red tie, Henry?"
De Spain put up his hand to his
neck, and looked down at a loose end
hanging from his soft crayat. 1t had
been torn by the bullet meant for his
head. He turned the end inside his
collar. "a Calabasas man tried to IN
tie it a few minutes ago. He missed
the knot"
Tension did not hear the answer. He
had reverted to his case. De Spain
moved on and, after making the round
of the scattered tables walked again
through the doorway, only to meet, as
she stood hesitating and apparently
about to enter the room, Nan Morgan.