Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-04-19

Idplu certainty nen Gale Morgan
stepped into the room on the heels
of his two Calabasas friends, De Spain
would have sold for less than a Gun
of coffee all his chances for life. New
ertheless, before Morgan had set his
back fairly against the door and the
trap was sprung, De Spain had
mapped his fight.
He did not retreat from where he
halted at the instant Sandusky entered.
His one slender chance was TO hug to
the men that meant to kill him. Nor
gan, the nearest, he esteemed the least
dangerous of the three; but to think
to escape both Sandusky and Logan
at close quarters was, he knew, more
than ought to be hoped for.
While Morgan was closing the door.
De Spain smiled at his visitors: THAT
isn't necessary, Morgan-Tm not ready
to run" Morgan only continued tc
stare at him. Il need hardly ask"
added De Spain, whether you fellows
have business with me?"
He looked to Sandusky for a reply,
SIlIlIl
falsetto: mo. We don't happen tc
have business that l know of. 4
friend of ours may have little. NAV.
be- Logan, lifting his shoulders with
his laugh, looked toward his compan.
ions for an answer to his joke.
De SPANS smile appeared unrufled:
you'll help him transact it, 1 sup.
poser"
Logan, looking again toward San
dusky, grinned: He won't need any
help"
''Who is your friend?' demanded De
Spain goOd-naturedly. Logan's glance
misled him; it did not refer to San.
dusky. And even as he asked the cues
ton De Spain heard through the half
open window at the end of the ban
the sound of hoofs. Hoping against
hope for Lefever, the interruption
cheered him. It certainly did not seem
that his situation could be made worse
"Well," answered Logan, talking
again to his gallery of cronies, we've
got two or three friends that want tC
see you. They're waiting outside to
see what you'll look like in about five
minutes-ain't they GaIe?"
Someone was moving within the rear
room. De Spain felt hope in every
football he heard, and the mention OF
MOrgan's name cleared his plan OF
battle. Before Gale, with an oath
could blurt out his answer, De Spain
had resolved to fight where he stood
taking Logan first and Morgan as he
should jump in between the two. II
was at the best a hopeless venture
against Sandusky's first shot, which
De Spain knew was almost sure to
reach a vital spot. But desperate men
cannot be chOosers.
There's no time for seeing me like
the present" declared De Spain, ignor
ing Morgan and addressing his words
to Logan. Bring your friends in
What are you complaining about, Nor
gon?' he. asked, resenting the stream
of abuse that Gale hurled at him when.
ever he could get a word in. II had
my turn at you with a rife the other
day. You've got your turn now. And
| call it a pretty soft one, too-dont
you, Sandusky?" he demanded sud.
denly Of the big fellow.
Sandusky alone through the talk had
kept an unbroken silence. He was
eating up De Spain with his eyes, and
De Spain not only ached TO hear him
speak, but was resolved to make him.
Sandusky had stood motionless from
the instant he entered the room. Ills
eyes rested intently on De Spain, and
at his side the long fingers of his right
hand beat a soft tattoo against his
pistol holster. De SPANS question
seemed to arouse him. whats ycur
name?" he demanded bluntly. His
voice was heavy and his deafness was
reflected in the strained tone.
TITS on the butt of my gun, San
dusky."
whats that he says?" demanded
the man known as the butcher, asking
the question Of Logan, but without
taking his eyes off his shifty prey.
Logan raised his voice to repeat the
words and to add a ribaId comment.
''You make a good deal Of noise.'
muttered Sandusky, speaking again to
De Spain.
''That ought not to bother you
much, Sandusky," shouted De Spain,
trying to win a smile from his tact
turn antagonist.
Ills noise won't bother ANYBODY
much longer" put in Logan, whose re-
.0rts overlooked at every interval. But
there was no smile even limited at IN
the Uncompromising vigilance Of San
dusky's expressiOnless face. De Spain
discounted the next few minutes far
enough to feel that Sandusky's first
shot would mean death TO him, even if
he could return it.
"I'I1 tell you. De Spain," continued
Logan, we're going to have a drink
with you. Then we're going to prepare
you for going back where you come
frOm-With nice flowers"
81 guess you thought you could come
out here and run over everybody in the
Spanish Sinks" interpOsed Morgan,
with every oath he could summon to
load his words.
keep out, Morgan" exclaimed Lo-
gan testify. "I'll do this talking"
De Spain continued to banter. Sen
tlemen," he said, addressing the three
together and realizing that every mo-
ment wasted before the shooting added
a grain of hone ST am ready to drink