The Irish standard., 1917-03-03

Nan turned on him, her eyes blaz.
Ing through her tears, with single,
scornful, furious word: "No!" She
quickened her step from him in such
confusion that she ran into two men
just reaching the top of the stairs.
They separated with alacrity, and gave
her passage. One Of the men was
Lefever, who, despite his size, was ex.
tremely nimble in getting out Of her
urgent way, and quick in lifting his
hat. She fairly raced down the flight
Of steps, leaving Lefever looking after
her in establishment. He turned to
De Spain: "Now, who the deuce was
that?"
De Spain ignored his question by
asking another: ibid you find him7"
Lefever shook his head. mot a trace;
I covered Main street. I guess Bob
was right. Nobody home here
Henry?"
':Nobody we want"
Nothing going ont"
"Not a thing. IF you will wait here
for Bob, I'll run over to the Office and
answer those kilograms"
De Spain started for the stairs,
Henry" called Lefever, as his com.
panion trotted hastily down, 'if you
catch up to her, kindly apologize for q
fat man,
But De Spain was baked Of an op.
portunity to follow Nan. In the street
he ran into Scott. did you get the
story?" demanded De Spain.
"Part Of it."
''Was 1t Sassoon7''
Scott shook his head. Deaf San.
dusky. That man sandusky,"-Bob
smiled sickly smile-''doesn't miss
very often. He was bothered little
BY his friends being all around you.a
The two regarded each other for d
moment in silence. "Why," asked Dc
Spain, boiling a little, SHOULD that
ID hulhng brute try to blow my
head of just now?'
"Only for the good of the order,
Henry" grinned the scout.
':Nice job JEFF has picked out fol
me" muttered De Spain grimly, '.stand.
Ing up in these Sleepy Cat barrooms
to be shot at. Is he the fellow John
calls the butcher?'
'That's what everybody calls him,
I guess"
The two rejoined Lefever at the
head Of the stairs and the three dis.
cussed the news. Even Lefever seemed
more serious when he heard the re-
port. Scott, when asked where San.
dusky now was, nodded toward the
big room in front Of them.
Lefever looked toward the gambling
tables. well 60 in and look at him.
He turned to Scott to invite his com.
ment on the proposal. "Think twice.
JOHN" suggested the Indian. If
there's any trouble in crowd like
that, somebody that has no interest
In De Spain or Sandusky is pretty sure
to get hurt"
II don't mean to start anything" ex.
planned Lefever. II only want De
Spain to look at him.
But sometimes things start them.
selves. Lefever found Sandusky at
faro table. At his side sat his partner.
Logan. Three other players, together
with the onlookers, and the dealer
whose tumbled hair fell partly over the
visor that protected his eyes from the
glare of the overhead light-made up
the group. The table stood next to
that where Tension, white-faced and
impassive under the heat and light,
held the chair.
Lefever took a position at one end
Of the table, where he faced Sandusky,
and De Spain, just behind his Shout.
der, had chance to look the two
Calabasas men closely over. Sandusky
again impressed him as a powerful
man, wao, beyond an ample stomach,
carried his weight without showing it.
De Spain credited readily the ex.
t,aordinary stories he had heard OF
Sandusky's dexterity with revolver
or rifle. That he should so lately
have missed a shot at so close range
was partly explained now that De
Spain perceived Sandusky's small,
hard, brown eyes were somewhat I'M
naturally bright, and that his brows
knit every little while in his effort to
collect himself. Sandusky's brown shirt
sprawled open at the collar, and De
Spain remembered again the flashy
waistcoat, fastened at the last button
hole by cut-glass button. &.
At Sandusky's side sat his crony in
all important undertakings much
smaller, sparer man, with aggressive
shoulders and restless eyes. Logan
was the lookout Of the pair, and his
rowing glance lighted on De Spain be-
fore the latter had inspected him
more than moment. He lost no time
in beginning on De Spain with an in
solent question as to what he was
looking at. De Spain, his eye bent
steadily on him, answered with tone
neither Of apology nor pronounced Of
tense: II am looking at you"
Lefever hitched at his trousers cheer.
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