Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-01-17
G NAN Of 9
MUSIC MOUNTAIN
By frank Il. SpedrmdN
Author Of Whispering Smith
Author G Whispering Smith,

have business that l know Of. a
friend of ours may have a little, may.
be-" Logan, lifting his shoulders with
his laugh, looked toward his compan.
ions for an answer to his joke.
De SPANS smile appeared unruilled:
You'll help him transact 1t, sup.
pose?"
Logan, looking again toward San.
dusky, grinned: Gle Won't need any
help
"Who is your fricnd?" demanded De
Spain good-naturedIy. Logan's glance
misled him; it did not refer to San
dusky. And even as he asked the ques.
ton De Spain heard through the half
open window ut the end of the bar
the sound of hoofs. Hoping against
hope for Lefcver. the interruption
checrcd him. 1t certainly did not seem
that his situation could be made worse.
"Wcll,' answered Logan, talking
Ngain to his gallery of cronies. we've
got two or three friends that want to
see YOU. They're waiting outside to
see what you'll look like in about five
minutcs-ain't they, CALEB" 4
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
hot NJ
could blurt ont his answer, De Spain
had resolved to fight where he stood,
taking LogGn first and Morgan as he
should jump in between the two. II
was at the best hopeless venture
against Sandusky's first shot, which
De Spain knew was almost sure to
reach vital spot But desperate men
cannot be choosers.
There's no time for seeing me like
the present. declared De Spain, igDor.
ing Morgan and addressing his worda
to Logan. Bring your friends in.
What are you complaining about, Nor.
son!" he asked, resenting the stream
of abuse that Gale hurled at him when.
ever he could get word in. 81 had
my tuHl at you with rifle the other
day. You've got your turn now. And
call 1t d pretty soft one, t00-1on't
you, Sandusliy" he demanded sud
denly of the big fellow.
Sandusly alone through the talk had
kept an unbroken silence. He was
eating up De Spain with his eyes, and
De Spain not only achcd to hear him
spealr, but was resolved to make him.
SanQusAy had stood motionless from
the Instant ne entered the room. His
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 your
namc| he demanded bluntly His
voice was heavy and his deafness was
/ reflected in the strained tone.
"Its on the butt of my gun, Sam
dusky."
"What's 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 ribald comment.
"You make a good deal of Noise"
muttered Sandusky, speaking again to
De Spain.
"That ought not to bother you
much, Snndusky," shouted De Spain,
trying to win smile from his taci-
turn antagonist.
Ellis noise won't bother anybody
much longer, put in Logan, whose re-
torts oyer1owed at every interval, But
there was no smile even limited Mt In
the uncompromislng vigilance OF san
fusky's eXpresslonless face. De SPAR
7 discounted the next few minutes fal
enough to feel that SandaskyS lirs'
4 shot would mem death to him, even II
no could return 1t.
9TH tell you, De Spain continued
Logan, "wcrc going to have drlnF
with you. Then we're going to prepare
you for going back whore you CONT
from-wlth nice flowers"
II guess you thought you could come
out here and run over everybody in the
Spanish Sinks" intcrposcd Morgan
with every oath he could summon tC
load his words.
keep ont, Morgan exclaimed 10
gan testify. "f'll do this talking"
De Spain continued to banter. Gen
tlemen," he said. addressing the three
together and realizing that every mo
, mcnt wasted before the shooting adde,
grain Of hope, 81 am ready to drlnl
when you are