Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-06-07
CHAPTER TX.
The Glass Button.

INC 0tdSS ouktoU.
Even as the big fellow stepped light.
ly Just inside and to the left-as De
Spain stood-of the door and faced
him. the encounter seemed to De Spain
accidental. But before he could speak,
a second mar appeared in the door
way, and this man appeared to be Jok'
ing with a third, behind him. As the
second man crossed the threshold, De
Spain saw Sandusky's h~igh-voiced
little fighting crony. Logan. who now
made way, as he stepped within to the
right Of the open door, for the swing
ing shoulders and rolling stride Of
Gale Morgan.
Morgan. eying De Spain with inso.
lence, as was his wont, closed the door
behind him with q bang. Then he
backed his powerful frame significant
iy against it.
A blind man could have seen the
completeness of the snare. An unpleas-
ant feeling flashed across De Spain's
perception. 1t was only for the i'm
measurable part OF a second-while
uncertainty was resolving Itself into a
rapid certainty. When Gale Morgan
stepped into the room on the heels
Of his two Calabasas friends, De Spain
would have sold for less than 4 cup
of coffee all his chances for life. New
e%rtheless, 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 ut 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
ut 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-1'm not ready
to rum" Morgan only continued to
stare at him. II need hardly ask
added De Spain, whether you fellows
have business with mel"
He looked to Sandusky for a reply
1t was Logan who answered in shrill
falsetto: mo. We don't happen Il
have business that I know Of. A
friend Of ours may have n little, may
bet" Logan, lifting his shoulders will
his laugh, looked toward his compan
ions for an answer to his joke.
:. De SPANS smile appeared unrufled
you'll help him transact 1t, l sup
pose?"
Logan, looking again toward San
dusky, grinned: ale won't need an!
, help"
/, "Who is your frfend?" demanded d,
, Spain good-naturedly. Logan's glanc
mlsled him; 1t did not refer to San
dusky. And v G as he asked the ques
y ton Dc Spain heard through the halt
: open window ut the end Of the ba
. the sound Of hoofs. Hoping agains
:. hope for Lefever, the interruption
. !. cheered him. 1t certainly did not sect
that his situation could be made worse
"Well," answered Logan, talkin
i. again to his gallery Of %cronies, "we'v
!. got two or three friends that want t
see you. They're waiting outside I
. see what you'll look like In about fv
minutes--ain't they. GaleY"
Someone was moving within the ren
room. De Spain felt hope In ever
a football he heard, and the mention q
q Morgan's namc cleared his plan
battle. Before Gale, with an oatl
could blurt out his answer. De Spai
% Ind resolved to fight where lie stoo,
taking Logan first and Morgan as b
should jump In between the two.
= was ut the best q hopeless ventur
against S~nndusky's first shot, whic
!. Dc Spaln knew was almost u r
reach u vital spot. But desperate me
cannot be ch0Osers.
- "There's no time for seeing mo ia
: the present" declared De Spain, igno
y Ing Morgnn and addressing his Wort
= to Logan. "I,ring your friends \
+, What are you complaining about, Mo
~ gon" he asked. %resenting the siren
Of abuse that Gale hurled ut him whe
}, ever he could get q word In. II ha
my turn ut you with u rifle tho 9th,
dny. You've rot your turn now. Al
20 call It n pretty soft one. too--dor
- you, SanduskyT he demanded 50
- denly Of the big fellow.
n Sandusky alone through the tnik b,
ne kept on unbroken silence. lie W,
eating UP De Spain with his eyes. d,
a DC Spain not only nched to hear hi
speak, but was resolved to make hi
n. Sandusky had stood motionless fra
the instant he entered tho room. II
"A eyes rested intsntly on D. Spain, a
Al at his side the long 0ngsrs q biz sig
l1lhaad beat . soft tssess e1aaass !
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