Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-01-10
!. Henry, shake hands

horses came through the open door. A
moment later three men walked, sim
Gle file. into the room. De Spain stood
at the left end Of the bar, and Lefever
introduced him to Gale Morgan, to
David SassOOn. and to SassOOn's croIy,
Deaf Sandusky, as the new stage-line
manager. The later arrivals lined up
before the bar. Sandusl;y next to Le-
fever and De Spain. so he could hear
what was said Pedro from his den
produced two queer-looking bottles aud
supply of glasses.
"De SPAIN" Gale Morgan began
bluntly, zone Of our men was put off a
stage of yours last week by Frank El-
paso." He spoke without any pre-
llminary compliments, and his heavy
voice was bellicose.
De Spain, regarding him undis-
turbed, answered after little pause:
"Elpaso told me he put n man off his
stage last week for fighting"
mo" contradictcd Morgan loudly,
mot for fighting. E!paso was drunk
whats the name of the man FL
paso put off, John:" asked De Spain,
looking at Lcfeyer.
Morgan hooked his thumb toward
the man standing Ut his side. Here's
the man right here, Dave SassOon."
Sassoon never looked man in the
face when the man looked at him, ex-
cept by Implication; it was almost i'm
possible, without surprising him, to
catch his eyes with your eyes. He
seemed now to regard De Spain keen
~, as the latter, still attending to Nor
gans statement replied: "Elpaso tells
pretty straight story"
"Elpaso couldn't tell a straight
story if he tried intcrjected Sassoon.
81 have the statement of three other
passengers; they confirm Elpaso. A1
cordlng TO them, Sassoon--" De Spain
looked straight ut the accused, was
drunk and abusive, and kept trying to
put some of the other passengers off.
Finally he put his feet in the lap of
Pumperwasser our tank and windmill
man, and Punperwasser hit him."
Morgan, stepping back from the bar,
waved his hand with IN air of iinality
toward his inoifenSive companion:
Here is slssoon, right hcrc--he can
tell the whole story
"Those fellows were miners" NUT
tered Sassoon. His utterancc was
broken, but he spoke fast. They'll
.idc with the guards every time
against cattlcmaa."
"Sassoon." interposed Morgan bell
ligeren.ly, as Il nan whose word can
always be depended on
"'ro convey his mcaning," INTERVIEWED
Leftover cyyptically. "Of course !
know" he asserted, earnest TO the
point of vchcmencc. Everyone in
Culabasas has the highest respect for
Sassoon. That is understood. And"
he added with as much iinprcssivcncss
rs If be were talking SENSE "eyerybody
in Calahnsas would be sorry to see Sass
soon PIT oil Il stage. But Sussoon is
OF that is The situation. We are sorry.
II It occurs NgGir,--"
what Go you meant" Numbered
Morgan rcsenting the interference.
"Dc Spain is the manager, isn't he?
What we want to know is, what you
are going to do about it?' he demand
cd addressing De Spain again.
"Therc il nothing more to be DONE"
returned De Spain composedIy. "I've
already told Elpaso if Sassoon starts
another fight on stage TO put him off
again."
Morsan's fist came down on the bar.
"Look here, De Spain! You come from
Medicine Bend, don't you? Well, you
can't bully Music Mountain men--un-
; derstand that"
"Any time you have real grievance,
: Morgan, III be glad to consider It,"
said De Spain. "When one Of your
men is drunk aud quarrclsome he will
be put cif like any other disturber.
Tint we can't avoid. Public stages
can't be run any other way"
"All right" retortcd Morgan. III
you take that tack FOR your new man
agemcnt, wen see how you get along
: running stages down in this country"
= 1--WE will run them peaceably, just rs
long as we can" smiled De Spain. 1--WE
will get on with everybody that gives
I US o chance.
: Morgan pointed finger ut him. %
= give you chance, De Spain, right now
= VIII you discharge Epaso?"
0 mo"
u Morgan almost caught his breath n
g the refusal. But De Spain could b.
y extremely blunt, and in the partin:
8 shots between the two he gave nj
y ground.