The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1917-02-22
CHAPTER Xvil-continued.


Meaning, that in this country you
can't begin on play like pulling Sas-
soon out from under his friends noses
without keeping up the pace-wlthout
a second and third act. You dragged
Sassoon by his hair out Of the gap;
good. You surprised everybody; good.
But you can't very well stop at that,
Henry. Such feat by itself doesn't
Insure q permanent reputation, Henry.
1t is, so to say, merely demand repu'
tation-one that men reserve the right
to recall at any moment. And the
worst Of 1t is, If they ever do recall 1t,
you are worse off than when before
they extended the brittle bauble-to-
you"
"Jingo, joint For q stage black
smith you are some spieler." De Spain
added an impatient, not to say con-
tumelious, exclamation concerning the
substance of Lefever's talk. IL didn't
ask them for n reputation. This man
interfered with my guard--in fact,
tried to cut his throat, didn't hef
"Would have done 1t If Frank had
been nn honest man."
"That is all there is to 1t, isn't it2"
Lefever tapped the second finger OF
one fat hand gently on the table.
practically; practically oil, Henry,
yes. You don't quite understand, but
you have the right idea."
"What do you want me to do-back
horse and shoot two guns at once
up and down Main street, cowboy
style?"
Lefever kept his patience without
difficulty. mo, no. You'll under
stand"
"Scott advised me to run down to
Medicine Bend for few days to let
the Morgans cool off,"
Fright. That was the first step. The
few days are thing of the past. l
suppose you know" continued Lefever,
in as well-modulated tone as he
could assume to convey information
that could not be regarded as wholly
cheerful. "that they expect to get you
for this Sassoon job"
De Spain flushed. But the red anger
lasted only moment. 'Who are
'they'?" he asked after pause.
"Deaf Sandusky, Logan, Of course,
the Cnlabasas bunch, and the Nor
gans."
De Spain regarded his companion
unamiably. "What do they expect I'll
be doing while they are getting met"
Lefever raised hand deprecatingly.
"Don't be overconf1dent, Henry; that's
your danger. 1 know you can take
care of yourself. All 1 want to do Is
to get the folks here acquainted with
your ability, without taking unneces-
sary chances. You see, people are not
now asking questions of one another ;
they are asking them of themselves.
Who and what Is this newcomer-an
accident or u genuine arrival? A COM
mon squib or real explosion? Don't
get excited" he added, in an effort to
sooth De Spain's obvious irritation.
"You have the idea, Henry. It's time
to show yourself"
II can't very well do business here
without showing myself" retorted De
Spain.
"But 1t is a thing to be managed"
persisted Lefever. "Now, suppose
since the topic is up-we show In
Main street for a WHILE"
Suppose we do" echoed De Spain
ungraclously.
"That will crack the debut ice. We
will call at Harry Tensions hotel, and
then 60 to his new rooms-go right to
society headquarters hrst-that's my
theory of doing 1t. II anybody has
any shooting In mind, Tensions is a
quiet aud orderly place. And II a
man declines to eat anybody up at
Tenison's, we put him down, Henry, as
Snt ravenolsly hungry"