Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-06-14

collect for your strawberry. De SPAIN"
cried Logan shrilly. you've turned
n trick too many on the sinks. young
fellow. If the mar that put -FOUR mark
on you amt in this ROOM, you'll never
get him."
(Which means. l take 1t. you're going
to try to get me-" smiled De Spain.
NO" beloved Morgan. lit means
we have got YOU"
"iou are foollns yourself. Harvey"
DE Spain addressed the warning to Lo-
gan. And you, too, Sandusky," he
added.
We'll take care of that" grinned
Logan. Sandusky kept silence.
You are jumping into another mans
fight" protested De Spain steadily.
"Sassoon's fight is our fight" inter.
rupted Morgan.
II advise YOU" said De Spain once
more, looking with the words at San
dusky and his crony, ito keep out Of
it,"
"Sandusky," yelled Logan to his
partner. she advises me aud you to
keep out of this fight" he shrilly
laughed.
Sure" assented Sandusiy, but with
no variation in tone and his eyes on
De Spain.
Logan. with an oath, leaned over the
bar toward S%asSoon. and pointed con.
temptuously toward the end of the
bar. "Shike!" he cried, "step through
the rail aud take that mans gun"
De Spain, looking from one to the
other of the four faces confronting
him, laughed for the first time. But
he vas looking without seeing what
he seemed to look at. In reality, he
saw only a cut-slass button. He was
lace to face with taking n mans life
or surrendering his own, and he knew
the life must be taken in such a way
as instantly to disable its possessor.
These men had chosen their time and
place. There was nothing for it but
to meet them. Sassoon was stepping
toward him. though very doubtfully.
DE Spain laughed again, dryly this
time. Go slow. S~assoon," he said.
THAT gun Is loaded"
IF you want terms, hand over your
u to S%assoon," cried Logan.
Not till it's empty" returned De
Spain. "Do you want to try taking it,"
he demanded OF Logan, his cheeks
burning n little darker.
Logan never answered the question.
1t was not meant to be answered. For
De Spain asked it only to cover the
spring he made ut that instant into
~Sandusky's middle. Catlike though it
was, the feint did not take the big fell
low u%nprepared. He had heard once,
when or where he could not tell, but
he had never forgotten the hint, that
De Spain, a boxer, a as quick with
his feet as with his hands. The out
law whirled. Both men shot from the
hip: the reports cracked together. One
bullet, grazing the fancy button.
smashed through the gaudy waistcoat :
the other, as De Spain's free hand
struck at the muzzle Of the big mans
gun, tore into De Spain's foot. San
dusky, convulsed by the frightful
shock. staggered against De SPANS
arm. the latter dancing tight against
him. Logan, alive to the trick but
caught behind his partner, fred over
Sandusky's right shoulder at De
SPANS head, flnttened sidewise against
the gasplng outlaws breast. Hugging
his shield, De Spain threw his second
shot owe Sancusky's left shoulder into
Logan's face. Logan, sinking to the
floor, eve moved again. Supporting
with extraordinary strength the un.
wieldy bulk Of the dying butcher, Dc
Spain managed to steady him rs q buf.
fer against Morgan's fire until he could
send n slug over Sandusky's head al
the instant the latter collapsed. Nor.
gan fell against the bur.
S%andusky's weight dragged De Spain
down. For an instant the four mer
sprawled in a heap. SassoOn. who had
not yet got an effective shot across al
his agile enemy. dropping his revolver
lodged under the rail to close. Dc
Spain. struggling to free himself from
the dying man, saw, through a mist
tho greenish eyes and the thirsty knife
He fred from the floor. The bullet
shook without stopping his enemy, and
De Spain, partly caught under San
dusly's body, thought, as Sassoon came
on. the game was up. With an eifor,
born Of desperation, he dragged him
self from under the twitchIng giant
freed his revolver, rolled away. and
with his sight swimming, swung thu
gun at Sass0on's stomach. He mean,
to kill him. The bullet whIrled thu
whitc-faced man to one side and b,
dropped, but pulled himself, full O.
fight, to his knees and. knife In hnnd
painted forward. Dc Spain, rolling has
thy from him. staggered to his feet
and, running In as Sass0on tried Il
strike. bent him senseless with tn,
butt Of his gun.
His own eyes were streaming blood
Ills head was rcellng and he wal
breathless, but he remembered those
Of the gang waiting outside. He still
could zee dimly the window ut thu
end OF tho bar. Dnshing his Hngeri
through the red stream my his fore.
head, he ran for the window, smashed
through tho lsaah Into the patio and
found Sassoop's horse trembling at thu
lku1llla0a. Catchlng the llneS and tn