The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-01-27

Sounds of revelry continued TO pour
in through the street window. The
Morgans were celebrating uncommon
ly. "kubbing it in, Ell, John?" sug-
gesteG Jeffries.
"TLink of it." gasped Lefever, ito
be beaten by an eighteen-year-old girl"
"Sow that" declared Jeffries, wax
ing up as if for the first time inter-
eSred, sis exactly where you made your
mistake, John. A gunman shoots his
best when there's somebody shooting
at him. That's why you shoot we'll
because you're gunman, and not a
marksnan."
"That boy can shoot all around me,
jeff" ,
For instance" continued Jeffries,
"if you had put Gale Morgan up
against Henry, and told him to shoot
at each other, instead Of against each
other, you'd have got bull's-eyes to
burn from De Spain. And the Gala
basas crowd wouldn't have your
money. John, If you want to win
money, you must study the psycholog-
ical." ....... -
There was abundance of raillery in
Lefever's retort: "That's why you are
rich, jeff" ga.
mo, / am poor because failed to
study it. That is why I am at Sleepy
Cat holding down a division. But
now that you've brought Henry up
here, we'll keep him."
"What do you mean, keep him?'
demanded Lefever, starting in protest.
II mean I need him. mean the
time to shoot bear is when you see
him. John, what kind Of a fellow is
De Spain?" demanded the superintend-
ent, as if he had never heard of him.
Lefever, regarding Jeffries keenly,
exclaimed with emphasis: "Why, If you
want him short and sharp, he's man
with a soft eye and snap-turtle jaw,
man of close squeaks and short-arm
shots, always getting into trouble, al
ways getting out; man that can
wheedle more out of horse than any
body but an Indian; coax more shots
out of gun than anybody else can
put into tiff you want him fiat, that's
Henry, as / size him."
Jeffries resumed his mildest tone
''Tell him to come in minute, John.
De Spain himself expressed con-
temptuous Impotence when Lefever
told him the superintendent wanted
hira to go to work at Sleepy Cat. He
declared he had always hated the
town, raised one objection after anoth.
er to leaving Medicine Bend, and JEFF.
fries finally summoned a show of i'm.
patience.
"You are looking for promotion
aren't you" he demanded threaten.
ingly.
Eyes, but not for motion without the
pro-" objected De Spain. II want to
stick to the railroad business. You
want to get me into the stage bust
ness"
Temporarily, yes. But I've told
you when you come back to the divi
sion proper, you come as my assist
ant, if you make good running the
Thief River stages. Think of the sal
ary."
II have no immediate heirs"
'This is not matter for joking, Dc
Spain"
II know that, too. How many mer
have been shot on the stages in the
last six monthsT'
"Why, now and again the stages
are held up, yes" admitted Jeffriei
brusquely; that is to be expected
where the specie shipments are large
The Thief River mines are rotten will
gold just now. But you don't have tt
drive stage. We supply you will
good men for that, and good guards
men willing to take any kind Of ;
chance if the pay is right. And tn
pay is right, and yours as general man
ager will be right"
II have never as yet generally man
aged any stage line" remarked D
Spain, poking ridicule at the title, "n
matter how modest an outfit"
"Ycu will never learn younger. w
must have a man to run that line tina
can curb the disorders along the route
Calabasas valley, De Spain. is q ba
place."
as it?" De Spain asked as navel
as If he had never heard of Calabasas
though Jeffries was nervily stating
fact bald and notorious to both.
"There are a lot Of bad men there,
Jeffries went on, "who are bad simpl
because they've never had a man t
show them"
"The last general manager wa
killed there wasn't he?"
"Not in the valley, no. He was sho
at Calabasas inn."
would that make very much differ
ence in the way he felt about itY'
Jeffries, with an effort, laughed
That's all right, Henry! They won
get you" Again he extended his fin
ger Dramatically: "If I thought the.
would, I wouldn't send you dow
there"
"Thank you"
"You are young, ambitious--fou
thousand year isn't hanging from ev
cry telegraph pole; it is almost twic
what they are paying me-"
you're not getting shot at"