The Ozark spectator., 1917-03-07

in through the street window. The Morgans were celebrating uncommon ly. Rubbing it in, eh, John" sug gested Jeffries.
 Think of it." gasped Lefever, ito be beaten by an eighteen-year-old girl"
 ''Now that" declared Jeffries, walk ing up as if for the first time inter- ested. lis 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 q marksman."
 '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 psyeholog ical."
 There was abundance of raillery in Lcfever's retort: That's why you are rich, Jeff?o
 "No, am poor because I 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.
 T mean l need him. I mean the time to shoot bear is when you see him. John, what kind of q fellow is De Spain?" demanded the superintend- ent. as if he had never heard of him.
 LefeveA 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; a man that can wheedle more out of a horse than any body but an Indian; coax more shots out of q gun than anybody else can put into tiff you want him flat, that's Henry. as I size him."
 Jefrries resumed his mildest tone: Tell him to come in a minute, John."
 De Spain himself expressed con temptuouS impatience when Lcfever told him the superintendent wanted him to go to work at Sleepy Cat He declared he had always hated the town, raised one objection after anoth- CT to leaving Medicine Bend. and lief fries finally summoned 2 show of i'm patience.
 You are looking for promotion, aren't your he demanded threaten ingly
 Yes. but not for motion without the pro, objected De Spain. T 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."
 "I have no immediate heirs."
 This is not a matter for joking. De Spain"
 ''I know that, too. How many men have been shot on the stages in the last six months?"
 "Why, now and again the stages are held up, yes" admitted Jeffries brusquely; that is to be expected where the specie shipments are large. The Thief River mines are rotten with gold just now. But you don't have to drive stage. We supply you with good men for that, and good guards men willing to take any kind of a chance if the pay is right. And the pay is right, and yours as general man. ager will be right"
 'I have never as yet generally man. aged any stage line" remarked De Spain, poking ridicule at the title, mo matter how modest an outfit"
 You will never learn younger. We must have a man to run that line that can curb the disorders along the route. Calabasas valley, De Spain. is a bad place."
 IS ll' be spun dShcu dS udlNeiy as if he had never heard of Calabasas. though Jeffries was nervily stating fact bald and notorious to both.
 "There are lot of bad men there" Jeffries went on, "who are bad simply because they've never had man to show them"
 '"The last general manager was killed there wasn't hep
 "Not in the valley, no. He was shot at Calabasas inn"
 Would that make very much differ ence in the way he felt about it?"
 Jeffries, with an effort laughed ''That's all right Henry! They won't get you" Again he extended his fin ger dogmatically: If I thought they would, I wouldn't send you down there"
 Thank you"
 You are young, ambitious-fOur thousand year isn't hanging from ev- cry telegraph pole; 1t is almost twice what they are paying me-"
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