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

tremely nlmDie III BetunB out VI uor
urgent way. and quick IN lifting iiis
hat. She fairly raced down the digit
OF steps, leaving Lefever looking aftes
her IN astonishment. He turned to
De Spain: "Now. who the deuce was
lthnt2"
De Spain ignored his question BY
asking another: "Dld you find hfmf"
Lefever shook his head. mot a trace;
covered Main street. guess Bob
was right. Nobody home here.
Henry7"
Nobody we want
Nothing going on7"
"Not q thing. II you will wait here
for Bob, I'll run over to the Office md
| answer those kilograms"
De Spain started for the stairs,
"Henry." called Lefever, us his com.
pnnion trotted hastily down. "lf you
catch up to her, kindly apologize for
fat man."
But De Spain was baked of an OPP
portunity to follow Nan. In the street
he ran into Scott. did you get tho
story7" demanded De Spain.
"Part of It."
"Was It Sassoon7"
Scott shook his head, Deaf SAM
dusky. That man Sandusky,"-
smiled sickly smile-''doesn't miss
very often. He was bothered q little
by his friends being all around you"
The two regarded each other for
moment in silence. "Why," asked De
Spain, boiling q little, SHOULD that
ID hulking brute try to blow my
head Off Just powT
"Only for the good of the order,
Henry" grinned the scout.
"Nice job JEFF has picked out for
me-" muttered De Spain grimly, stand
ing up in these Sleepy Cat barrooms
to be shot ut. Is he the fellow John
calls the butcher?'
"That's what everybody calls him,
guess"
The two rejolned Lefever at the
head of the stairs and the three dis.
cussed the news. Even Lefever seemed
more serious when he heard the re-
port. Scott, when nsked where Sam
dusky now was, nodded toward the
big room in front of them.
Letever looked toward the gambling
tables. 'We'll go In and look Mt him."
He turned to Scott to invite his COM
ment on the proposal. "Think twice,
John," suggested the Indian. 1T
there's any trouble in crowd like
that, somebody that has no interest
In De Spain or Sandusky Is pretty sure
to get hurt"
81 don't mean to start anything" ex.
planned Lefever. II only want De
Spain to look at him."
But sometimes things start them
selves. Lefever found Sandusky at q
faro table. At his side sat his partner,
Logan. Three other players, together
with the onIookers, and the dealer--
whose tumbled hair fell partly over the
visor that protected his eyes from the
glare Of the overhead iIght-made up
the group. The table stood next to
that where Tension, white-faced and
impasslve under the heat and light,
held the chnir.
Lefever took a position at one end
Of the table, where he faced Sandusky.
and De Spnin, just behind his shoul-
der, had chance to look the two
Cuiabasas men closely over. Sandusky
agnin impressed him rs powerful
man, who, beyond en- ample stomach.
carried his weight without showing II.
De Spain credited readily the ex-
traordinury stories he had heard OF
Sandusky's dexterity. with revolver
or rifle. That he should SO lately
have missed shot at so close range
was partly explained now that De
Spain perceived Sandusky's small.
hard, brown eyes were somewhat un-
naturally bright, and that his brows
knit every little while In his effort to
collect himself. Sandusky's brown shirt
sprawled open at the collar, and De
Spain remembered again the dashy
wnistcoat, fastened at the last button
hole by cut-glass button.
At Sandusky's side sat his crony In
all important undertakings much
smaller. sparer man, with aggressive
shoulders and restless eyes. Logan
twas the lookout of the pair, and his
rowing glance lighted on De Spain be-
fore the latter had inspected him
more than a moment. He lost no time
in beginning on De Spain with an In
solent question as to what he was
looking at. De Spain, his eye bent
steadily on him, answered with tone
neither Of apology nor pronounced Of
Tense: II am looking at you."
Lefever hltched Mt his trousers cheer
lily and, stepping away from De Spain.