Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-12
CHAPTER XIV.
Lefever to the Rescue.

lefever to the Rescue.
Lefever, .chating In the aspen grove
under the restraint Of waiting In the
storm, was ready long before daylight
10 break orders and ride in to find
De Spain.
With the first peep Of dawn, and
with his men facing him In their sad.
dies, Leftover made a short explanation.
II don't want any man to ~ into the
gap with ina. this morning Under any
MISUNDERSTANDING " any false pre-
tehse.' he began chesrfully. Bob
Scott aud Bull VIII stay right here. II,
by any chance, pc Spain makes his
why out while the rest Of vs. are hunt.
Ing for him. your be here To signal us
three Shots; Bcb--pr to ride ip with
De Sppin to help carry, the rest Of us
out. Now, It's like titts,r' he addeds All
dressing the others. "Ydu, all sof' you
know, or ought to kn9v- everybody
'twixt here and the railroad knows
that De Spain ana Nan Morgan h9ve
fastened up to each otl,qr tor ths long
ride down the dusty trail together.
That, tnke II, is their business. But
her uncle, old Duke, aud Gale, and the
whole bunch, I hear, turned dead sore
on It, and have fixed It up to beat them.
You all know the Morsans. They're
some bunch--and they stick for one
another like hornets, md ail hold TO-
gether in a fight. So | don't want any
man TO ride in there with me thinking
he's going to n wedding. He isn't. He
may or may not be going to funeral,
but he's not going to a shivaree.'
Frank Elpaso glanced sourly at his
companions Il guess everybody here
Ia wise, John"
II know you are. Frank retorted
Lefevcr testify; that's all right. I'm
only explaining. And don't want you
to get sore on me II I don't show you
4 fight" Frank Elpaso grunted. II
am Under orders" John waved his
hand. "And can't do anything"
"Bht talk" growled Frank Elpaso.
not waving his hand.
Lefever started holly forward in his
saddle Now look here, Frank" he
pointed his finger, at tho objectlng
ranger. I'm, here for business, not for
pleasure. Any time I'm. free you Gun
tnlk to me-" f F6
"Not till somebody gags you, john
lnterposed Elpaso modify. I
Look here. Epaso," demanded Le-
fever, squirting his horse sinartly to.
ward the Texan, ARE you lookine for Il
iight with me right here aud now?'
ayes, here and now" declared FL.
paso fiercely. a
"Or, there and then" interpOsed
Kennedy. ironically, some time, some.
where or no time, nowhere. Having
heard all OF which, Il hundred and Atty
times from you two fellows, let ds have
pence. You've pulled It SO often, ever
at Sleepy Cut, they've got it'lh double
faced red-seal records. lets UT
stated .gFtt s4 (, A.sAs.
Fright you are, Fhrrell,"' assentsd
Leftover, 4but---"" 'st. lN,sas III
aSecond verse, John. You're ,bpsu
here; what are We going to'dds ,Tiiht'l
al Ne want TO know" wv .N'fs
.'Iienry's orders were to whit here
iii ten o'clock this noti,!ng. There's
been firing inside twice since twelve
o'clock last night. He told me TO pn!
no attention 10 that. But II the whole
place hadn't been Under water al
night I'd have gone In, anyway. This
last time It. was two higlpoweset
guns, picking at lohx range and, Y FH
any Judge of rifles ind the men prob
ably behind them, someone must hnvt
got hurt. IT'S nll y,iess--b,it I'm 60
Ing IN there, pencesbly II cnh, to look
for Henry do Spain II we nre fired ~
we've got to fight for Il. And Il
there's any tnlkIng to be dome"
you cnn do IT," gr,,nted Elpaso.
"rhnnk you, Frank. And | will d. Il
need not say that Kennedy viii tidt
nhcnsl with me. ESlpaso md Wickwirt
With Tominio Meggeion."
Leaving Scott IN the trees, tho llttl,
party trotted smnstly up the road
picking their why through the pool