The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-02-23

TO pay for putting that mark on me.
Somebody is bound to pay for your
manners. Why talk about either? Sas-
soon, set out for your friends-or
will. Spread, gentlemen, spread"
He had reached the position on
which he believed his life depended,
and stood so close to the end of the
bar that with single step, as he ut
tered the last words. he turned 1t. San
dusky pushed close next him. De
Spain continued TO speak without hes
itation or break, but the words seemed
10 have no place in his mind. He was
thinking only, and saw only within his
field a vision a cut-glass button that
| fastened the bottom of Sand2sky's
creased waistcoat
you've waited one day too long to
collect for your strawberry, De Spain,"
cried Logan shrilly. you've turned
one trick too many on the sinks, young
fellow. If the manstha put your 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, sit means
we have got you"
"You are fooling 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, "toi keep out of
it,"
"Sandusky," yelled Logan to his
partner, she advises me and you to
keep out of this fight" he shrilly
| laughed.
"Sure," assented Sandusky, but with
no variation in tone and his eyes on
De Spain.
Logan, with an oath, leaned over the
bar toward Sassoon, and pointed con-
temptuously toward the end of the
bar. "Shikel" he cried, "step through
the rail and 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 was looking without seeing what
he seemed to look at. In reality, he
saw only cut-glass button. He was
face to face with taking a mans life
or surrendering his own, and he knew
the life must be taken In such q 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, Sassoon," he said.
"That gun is loaded"
IF you want terms, hand over your
gun to Sassoon," cried Logan.
mot till it's empty" returned De
Spain. "Do you want to try taking it?'
he demanded of Logan, his cheeks
burning little darker.
Logan never answered the question.
1t was not meant to be answered. For
De Spain asked 1t only to cover the
spring he made at that instant into
! Sandusky's middle. Catlike though 1t
was, the feint did not take the big fell
low unprepared. He had heard once,
when or where he could not tell, but
he had never forgotten the hint, that
De Spain, boxer, was 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 SPANS free hand
strucl; at the muZzle Of the big mans
gun, tore into De SPANS foot. San.
dusl1y, 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, fired over
Sandusky's right shoulder at De
SPANS head, flattened sidewise against
the gasping outlaws breast. Hugginl
his shield De Spain threw his SECOND
{ shot over Sancusky's left shoulder int
, Logan's face. Logan, sinking to tn,
floor, never moved again. Supporting
[ with extraordinary strength the un
|. wieldy bulk Of the dying butcher, ID,
, Spain managed to steady him as n buf
/ fer against Morgans fire until he coulC
' send slug over Sandusky's head a