The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1917-05-03

4 oSOtt hhu NhhCuuy buuuG UP y ttulH
tive list. He named four-firet Far.
lrell Kennedy, who was In town, ana
said nobody should go II he didn't;
Frank Elpaso, the Texan; the English
man, Tommy Meggeson; and Wick.
wire, II he could be locnted--any one
| of them, Lefever knew, could give an
account Of himself under all circum-
stances.
While Scott was getting his men to
| gether, De Spain. accompanied by Lee
fever, was riding toward Music noun.
tain. Scott had urged on them -bu,
one parting cautlon-not to leave the
aspens UNTIL rain began falling When
he spoke there was not cloud In the
sky. "Its going to rain tonight, Just
tlf4 same" predicted Scott. 'Don't
| leave the-trees till 1t gets going. Those
| CUP scouts will get under cover and
be hunting for drink the minute II
gets cold-I know them. You can ride
| right over their toes, If you'll be pa
| tent"
The sun set across the range In
| drift of grayish-black, low-lylng
clouds, which seemed only to await its
disappearance to envelop the noun
tains and empty their moisture on the
desert. BY the time De Spain and LIE.
fever reached the end of their long
ride misty rain was drifting down
from the west. The two men had just
ridden into the quaking asps when
man coming out Of the gdp almost
rode into them. The intruders had
halted and were sufficiently hidden to
escape notice, had not Lefever's horse
lndiscreetly coughed The man from
the gap reincd up and called out. Le-
fever answered.
"It's Bull Page" declared De Spain,
after the exchange Of n few words.
calling to Bull ut the same time to
come over to the shelter of the trees.
"What's going on In there, Bull?"
asked De Spain after Bull had told
him that Gale had driven him out, and
he was heading for Calabasas.
"You tell" retorted Page. Looks
to me like old Dukes getting ready
to die. Gale says he's going to draw
his will tonight, and don't want no.
body around-got old Judge Druel In
there"
De Spain pricked up his ears.
"What's that, Druel" he demanded.
Bull repeated his declaration. Lefe-
yer broke into violent language at the
Sleepy Cat jurist's expense, and ended
by declaring that no will should be
drawn in the gap that night by Duke
Morgan or anybody else, unless he
and Bull were made legatees.
Beyond this nothing could be
learned from Bull who was persuad-
ed without difficulty by Lefever to
abandon the idea Of riding to Calaba-
sas through the rain, and to spend
the night with him In the neighbor-
hood, wherever fancy, the rain, and
the wind-which was rising-should
dictate.
While the two were talking. De
Spain tried to slip away, unobserved
by Lefever, on his errand. He failed,
as he expected to, and after some IA
miliar abuse, rode Off ulone, fortified
by every possible suggestion at the
hands of u man to whom the slightest
precaution was usually a joke.
De Spain reached Dukes ranch un-
challenged. Night had fallen every
where, and the increasing rain oD-
scured even the outline Of the house.
But light shone through one uncur-
tained window. He waited some time
for a sound of life, for door to open
or close, or for the dog to bark-he
heard nothing. Slipping out OF the
wet saddle, he led his horse In the
da arlnass undar tha shelter of the lone
pine tree and, securing him, walked
slowly toward the house.
Mindful of the admolitions he had
been loaded with, he tramped arounu
the house In narrowing circles, paus-
ing at times to look and listen. In
like manner he circled the barn ana
stables, until he had made sure there
was no ambush and that he was alone
outside. After time he stepped
around to the front of the house.
where, screened by bit or shrubDery'
he could peer at close range into the
living room.
Standing before the fire burning In
the open hearth, and with his back
to 1t, he now saw Gale Morgan. Sit
ting bolt upright beside the table,
square-jawed and obdurate, his stubby
brier pipe supported by his hand and
grlpped in his great teeth, Duke Nor
gan looked uncompromlsingly past his
belligerent nephew into the fire.
third and elderly man, heavy. red
faced, and almost toothless as he
spoke, sat to the right of the table In
| hot. nd lnnlyaI n nnkp