The Benson signal., 1917-08-04
CHAPTER xvll-continued.

-
Meaning, that in this country you
can't begin on play like pulling Sas-
soon out from under his friends noses
without keeping up the pace-wthout
q second and third act. You dragged
Sassoon by his hair out of the gap
good. You surprised everybody; good.
But you can't very well stop at that,
Henry. Such feat by itself doesn't
insure a permanent reputation, Henry.
It is, so to say, merely demand repu-
tation-one that men reserve the right
to recall at any moment. And the
worst Of it is, If they ever do recall it,
You are worse off than when before
they extended the brittle bauble to
you"
"Jingo, Johni For stage black
smith you are some spieler." De Spain
added an impatient, not to say con-
tumelious, exclamation concerning the
substance of Lefever's talk. II didn't
ask them for reputation. This man
interfered with my guard-in fact,
tried to cut his throat, didn't he?"
"Would have done it if Frank had
been an honest man."
.'That is all there is to it, isn't it?''
Lefever tapped the second finger of
one fat hand gently on the table.
practically; practically all, Henry,
yes You don't quite understand, but
you have the right idea."
"What do you want me to do-back
q horse and shoot two guns at once
up and down Main street, cowboy
Style?"
Lefever kept his patience without
difficulty. "No, no. You'll under
stand"
"Scott advised me to run down to
Medicine Bend for few days to let
the Morgans cool off,"
"Right. That was the first step. The
few days are thing Of the past. ]
suppose you know continued Lefever
In as well-modulated a tone as he
could assume to convey information
that could not be regarded as wholly
cheerful, "that they expect to get you
for this Sassoon job"
De Spain flushed. But the red anger
lasted only a moment. "Who are
they'?'' he asked after pause.
"Deaf Sandusky, Logan, of course,
the Calabasas bunch, and the Nor
gans."
De Spain regarded his companion
unamiably. "What do they expect I'll
be doing while they are getting me?'
Lefever raised hand deprecatingly
"Don't be Overconfident, Henry; that's
your danger. I know you can take
care of yourself. All want to do Is
to get the folks here acquainted with
your ability, WITHOUT taking unneces-
sary chances. You see, people are not
now asking questions Of one another
they are asking them of themselves.
Who and what is this newcOmer-an
accident or a genuine arrival? A com
mon squib or a real explosion? Don't
get excited" he added, in an effort to
sooth De Spain's obvious irritation
"You have the idea, Henry. It's time
to show yourself"
II can't very we'll do business here
without showing myself" retorted De
Spain.
'eBut it is a thing to be managed u
persisted Lefever. "Now, suppose
since the topic is up-we show In
Maic street for a while"
Suppose we do," echoed De Spain
ungraciously.
''That will crack the debut ice. We
will call at Harry Tensions hotel, and
then go to his new rooms-go right to
society headquarters first-that's my
theory of doing it. If anybody has
any shooting in mind, Tensions is a
quiet and orderly place. And If a
man declines to eat anybody up at
Tensions, we put him down, Henry, as
not rayenously hungry"
"One man would like to see is that
sheriff, Druel, who let Sassoon get
out"
Ready to interview him now?"
"Pve got some kilograms to answer v
''Those will keep. The Morgans are
IN town. Well start out and find some
body"
It was wet and sloppy outside, but
Lefever was Indifferent to tho rain,
and De Spain thought it would be un-
digni1ed to complain of it.
When, followed by Lefever, he
WREkeA ints the LOBBY Of Tensions s