The Jasper news., 1917-04-12

When you looked at me l felt as if
you could see right through me-"
Condolences never came to an end.
Arid diplomacy came into its own al
most at once in De Spain's efforts to
improve his relations with the impla-
cable Duke. The day came when Mans
uncle could be taken home. De Spain
sent TO him a soft-spoken emlssary,
Bob Scott, Offering to provide light
stage, with his compliments, for the
trip. The intractable mountnineer,
with his refusal to accept the olive
branch, blew Bob out of the room.
Nan was crushed by the result, but De
Spain was not to be dismayed.
Lefever came to him the day after
Nan had got her uncle home. Henry"
he began without any preliminarles,
there is one thing about your precipi-
tate ride up Music mountain that I
never got clear in my mind. After the
fight, your cartridge belt was hanging
up In the barn ut Calabasas for two
weeks. You walked in to us that morn
ing with your belt buckled on. You
told us you put it on before you came
upstairs. What? Oh, yes, / know,
Henry. But that belt wasn't hanging
downstairs with your coat earlier in
the evening. No, Henry, 1t wasn't-not
when l looked. Don't tell me such
things, because-I don't know. Where
was the belt when you found it?"
"Some distance from the coat, John.
admit that. I'll tell you: some one
had moved the belt. 1t was not where
left it. l was hurried the morning /
rode in, and can't tell you just where
found It,"
Lefever never hatted an eyelash. 81
know you can't, Henry. Because you
won't. That Scotch hybrid McAlpin
knows few things, too, that he won't
tell. All l want to say is, you can
trust that man too far. He's got all
my recent salary. Every time Jeffrles
raises my pay that hairy-pawed horse
doctor reduces 1t just so much month
And he does 1t with one pack of fifty.
two small cards that you could stick
into your vest pocket"
"McAlpin has a wife and children to
support" suggested De Spain.
Don't think for moment he does
IT," returned Lefever vehemently. 81
support his wife and children myself
"You shouldn't play cards, john"
ut was by playing cards that 10
Gated Sassoon, just the same. A little
game with your friend Bull Page, by
the way. And say, that man blew
into Calabasas one day here lately
with twenty-dollar bill; It's fact
Now, where do you suppose he 60
twenty dollars in one bill? I know
had 1t two hours after he got there
and then in fifteen minutes tina
blamed bullwhacker you pay thirty
two week to took 1t away from me
But got Sassoon spotted. And where
do you suppose Spllt-lirs is this min
ute?"
"Morgan's gap"
"Quite so-and been there all tn
time. Now, Bob has the old warran
for him-the question Is, how to ge
him out"
De Spain reflected moment befor
replying: "John, I'd let him alone jus
for the present." he said at length.
Lefever's eyes bulged. Let Sassool
alone?"
He'll keep-for u while, anyway.
: what do you mean2"
. II don't want to stir things up to-
strong over that way just at the min
ute. John"
: "Why not?"
: De Spain shuffled a little. "Wel
Jeffries thinks we might let things res
: till Duke Morgan and the others ge
over some Of their soreness"
: Lefever, astonished at the indiffel
? ence Of De Spain to the opportunit
of nabbing Sassoon, while he could b
/, found, expostulated strongly. Whe
t De Spain persisted, Lefever, huffeC
2 conflded to Bob Scott that when tn
= general manager got ready he coul
2 catch SassoOn himself.
1 De Spain wanted for Mans sake, q
!. well as his own, to see what could b