Mexico Missouri message., 1917-03-15

1uiSetpOs NJ we uOu Huppen 10
have business that l know of. A
friend of ours may have little, may.
belp Logan, lifting his shoulders with
his laugh, looked toward his compan-
ions for an answer to his joke.
De SPANS smile appeared unruffieds
you'll help him transact it, sup
poser"
Logan, looking again toward SAM
dusky, grlnned: "He won't need any
help"
'Who is your friend?" demanded De
Spain good-naturedly. Logan's glance
misled him; 1t did not refer to San.
dusky. And even as he asked the ques-
ton De Spain heard through the half
open window at the end Of the bar
the sound of hoofs. Hoping against
hope for Lefever, the interruption
cheered him. 1t certainly did not seem
that his situation could be made worse.
WELL" answered Logan, talking
again to his gallery of cronies, "we've
got two or three friends that want to
see you. They're waiting outside to
see what you'll look like in about five
mlnutes-ain't they, Caller"
Someone was moving within the rear
room. De Spain felt hope in every
football he heard, and the mention of
Morgan's name cleared his plan of
battle. Before Gale, with an oath,
could blurt out his answer, De Spain
had resolved to fight where he stood,
taking Logan first and Morgan as he
should jump in between the two. 1t
was at the best a hopeless venture
against Sandusky's first shot, which
De Spain knew was almost sure to
reach vital spot. But desperate men
cannot be choosers.
There's no time for seeing me like
the present" declared De Spain, ignor-
ing Morgan and addressing his words
to Logan. "Bring your friends in.
What are you complaining about, Nor
gon?' he asked, resenting the stream
of abuse that Gale hurled at him when
ever he could get word in. 81 had
my turn at you with q rifle the other
day. You've got your turn now. And
call 1t pretty soft one, too-don't
you, Sandusky" he demanded sud.
denly of the big fellow.
Sandusky alone through the talk had
kept an unbroken silence. He was
eating up De Spain with his eyes, and
De Spain not only ached to hear him
speak, but was resolved to make him.
Sandusky had stood motionleSs from
the instant he entered the room. His
eyes rested intently on De Spain, and
at his side the long fingers of his right
hand beat soft tattoo against his
pistol holster. De Spain's question
seemed to arouse him. "What's your
name?" he demanded bluntly. His
voice was heavy and his deafness was
reflected in the strained tone.
"It's on the butt of my gun, San.
dusly."
"Whats that he says?" demanded
the man known as the butcher, asking
the question of Logan, but without
taking his eyes off his shifty prey.
Logan raised his voice to repeat the
words and to add q ribald comment.
"You make a good deal of noise
muttered Sandusky, speaking again tx
De Spain.
"That ought not to bother yoI
much, Sandusky," shouted De Spain
trying to win smile from his tact
: turn antagonist.
e "His noise won't bother anybody
/ much longer" put in Logan, whose re
a torts overflowed at every interval. Blu
:, there was no smile even limited at il
: the uncompromising vigilance of. San
: dusky's expressionless face. De SpaiI
e discounted the next few minutes ia,
e enough to feel that Sandusky's frs
i shot would mean death to him, even i
V he could return it.
e "Pll tell you, De SPAIN" continued
: Logan, 'we're going to have a drinl
f with you. Then we're going to prepar
you for going back where you COM
= from-with nice flowers"
+ II guess you thought you could com
e out here and run over everybody in tn
: Spanish sinks" interposed Morgan
with every oath he could summon t
e load his words.
s. ''Keep out, Morgan" exclaimed Lo
s gan testify. "Pll do this talking"
l. De Spain continued to banter. "Ger
e tlemen," he said, addressing the tire
q together and realizing that every me
n ment wasted before the shooting adde
IS grain of hope, II am ready to drlh
n when you are"
p "He's ready to drink, Tom," roare
2 Morgan in the deaf mans ear.
IS "Tm ready" announced Sandusky i
e hollow voice.