The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-07-11

OO SPaIH @dbd''Co = IlC'
doubt as to ms AFFINITY To put ms hand
on n at incomparaL!y short notice.
There WAS, however, no trace of hos
tility or suspicion in De Spain's greet
ing.
Hello, Duke Morgan he said frank
~. Morgan looked around. His face
hardened when he saw De Spain, and
he inyoluntarily took Il short step
backward De Spain with his left hand
lying carelessly on the cigar case,
faced him. Il heard you wanted to
see me" continued De Spain. Il want
to see you. IIow's your back since you
went homer"
Morgan eyed him with q mixture of
suspicion and animosity. He took what
was to him the most significant part of
De Spain's greeting first and threw his
response into words as short as words
could be chopped: "What do you want
TO see me about?'
Nothing unpleasant, l hope" re,
turned De Spain. Lets sit down a
minute"
Say what you got to say"
"Well, don't take my head off. Duke.
| was sorry to hear you were hurt. And
I've been trying to figure out how to
make ii easier for you to get to and
from town while you are getting strong.
Jeffries and | both feel there's been a
lot of unnecessary hard feeling be-
tween the Morgans and the company,
and we want TO ask you to accept this
TO show some of it's ended" De Spain
put his left hand into his side pocket
and held out an unsealed envelope to
Morgan. Duke, taking the envelope,
eyed it distrustfully. whats thisT'
he demanded, opening it and drawing
out a card.
Something for easier riding. An
annual pass for you and one over the
stage line between Calabasas and
Sleepy Cat-with Mr.. Jeffries' compli-
ments.'
Like a flash, Morgan tore the card
pass in two and threw it angrily to the
floor. Tell Mr. Jeffries," he ex-
claimed violently, to"
The man that CHANGED at that mo-
ment TO be lying in the nearest chair
slid quietly but i~mperiously out from
under the razor and started with the
BARRIERS for the rear door, wiping the
lather from one unshaven side of his
face with a neck towel as he took his
hasty way. At the back Of the
shop a fat man, sitting in a chair on
the high, shoe-shining platform, while
u negro boy polished him, rose at Nor
gan's imprecation and tried to step
over the bootblack's head to the floor
below. The boy, trying to get out Of the
way, jumped back, and the fat nan fell,
or pretended to fall, over him-for it
might be seen that the man, despite his
size, had lighted like a cat on his feet
and was instantly halfway up to the
front of the shop, exclaiming profane-
ly but collectively Mt the lads awk-
wardness, before De Spain had had
time to reply to the insult.
The noise and confusion of the Incl.
dent were considerable. Morgan was
too old a fighter to look behind him ut
a critical moment. No man could say
he had meant to draw when he stamped
the card underfoot, but De Spain read
ii in his eye and knew that Lefever's
| sudden diversion at the rear had made
him hesitate; the crisis passed like a
flash. "Sorry you feel that way, Duke"
returned De Spain. u~ndisturbed. 1T Is
a courtesy we We're glad to extend.
And / want to speak to you about
Nan, too
Morgan's face was livid. "what
about herr"
"She has given me permission to ask
your consent to u marriage" said
De Spain. "some time In the reason
able future"
1t was difficult for Duke to speak
at all. he was so Infatuated. "You can
get my consent in just one way" he
managed to say, that's by getting me-"
"Then I'm afraid I'll never get 1t, for
I'll never get you, Duke"
A torrent of oaths fell from Nor
gan's cracked lips. He tried to tell De
Spain in his fury that ne knew all
about his underhand work, he called
It'll IuOIC thuA OuC uuiu uuIue, Iuuuc
no secret Of his deadly enmity, and
challenged him to end their differ
ences then and there.
T., Spain did not move. His left
hand again lay on the cigar case.
Duke" he said, when his antagonist
had exhausted his v~ituperation, ~
wouldn't fight you, anyway. You're
crazy angry at me for 40 reason on
earth. II you'll give me just one good
reason for feeling the way you do to-
ward me. and the way you've always
acted toward me since I came up to
this country. I'll fight YOU"
"Pull your gum" cried Morgan with
an ~imprecation.
II won't do 1t. You call me q cow.
! ard. Ask these boys here In the shop
whether they agree with you u that