Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-11-06

man or group of men, rOue on slowly
until they came to the building on
whose false front was a gigantic spur
in yellow paint. Here they dismount-
ed, tied their horses, and went in.
Carson, with quick eye toward pre-
paredness for what might lie on the
cards, looked for Lees gun. 1t wasn't
in his pocket; it wasn't In his waist
band, ready to hand. 1t wasn't any,
where. that Carson could see. AT the
door he whispered warningly:
Better be ready, Bud. Amt lost
your gun, have your"
Lee shook his head and stepped into
the room. At the long bar were three
or four men drinking. Quinnion was
not among them There were other
men at the round tables, playing draw,
solo, stud horse. One glance showed
that Quinnion was not in the room.
But there were other rooms at the rear
for those desiring privacy. Lee, nod
ding this way and that to friends who
accosted him, made his way straight
to the bar
Sandy Weaver, the bartender, looked
at him curiously. A short, heavy,
blond man was Sandy Weaver, who
ran q fair house and gave his atteE-
ton strictly to his own business. Save
when asked by a friend to 90 him a
favor, such a favor as to keep an eye
on another man.
"HelIo, Bud,' returned Sandy, put
ting out a red hand. All expression
Of interest had fled from his placid
face. Come in right away, eh? Hello
Carson. Have somethin'; on me, you
know
Lee shook his head.
mot tonight, Sandy" he said.
Thanks just the same"
Me" grinned Carson. 'sI'll go you,
Sandy. Same thing know"
Sandy showed out whisky-bottle and
glass. Then he turned grave eyes to
Lee.
Zone of these fellers can tend bar
while we talk If you want, Bud" he
offered.
"You say Quinnion has been talk
ing2" asked Lee.
Eyes. Considerable. All afternoon
an evening, 1 guess. I didn't hear
him until / called you up
Then continued the man from
Blue Lake ranch, Il don't see any call
for you and me to whisper, Sandy.
What did he say?"
said you was a liar, Bud. An q
skeerd- of-your-life d-n bluff. !"
A faint, shadowy smile touched
Lees eyes.
"Just joshing, Sandy. But that
wasn't all, was it?"
NO." said Sandy, wiping his bar
carefully There was the other word,
Bud An'-say, Billy, tell him what
Quinnion had to say down to the Jail
bird"
Lee turned his eyes to Billy Young.
Young, cattleman from the Up and
Down range, shifted his belt and
looked uncomfortable.
On if / dor he blurted out. ut
amt none of my funeral. An if you
ask me, I don't like the sound of that
kind of talk in my mouth. Maybe
cam find my way to church of Sun
day for staggerin' with red-eye, but
amt ever drug nice girls name into
barroom."
$50" said Lee very quietly, that's
it, is it?"
"Yes," said Sandy Weaver slowly
that's it, Bud. Us boys knowed OF
Luke Sanford an liked him. Some
of us even knowed his girl. All OF
us know the sort she is. When Quin-
MON started his talk-oh, it's song
an dance about you an her all alone
| in some d-n cabin trying to crawl
out'n the looks of things by accusin
Quinnion of tryin' to shoot you up -
well, folks JUS laughed at him. More
recent, somebody must have took him
serious an smashed him in the mouth.
He looks like it. But,e and Sandy
shrugged his thick shoulders elabor-
ately, eff it's up to anybody it's up to
YOU"
| For a moment Bud Lee, standing
very straight, his hat far back, his
eyes hard and cold, looked from one
to another Of the men about him. In
every face he saw the same thing
their contempt for man like Quin-
Mon, their wordless agreement with
Sandy that it was up to Bud Lee
Lees face told them nothing.
| 'Where is he?" he asked presently.
''Mos' likely down to the Jailbird, =
said Billy Young. THAT'S where he
hangs out lately"
Lee turned and went out, Carson
at his heels, all eyes following him.
In his heart was blazing, soaring
| rage. And that rage was not for Quin-
MON alone He thought of Judith as
he had seen her that very night, a
graceful, gray-eyed slip of a girl, the
sweetest little maid in all of the world
| known to him-and of how he, brutal
| in the surge of love for her, had swept
her into his arms, crushed her to him,
forced upon her laughing lips the kiss
| of his own.
"My CD he said within himself,
| 81 was mad. 1t would be agood thing
if / got Quinnion tontght-and he got
me. Two of kinG,' he told himself
sneeringly.
| 4 Il