The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-11-23

smoke-filled room, seated at a poker
table with four others. Bruce moved
across the room and spoke to him.
The buyer looked up. Hello, Lam
dorl" he greeted.
Bruce spoke to the other men at
the table.
Buy a stack and sit IN, Landor,"
one of them invited
mot tonight Bruce replied. I'm
going home to bed as soon as I've
had a word with Myers, here"
''I'll be with you in a minute"
said Myers.
Bruce lighted cigarette and
watched the progress of the play.
He was not sure just what had
drawn his attention to a conversa-
tion at the table behind him, but
presently the mention of Jarvis
Deans name caused him to glance
around. Curly Belfort, a rancher
from the Ashcroft district, was do
ing the talking while the others lis
tened. Belfort had evidently been
drinking. Bruce gave his attention
to the game at Myers table.
The click of the chips and the
monotonous sound of voices lay
drowsily upon his senses after
day in the mountains.
Belfort's voice thrust itself bolster
ously upon his consciousness. Bruce
could not help hearing the words.
and, by God, if there wasn't
old Deans daughter standin' UP out
O. the haystack, an stre.chin' her.
self at seven o'clock in the mornin'.
An | says to young Parr, DO you
think I'm runnin' country hotel, or
somethin'? Or is this the way they
do it in Europe?' I says. But he
kept on tinkerin' with his car" Bel
fort laughed heartily at his own
joke. "Some gal the Laird's brat
has turned out to be, spendin' the
night in haystack with"
Bruce had got up abruptly and
stepped over beside Belfort, his face
gone suddenly white, his mouth fixed
in a Slight, contemplative smile as
he stood looking down at the ranch
er.
you've had too much to drink,
Curly" Bruce interrupted him.
Belfort's eyes moved in slow in
science up and down Bruce's body
Then his mouth twisted to one side
in a drunken leer as he laid his
cards down on the table in front of
him.
who's tellin' me?" he asked.
"T'm telling you" Bruce replied.
"Only drunken swine would talk
the way you're talking"
Belfort got to his feet with an
oath, but Bruce pushed him back
into his chair Muttering to him
self, Belfort sprang up and lifted
the chair. Before he could swing it,
Bruce's hand had shot out and the
man staggered backwards and
stumbled to the floor. The other
men in the room rushed forward to
intervene, old Sandy among them.
Before they could prevent it, how
ever, Belfort was on his feet and
was rushing at Bruce.
stop this, now!" old Sandy or
dered.
But even as he spoke, Bruce
struck again and BeIfort crumpled
to the floor.
Sandy flung his arms desperately
about Bruce. stop it, lad" he
cried excitedly. Stop it, or we'll
boxa fha laxY or ttcf5
Bruce shook him coolly off. BET
ter not step into this, Sandy" he
advised. "Belfort has something to
say to me or one of us has to take
a licking, law OF no law!"
Belfort had pulled himself togeth-
er with painful difficulty. Bruce
strobe over to him, but old Sandy
stepped between them and faced
Belfort.
Here, now," he demanded,
whats all this about? What's it
about, Curly7"
"Ask him." Belfort snarled.
"What's it all about?" Sandy
begged of Bruce, maintaining his
| position stoutly between them.
"Belfort knows" Bruce replied.
"He has been talking about cer-
tain young lady whose name"
"There was another woman with
her, damn you'll" Belfort screamed,
his face livid. "And another mani
The car was broke down."
What you said was lie, then,
wasn't it?" Bruce prompted.
st told nothing but what ! saw
with my own eyes," Belfort retort-
ed.
"What you implied was a damn
iei" Bruce challenged, stepping to-
ward him.
Belfort's head began wagging to
and fro as he watched Bruce in a
sort of stupid fascination. Presently
he nodded. IF you want to look at
it that way" he admitted. II was
only tallkin'."
"Think twice before you talk like
that again." Bruce advised him cas-
ually, taking cigarette from his
shirt pocket as he spoke.
A half dozen of Belfort's friends
had got around him and were urg-
ing him toward the door.
"I'n talk to you again" said Bel
fort, over his shoulder.
"Any time, Curly" Bruce replied,
and lit his cigarette.
Sandy scratched his head in relief
as Belfort disappeared through the
doorway. Then he shook his head
at Bruce. "Yon's bad actor, lad, ;"
he said quietly. "Pd be lookin' out
for him if | was you.
tGT ;v+and m ,, caid Prficp and