Nor was it the most humiliating feature of his defeat, murmured Lefever, as the door closed behind his discomfited champion. What do you think, William? he grumbled on. The Morgans ran in a girl to shoot against ustrue as theres a God in heaven. They put up Nan Morgan, old Duke Morgans little niece. And what do you think? She shot the fingers clean off our well-known Black Hand scout. I never before in my life saw Henry so fussed. The little Music Mountain skirt simply put it all over him. She had five bulls-eyes to Henrys three when the lever snapped. He forfeited.
Some shooting, commented Jeffries, rapidly signing letters.
We expected some when Henry unslung his gun, Lefever went on without respecting Jeffriess preoccupation. As it is, those fellows have cleaned up every dollar loose in Sleepy Cat, and then some. Money? They could start a bank this minute.
Sounds of revelry continued to pour in through the street window. The Morgans were celebrating uncommonly. Rubbing it in, eh, John? suggested Jeffries.
Think of it, gasped Lefever, to be beaten by an eighteen-year-old girl.
Now that, declared Jeffries, waking up as if for the first time interested, is exactly where you made your mistake, John. Henry is young and excitable
Excitable! echoed Lefever, taken aback.
Yes, excitablewhen a girl is in the ringwhy not? Especially a trim, all-alive, up-and-coming, blue-eyed hussy like that girl of Duke Morgans. She would upset any young fellow, John.
A girl from Morgans Gap?
Morgans Gap, nothing! responded Jeffries scornfully. Whats that got to do with it? Does that change the fire in the girls eye, the curve of her neck, the slope of her shoulder, John, or the color of her cheek? Lefever only stared. De Spain got to thinking about the girl, persisted Jeffries, her eyes and neck and pink cheeks rattled him. Against a girl you should have put up an old, one-eyed scout like yourself, or me, or Bob Scott.
Theres another thing you forget, John, continued Jeffries, signing even more rapidly. A gunman shoots his best when theres somebody shooting at himotherwise he wouldnt be a gunmanhe would be just an ordinary, every-day marksman, with a Schuetzenverein medal and a rooster feather in his hat. Thats why you shoot well, Johnbecause youre a gunman, and not a marksman.
That boy can shoot all around me, Jeff.
For instance, continued Jeffries, tossing off signatures now with a rubber stamp, and developing his incontestable theory at the same time, if you had put Gale Morgan up against Henry at, say five hundred yards, and told them to shoot at each other, instead of against each other, youd have got bulls-eyes to burn from de Spain. And the Calabasas crowd wouldnt have your money. John, if you want to win money, you must study the psychological.
There was abundance of raillery in Lefevers retort: Thats why you are rich, Jeff?
No, I am poor because I failed to study it. That is why I am at Sleepy Cat holding down a division. But now that youve brought Henry up here, well keep him.
What do you mean, keep him? demanded Lefever, starting in protest.
What do I mean? thundered Jeffries, who frequently thundered even when it didnt rain in the office. I mean I need him. I mean the time to shoot a bear is when you see him. John, what kind of a fellow is de Spain? demanded the superintendent, as if he had never heard of him.
Henry de Spain? asked Lefever, sparring innocently for time.
No, Commodore George Washington, General Jackson, Isaac Watts de Spain, retorted Jeffries peevishly. Dont you know the man were talking about?
Known
him for ten years.
Then why say Henry de Spain, as if there were a dozen of him? Hes the only de Spain in these parts, isnt he? What kind of a fellow is he?
Lefever was ready; and as he sat in a chair sidewise at the table, one arm flung across the green baize, he looked every inch his devil-may-care part. Regarding Jeffries keenly, he exclaimed with emphasis: Why, if you want him short and sharp, hes a man with a soft eye and a snap-turtle jaw, a man of close squeaks and short-arm shots, always getting into trouble, always getting out; a man that can wheedle more out of a horse than anybody but an Indian; coax more shots out of a gun than anybody else can put into itif you want him flat, thats Henry, as I size him.
Jeffries resumed his mildest tone: Tell him to come in a minute, John.
De Spain himself expressed contemptuous impatience when Lefever told him the superintendent wanted him to go to work at Sleepy Cat. He declared he had always hated the town; and Lefever readily understood why he should especially detest it just now. Every horsemans yell that rang on the sunny afternoon air through the open windowsand from up the street and down there were still a good manywas one of derision at de Spains galling defeat. When he at length consented to talk with Jeffries about coming to Sleepy Cat, the interview was of a positive sort on the one side and an obstinate sort on the other. De Spain raised one objection after another to leaving Medicine Bend, and Jeffries finally summoned a show of impatience.