he must have more lives than a wildcat.
Sassoon, not caring to brave de Spain's anger in town, went
temporarily into hiding. A second surgeon was brought from Medicine
Bend, and heroic efforts were put forth to nurse again into life the
feeble spark the assassin had left in the unlucky guard.

Word of this cutting reached de Spain at Thief River. He started for
Calabasas, learned there during a brief stop what he could--which was,
of course, next to nothing--of the affray, and posted on to Sleepy
Cat.

A conference was held in Jeffries's office. De Spain, Lefever, and
some of the division staff discussed the situation raised by the
affair. De Spain was instructed to see that Sassoon was brought in and
made an example of for the benefit of his Calabasas friends.
Accordingly, while the guard's life hung in the balance, the sheriff,
Jim Druel, was despatched after Sassoon. A great deal of inquiry, much
riding, and a lot of talk on Druel's part accomplished nothing.

Lefever spoiled with impatience to get after Sassoon. "The only way
we'll ever get one of that gang is to go for him ourselves," said he.
The sheriff's campaign did collapse. Sassoon could not be found
although rumor was notorious that he continued to haunt Calabasas.
Lefever's irritation grew. "Never mind, John," counselled de Spain,
"forget about wanting him. Sometime one of us will stumble on him, and
when we do we'll shackle him." The precaution was taken, meantime, to
secure a warrant for the missing man, together with authority for
either of the two to serve it. Elpaso, in the end, justified his old
reputation by making a recovery--haltingly, it is true, and with
perilous intervals of sinking, but a recovery.

It was while he still lay in the hospital and hope was very low that
de Spain and Lefever rode, one hot morning, into Calabasas and were
told by McAlpin that Sassoon had been seen within five minutes at the
inn. To Lefever the news was like a bubbling spring to a thirsty man.
His face beamed, he tightened his belt, shook out his gun, and looked
with benevolent interest on de Spain, who stood pondering. "If you
will stay right here, Henry," he averred convincingly, "I will go over
and get Sassoon."

The chief stage-guard, Bob Scott, the Indian, was in the barn. He
smiled at Lefever's enthusiasm. "Sassoon," said he, "is slippery."

"You'd better let us go along and see you do it," suggested de Spain,
who with the business in hand grew thoughtfu