Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-02

enemy. No witnesses could be found
to throw any more light on the inquiry
than the barn boss himself. And DE-
Spain made only a pretense of a formal
investigation. If he had had any
doubts about the origin of the fire they
would have been resolved by an anony'
nous scrawl, sent through the mail
promising more if he didn't get out OF
the country.
But instead Of getting out Of the
country. De Spain continued us a mat
ter OF energetic policy to get into it
lie rode the deserts stripped, so to say,
for action and walked the streets OF
Sleepy Cat welcoming every chance to
meet men from Music mountain or the
sinks. 1t IA on Nan that the real
hardships of the situation fell, and
Nan. who had to bear them alone and
almost unaided.
Duke came home n day or two later
without a word for Nan concerning his
encounter with De Spain. He was
shorter in the grain than ever, crustier
to everyone than she had ever known
him-and toward Nan herself f1ercely
%resentful. Sassoon was in his com
pany a great deal, and Nan knew Of
old that Sassoon was a bad symptom.
Gale, too. came often, and the three
were much together. In some way,
Nan felt that she herself was in part
the subject Of their talks, but no infor-
nation concerning them could she ever
get.
One morning she sat on the porch
sewing when Gale rode up. He asked
for her uncle. Bonita told him Duke
had gone to C%alabasas. Gale an
nounced he was bound for Calabasas
himself. and dis,nounted near Nan.
professedly to cinch his saddle. He
fused with the straps for a minute,
trying to engage Nan In the interval,
without success, in conversation. Look
here. Man," he said at length. studious-
Iy amiable. don't you think you're
pretty hard on me, latelyf"
mo. l don't" she answered. IF
Uncle Duke didn't make me. I'd never
look at you, or speak to you-or live
in the same mountains with you"
81 don't think when n fellow cares
for you as much as l do, and gets out
Of patience once In n while, Just be-
cause he loves a girl the way a red
blooded a can't help loving her, she
ought to hold it against him forever.
Think she ought to. NanT he demand.
ed after a pause. She was sewing and
kept silence.
Il think" she responded, showing
her aversion in every syllable, before
u map begins to talk red-blood rot, he
ought to find out whether the girl cares
for him, or just loathes the sight OF
him."
He regarded her fxcdly. Paying nc
attention to him, but bending in the
sunshine over her sewing, her hand fly.
Ing with the needle, her masses Of
brown hair sweeping back around he,
pink ears and curling in stray ringlets
thnt the wind danced with while she
worked. she inflamed her brawny cous
ms ardOr afresh. "You used to care
for me, Nan. You can't deny that
Her silence was Irritating. "Can your
he demanded. "Come, put up your
work and talk 1t out. l didn't use to
have to onx you for u word and q
smile. What's come over your
Nothing has come wei me, Gale. !
did use to like you--when I first came
back from school. You seemed SO biz
and fine then, and were so nice to me
I did like you"
"Why didn't you keep on liking mei'
Nan made no answer. Her cousir
persisted. "You used to talk abou,
thinking the world Of me-" she said a,
last ; "then I saw you one Frontier day
riding around Sleepy Cat with a car
riage full Of women"
Gale burst into a huge laugh. Nan.
face flushed. She bent over her work
"Oh, that's what's the matter with you
is it," he demanded jocularly. "Yo,
never mentioned that BEFORE"
"1'hat isn't the only thing" she con
tinued afterssp pause.
"Why, that was Just some Frontier
day fun, Nan. A mans got to be a lit
Ito bit Of a sport once in q while, hasn'
her
mot II he likes me-" She spoke will
an ominous distinctness. but under heI
breath. He caught her words ant
laughed again. "Pshaw, I didn't thinl
! you'd get Jealous ove a little thin
like that, Nan. When there's a cele
bration on In town, evcrybody's friend
~ with everybody else. II you 10y
little thing like that up against me
where would the rest Of the men &c
or Your strawberry.faced Medicin,
Bend friend Is celebrating In towi
most Of the time"
Her face turned white. "What {
falschood (" sl,c exclaimed hotly. Look
Ing at her. satisfied, he laughed whole
heartcdly again. She rose, furious
TITS II falsehoOd," she repeated, "ant
I know It."
II suppose" retorted Gale, regarding
her loosely, "you asked him about IT,
He Ind never seen her so angry. She
stamped her foot. "Iiow dare you say
such a thing! One Of those women
was at the hospital--she is there yet,
IT, q Lt n -.