Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1917-05-31

Copyright By Charles sorlbners eons)
CHAPTER xxIv.-continued.

CHAPTER XXlV.-Continued.
IL
Another bullet, deliberately aimed,
Clipped the rock above him. Nan,
agonizing in her suspense, cried out
she must join him and go with him
If he went. He steadied her with n
few words. A bullet struck again
viciously close between them. De
Spain spoke slowly: "Give me your
rife" Without turning his head, he
held out his hand, keeping his eyes
rigidly on the suspicious spot on the
ridge. How far is it TO that road,
Nan?"
She looked toward the faint line
that lay in the deep shadows below.
"Three hundred yards"
Nan, II it wasn't for you, couldn't
travel this country at ALL" he re-
marked with studious unconcern.
Last time had no ammunition-this
time, no rifle-you always have what's
needed. How high are we, Nan?'
'Seven hundred feet"
Elevate for me, Nan, will your"
Remember the wind" she faltered
adjusting the sight as he had asked.
With the cautioning words she
passed the FURNISHED weapon, glitter
ing yet with the raindrOps, into his
hand. A flash came from the distant
ridge. Throwing his rifle to his Shout
der, De Spain covered a hardly per-
ceptible black object on the trail mid
way between Sassoon's ranch-house
and little bridge. Then he fred be-
fore Nan could believe he had lined
the sights. Once, twice, three times
his hand fell and rose sharply on the
lever, with every mark of precision,
yet so rapidly Nan could not under
stand how he could discover what his
shots were doing.
The fire came steadily back, and de-
uberately, without the least intimation
of being affected by De Spain's return.
She had never before seen a man
shooting to kill another. The very
horror of watching De Spain, at bay
among the rocks, fascinated her. Since
the first day they had met she had
hardly seen a rifle In his hands. She
strove to look. The butt Of the heat
ing rifle lay close against the red
marked cheek she knew so well, and
to the tips of the fingers every par
ttcle Of the mans being was alive
with strength and resource. Some
strange fascination drew her senses
out toward him as he knelt and threw
shot after shot at the distant figure
hidden on the ridge. She held out
her arms and clasped her hands
toward him in an act of devotion.
Then, while she looked, breathlessly,
he took his eyes an instant from the
sights. Hes runningp exclaimed De
Spain as the rifle butt went instantly
back to his cheek. "Whoever he Is,
God help him now"
The words were more fearful to
Nan than an imprecation. He had
driven his enemy from the scant cover
OF rut in the trail, and the man was
fleeing for new cover and for life.
Bullet after. bullet pitilessly led the
escaping wretch. Suddenly De Spain
jerked the rifle from his cheek, threw
back his head, and swept his left hand
across his straining eyes. Once more
the rifle came up to place and fame
shot again in the gray morning light
from the hot muzzle. The rifle fell
away from the shoulder. The black
speck running toward the ranchhouse
stumbled, as if stricken by an ak, and
sprawled headlong on the trail. Throw
ing the lever again like lightning. De
Spain held the rifle back to his cheek.
He did not fire. Second after sec.
ond he waited. Nan watched the rife
slowly come down, unfred, and saw
his drawn face slowly relax. Without
taking his eyes or the sprawling
speck, he rose stifly to his feet. As II
In dream she saw his hand stretched
toward her and heard, as he looked
across the far gulf, one word: "Come p
They reached the end of the trail
De Spain, rife In hand, looked back
The sun, bursting in splendor across
the great desert, splashed the valley
and the low-lying ridge with ribboneG
gold. Farther up the gap horsemen
stirred by the firing, were riding rap
idly down toward Sassoon's ranch
house. But the black thing in thu
sunshine lay quite still.