, 1917-12-13
toopyrisht by Charles seribner,s son,j
CHAPTER xxIV.-continued.

Another bullet, deliberately aimed,
Clipped the rock above him. Nan,
agonizing in her suspense, cried out
she must join him and go with him
IL he went. He steadied her with a
few words. A bullet struck again
viciously close between them. De
Spain spoke slowly: "Give me your
rifle" Without turning his head, he
held out his hand, keeping his eyes
rfgidly on the suspicious spot on the
ridge. How far is 1t to hat road,
Nan2"
She looked toward the faint line
that lay in the deep shadows below.
Three hundred yards"
"Nan, If 1t wasn't for you, 1 couldn't
travel this country at ALL" he re-
marked with studious unconcern.
Last time l had no ammunition-this
ame, no rifle-you always have what's
needed. How high are we, Nan?"
"Seven hundred feet"
ELEVATE for me, Nan, will your"
Remember the win6,'' 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
iand. A flash anne from the distant
ddge. Throwing his rifle to his Shout
Ter, De Spain covered a hardly per-
eeptible black object on the trail mid
way between Sassoon's ranch-house
and a little bridge. Then he fired be-
tore 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-
Hberately, 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 q 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
10 the tips of the fingers every par
hcle of the mans being vas alive
with strength and Some
strange fascination drew her senses
put 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
coward him in an act of devotion.
Then, while she looked, breathlessly,
he tool his eyes an instant from the
sights. He's running!" 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 han an imprecation. He had
driven his enemy from the scant cover
II a 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
ierked 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 flame
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 thet 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 rifle
slowly come down, unfired, and saw
his drawn face slowly relax. Without
taking his eyes off the sprawling
speck, he rose stiffly to his feet. AS If
In a dream she saw his hand stretched
TOWARD her and heard, as he looked
across the far gulf, one word: 'Come -
They reached the end of the trail.
De Spain, rifle in hand, looked back.
The sun, bursting in splendor across
the great desert, splashed the valley
and the low-lylng ridge with ribboned
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 the
sunshine lay quite still.
CHAPTER XIV.