The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-04-19

might better ask why you came here
he reiOrted. Il don't know where ]
am. Do look as II came here by
cholceT' He paused. Listen" he
said. quite master Of himself. "I'll tell
you why / came. shall never get
away alive. anyway-you can have the
truth IL you want It. i got off my
horse in the night TO get a drink. He
bolted. ] couldn't walk. / climbed UP
here TO hide till my wounds heal. Now.
I've told you the truth. Where am II"
The grip Of her hands on the rife
might have relaxed somewhat. but she
saw his deadly revolver in its accus-
toned place and did not mean tc sur
render her command Of him. Nor
would she tell him where he was. She
parried his questions. He could get no
information Of any sort out Of her.
Yet he saw that something more than
his mere presence detained and per-
/ picked her. Her prompt condemna-
ton Of him ranked In his mind. and
the strain OF facing her suspicion wore
on him. Il won't ask you anything
more" he said at length. you think
I've no right TO llve-that's what you
think. isn't itl Why don't you shooty'
She only stared at him. Why's Don't
you answerf' he demande,, recklessly.
Nan summoned her resolution. II
know you tried 10 kill my cousin" she
said holly, after he had taunted her
once more. And / am going 10 think
what to do before l tell you anything
or do anything"
"You know / tried to kill your cou-
SIM You know nothing Of the kind.
Your cousin tried TO kill me. He's
bully and coward. man that doesn't
know what fair fighting means"
'You are safe In abusing him when
he's not here"
"Send him 10 mel" His voice shook
with anger. Tell him I'm wounded; ;
tell him I've had nothing TO eat since
l fought him before. And IL he's still
afraid"-De Spain drew and broke his
revolver almost like flash. In that
incredibly quick instant she realized
he might have threatened her life be-
fore she could move a muscle-"tell
your fine cousin I've got one cartridge
left-just one!" So saying. he held in
one hand the loaded cartridge and In
the other the empty revolver.
you've asked me, to go-I'm going
How much OF what you tell me is true,
don't know. But / can believe my
own eyes, and believe you are not in
condition TO do much injury, even IL
you came here with that intention. You
will certainly lose your life IL you move
from your hiding place"
She started away. He leaned toward
her. "Stop," he said peremptorily,
raising himself with a wrenching eff
: fort. Something In the stern eye held
her. His extended hand pointed toward
her as arbitrarily as II. instead of lying
helpless at her feet, he could command
her TO his bidding. IL want 10 ask you
! question. I've told you the truth.
have just one cartridge. If you are
going TO send your cousin and his men
: here, it's only fair / should know ii
now--isn't itf'
"My cousin Is wounded" she said,
pausing. And then with indecision I:
IF you stay here quietly you are not
likely to be molested."
She Stepped down from the ledge
; as noiselessly as she had come. Shaken
by the discovery she had so unexpect-
edly made, Nan retreated almost pre-
clpitately from the spot. And the
question OF what to do worried her as
, much as IL worried De Spain. The
whole range had been shaken by the
; Calabasas fight. Even the men in
Morgan's gap, supposed TO be past
masters Of the game played In the
closed room at Calabasas, had been
stunned by the issue OF the few min
utes with Jeffries' new man.
Nan, who had heard but one side of
the story, pictured the aggressor from
the tale OF the two who lived to tell
OF the horribly sharp action with him.
But Mans common sense whispered to
her. whatever might be said about De
SPANS starting the fight, that one man
locked In a room with four enemies. all
dangerous In an affrny, was not likely
to begin a fight unless forced to-
none, at least, but a madman would do
SO.
Unhappy and irresolute, Nan, when
she got home, was glad Of an excuse
10 ride TO Calabasas for a packet Of
dressing coming by stage from Sleepy
Cat for Gale, who lay wounded at Satt
Morgan's; and, eating a hasty lunch
con, she ordered her horse and set out.
Should she tell her Uncle Duke Of
finding De Spain? Whenever she de
cided that she must, something In the
} recollection OF DE Spain's condition un-
settled her resolution. Tales enough
|, OF his bloodthirstiness, his merciless
efficiency, his eyer-ready craft and con-
summate dupllcity were familiar TO
her. Yet only a few Of these stories