Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-05-10

Nan" he muttered, i've got y0n into
a fix. If we can't stop that fellow,
he IS liable to stop US. Can you see
anything?" he asked. waiting for her
to come UP.
Henry" She was looking straight
down into the valley. and laid her hand
On De SPANS shoulder. is there any
thing moving on the ridge-over there
I -see-just east of Sassoon's ranch
house,"
/ De Spain, his eyes bent on the point
/ Nan indicated, drew her forward to
/ dip in the trail which. 10 one stretched
! fat, afforded a slight protection. He
/ made her lie down, and just beyond
! her refuge chose a point where the
/ path, broadening a little and rising in
| stead of sloping toward the outer
/ edge, gave him a chance to brace him
| self between two rocks. Flattened
! there like a target in midair, he threw
/ his hat down to Nan, and, resting on
! one knee, waited for the shot that
| should tumble him down Ell Captain or
! betray the man bent on killing him.
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 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
rigidly on the suspicious spot on the
j 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, if it wasn't for you, couldn't
travel this country at ALL" he re-
marked with studious unconcern.
| Last time l had no ammunition-this
time, no rifie-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
hui rrn h. hC
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-
liberately, without the least intimation
Of being affected by De SPANS 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 rife lay close against the red
marked check she knew so well, and
to the tips of the fingers every par
ticle 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. He's runningw 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 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
jerked the rifle from his cheek, threw
back his head, and swept his left hand
across his straining eyes. Once more
the rife 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
Z stumbled, as if stricken by an ak, and
sprawled headlong on the trail. Throw
ing the lever again like lightning. De
Spain held the rife back to his cheek.
He did not fire. Second after sec
0nd he waited. Nan watched the rife
slowly come down, unfred and saw
his drawn face Slowly relax. Without
taking his eyes off the spraying
speck, he rose stiffiy 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-lying ridge with ribbOned
gold. Farther up the gap hOrsemen,
stirred by the firing, were riding rap
idly down toward SaSSOOns ranch
house. But the black thing in the
sunshine lay quite still.
CHAPTER XIV.