Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-23
CHAPTER xx,v-centinu.d.

ID
Another bullet. deliberately aimed,
-eA1pped the rock above him. Nan.
aasoelEang In her suspense. cried out
aee must Join him and 90 with him
u Ae went. He steadied her with a
1sW words. A bullet struck again
vseiousay close between them. De
;Spain spoke slowly: "Give me your
lie Without turning his head. he
held out his hand. keeping his eyes
sEtGidiy on the suspicious spot on the
lxsdxe- ~How Tar 10 1t to that road.
,Nanf~
She looked toward the faint line
that lay In the deep shadows below.
three hundred yards"
Man, II 1t wasn't for you. I couldn't
travel this country ut ALL" he re-
marked with studious unconcern.
Lost time I had no ammunition-this
time, no ritle-you always have what's
needed. How high IRE we, Mani"
Seven hundred feet"
Elevate for me. Nan. will your
Remember the wind" she faltered,
adjusting the sight al he had asked.
With the cautioning words she
passed the FURNISHED weapon. glitter.
Ing yet with the raindrops, into his
Aand. A fash came from the distant
ridge. Throwing his ride to his shout
~a1er, De Spain covered a hardly per
sf,cptible black object on the trail mid
way between Sassoon's ranch-house
and q little bridge. Then he fired be
efurc Nan could believe he had lined
Tae 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 hi.
esltots were doing.
The fire came steadily back. and de
sIs,,erately. without the least intimatiol
of being affected by DE SPANS return
She had never before e g a mai
shooting to kill another. The yer,
thlrrar OF watching De Spain, at ba.
among the rocks, fascinated her. Sine
the first day they had met she hay
hardly seen u rifle In his hands. Sh
4xtroye 10 look. The butt of the heat
Eng rifle lay close against the ret
as1ar ked cheek she knew SO well, an
ITO the tips Of the fingers every pa
~aicie Of the mans being was ally
with strength and u Som
strange fascination drew, her sense
art toward him us he knelt and thre
SHOT after shot at the distant figuI
zshtlden on the ridge. She held o.
her arms and clasped her hant
toward him In an act Of devotio
'~TYsrn, while she looked, breathlessl
he took his eyes an instant from Il
sights. Hes r%unning" exclaimed
Spain as the rife butt went instant
hack to his cheek. "Whoever he
God help him now!"
The words were more fearful
Nan than an im%precation. He HI
driven his enemy from the scnnt Gov
..sa1 a rut IN the trail, and the man "
fleeing for new and for IL
GxsuHct after bullet pitllessly led t
~~s.scaping wretch. Suddenly De Spa
ferked the rifle from his cheek. thr'
hack his head, and swept his left ha
ACROSS his straining eyes. Once mi
the rife came up to place and fial
shot again in the gray morning lt
from the hot muzzle. The rifle I
nway from the shoulder. The bla
s1Neck running toward the ranchho'
stumbled, % II stricken BY an ak,
.asprawied headlong on the trail. Thru
sing the lever again like lightning.
,gpain held the rife back to his che
He did not fire. Second after
.oud he waited. Nan watched the r
skowly come down. unfred. and
MA drawn face slowly relax. With
taking his eyes of the sprawl
ssz,cck. he 0 stifiy to his feet. A
IN a dream she saw his hand stretc
toward her and heard, as he loo
.scross the far gulf, o word: Con
They reached the end OF the II
De Spain, rifle In hand. looked 81
The sun, bursting In splendor ac'
,si,e. great desert, splashed the va
and the lOw-lying ridge with rib0o
,s.oid. Farther UP the gap norsen
STIRRED BY the firing, were riding
,zdiy down toward Sassoon's ra1
1,os,se. But the black thing IN
Uaushine lay quite still.
CHAPTER XIV.
Lessvsr 70 the Rescue.