Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-12

'twixt you and me. was young fell
low. l thought 1 was revenging my
brother. And If your father was
killed by patched bullet, his blood
is not on me, De Spain, and never
was. Sassoon always shot a patched
bullet. / never shot one in my life.
And I'd never told you this of my
own self. Nan said it was the whole
truth from me to you. or her life.
She's as much mine as she is yours,
1 nursed her. l took care of her
when there weren't no other living
soul to do it. She got me and herself
out into this, this morning. I'd never
been caught like this if I'd had my
way. l told her fore we'd been out
an hour we'd never see the end of it.
She said she'd rather die in 1t than
you'd think she quit you. 1 told her
I'd go on with her and do as she said
that's why were here, and that's
the whole truth, so help me God!
Il amt afraid of you, De Spain.
I'll give you whatever you think S
coming to you with a rifle or q gun
any time, anywhere-you're n better
man than ] am or ever was, / know
that-and that ought to satisfy you.
Or, I'll stand my trial, if you say so,
and tell the truth"
The ice-laden wind, as De Spain
stood still, swept past the little group
with sinister roar, insensibie alike
to it's emotions and its deadly peril.
Within the shelter of his arms he felt
the yielding form of the indomitable
girl who, by the power of love, had
wrung from the outlaw his reluctant
story-the story of the murder that
had stained with its red strands the
relations of each of their lives to
both the others. He felt against his
heart the faint trembling of her frail
body. So, when a boy, he had held
in his hand a fiuttering bird and felt
the whirring beat of its frightened
heart against his strong, cruel fing-
erS.
A sudden aversion to more blood
shed, sickening of vengeance, swept
over him as her heart mutely beat
for mercy against his heart. She had
done more than any man could do.
Now she waited on him. Both his
! arms wrapped round her. In the
breathless embrace that drew her
closer she read her answer from him
She looked up into his eyes and wait
ed. There's more than what's be-
tween you and me, Duke, facing us
now" said De Spain sternly, when he
turned. We've got to get Nan out OF
| this-even if We don't get out our
| selves. Where do you figure we
are?" he cried.
II figure we're two miles north OF
the lava beds, De Spain" shouted
Morgan.
De Spain shook his head in dis
sent. Then where are we?" demand
ed the older man rudely.
Il ought not to say, against you
/ But if I've got to guess, l say two
miles east. Either way, we must try
for Sleepy Cat. Is your team al
right"
/ Team is all right. We tore q
wheel near off getting out of the
/ lava. The wagons done for"
De Spain threw the fur coat al
him. Put it on" he said. We'll look
at the wheel"
They tried together to wrench il
into shape, but worked without avail
| In the end they lashed it, put Nan
on the Lady, and walked behind
while the team pushed into the pitt
/ less wind. Morgan wanted to cut the
wagon away and take to the horses
! but De Spain said, not till they found
a trail or the stage road.
So much snow had fallen that in
| spite of the blizzard, driving with ar
unrelenting fury, the drifts were
deepening, packing and making all
well-nigh impossible to head the
! horses into the storm, and De Spain
/ looked with ever more anxious eyes
/ at Nan. After half an hours super
| human struggle to regain a trail that
should restore their bearings, they
halted, and De Spain riding up to the
| wagon spoke to Morgan, who was