Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-01-27
Author q Whispering Smih

away his breath.
The very day after she had got her
uncle home with The aid of Sntterlee
Morgan and an antiq,nted spring .wag-
on, Nan rode, later in the afternoon.
over to Calabasas. The two that
would not he restrained had made
their appointment at the lower lava
beds halfway between the gap and
Calabasas. The sun was sinking be-
hind the mountain when De Spain gal
loped out Of the rocks as Nan turned
from the trail and rode toward the
black and weather-beaten meeting
place.
They could hardly slip from their
saddles fast enough to reach each 9TH
er's arms-Nnn, trim as model in
fresh khaki, trying with handker-
chief hardly larger than postage
stamp to wipe the tlecks Of dust from
her pink cheeks. while De Spain, be-
tween dabs, covered them with impor-
tunatc greetings. Looking engrossed
lIIlb Nutl Nkltl tttS, anu DOlu, Ill
their eagerness, talking ut once, they
led their horses into hiding and sat
down to try to tell all TINT had hap
pened since their parting. Wars and
raImors of wars. feuds and raidings,
fights and pursuits, were no more to
them than TO babes in the woods. All
K that mattered to them--sitting or
pacing together and absorbed in the
path of the long-cold volcanic stream
buried in the shifting sands of the
desert--was that they should clasp
each others clinging hands, listen each
to the others answering voice, look
unrestrained into each others eyes.
They met in both the lava beds
the upper lay between the gap and
town--more than once. And one day
came scare. They We're sitting on
n little ledge well mp in the rocks
where De Spain could overlook the
trail east and west, and were talking
about Il bungalow some day to be In
Sleepy Cat, when they saw men riding
from the west toward Calabasas There
were three in the party, one tagging
well behind. The two men leading,
Nan and De Spain made out to be
Gale Morgan and Page. They saw the
man coming on behind stop his horse
and lean forward, his head bent over
4 the trail. He was examining the sand
and halted quite minute to study
! something. Both knew what he was
/ studying-the footprints of Mans
pony heading toward the lava. Nan
shrank back and with De Spain moved
/ u little to where they could watch the
intruder without being seen. Nan
whispered first: "Tt's Sassoon." Dc
Stain nodded. what shall we dol"
breathed Nan.
"Nothing yet" returned her lover,
watching the horseman, whose eyes
were still fixed on the pony's trail,
but who was now less than half
mile away and riding straight toward
them.
De Spain, his eyes on the danger
and his hand laid behind Mans waist
led the way guardedly down to
where their horses stood. Nm, need
ing no instructions for the emergency,
took the lines of the horses, and De
Spain, standing beside his own horse,
reached his right hand over In front
of the pommel and. regarding Sassoon
all the while, drew his rifle slowly
from its scabbard. The blood fled
Mans cheeks. She said nothing. With
ont looking at her De Spain drew her
own rifle from her horses side, passed
1t into her hand. and, moving over IN
front of the horses, laid his left hand
reassuringly on her waist again. Al
that moment little showing what eyes
we're on him in the black fragments
ahead, Sassoon looked up. Then he
rode more slowly forward. The color
. returned TO Mans cheeks. DO you
want me to- use tfis?' she murmured
indicntin. the rifle.
Certainly not. But II the Others
, turn back, may need it. Stay right
, here with the horsca. He Will lose the
, trail IN Il minute now. When no
reaches the rock I'll 90 down anu
keep him from getting off his horse
, he won't fight from the saddle"
But with an instinct better than
. knowledge. Sassoon, like II wolf scent
|, Ing danger, stopped again. He scanned
the broken and forbddng.. hump II
{ front, now less than 1unrtcr OF
: mile from him, questlonlngly. :"