Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-05-03

the m0nOt0ny Of Calabasas. Several
days passed with no sight of Nan
Ind no word from her. De Spain, as
the hours and days went by, scanned
the horizon vita increasing solicitude.
WheD he woke on the sixth morning,
lie was resolved to send a scout into
the gap to learn what he could Of the
situation. The long silence, De Spain
knew, pc tended nothing good. He
sent to the stable for Bull Page.
The stumbling barnman. summoned
@ruffly by McAlpin. hesitated as he ap-
feared at the Office door and Seelneu
10 regard the situation with suspicion.
He looked at De Spain tentatively, as
if ready either for the discharge with
which be was daily threatened or for
a renew al OF his earlier, friendly rela-
tons with the man who had been
queer enough to make a place for MIN.
De Spain set Bull down before him
in the stuffy little office.
Bull" he began with apparent
frankness, ''I want to know how you
like Jour JOB"
Wiping his mouth guardedly with
his hand to play for time and as an
Introduction to a carefully worded re-
ply, Bull parted. "Mr. de Spain, /
want to ask you just one question"
go ahead. Bull"
Bull plunged promptly into the sus-
picion uppermost in his mind. HAS
hot clo lot
sneak of a Scotchman been complain
ing of my work? That, Mr.. de SPAIN"
emphasized Bull, leaning forward, lis
what | want to know first-is it fair
question:
Bull" returned De Spain with
corresponding and ceremonial empha-
sis, sit is a fair question between man
and man. ! admit it; it is a fair cues
ton. And I answer, no, Bull. Meal
pin has had nothing on the face of
the desert to do with my sending for
you. And 1 add this because l know
you want to hear it: he says he
couldn't complain of your work, be-
cause you never do any"
THAT man." persisted Bull, re-
enforced by the hearty tone and not
clearly catching the drift of the very
last words, drinks more liquor than
| do"
'He must be some tank, Bull
"And I don't hide it, Mr. de SPAIN"
you'd have to crawl under Music
mountain to do that. What l want to
know is, do you like your tob?"
On this point it was impossible to
get an expression from Bull He felt
convinced that De Spain was press
ing for an answer only as d prelimi-
nary to his discharge. mo NATTER"
interposed the latter, cutting Bulls
ramblings short, drop 1t, Bull. want
you to do something for me, and I'll
pay for It."
Bull, with a palsied smile and a
deep, quavering note of gratitude, put
up his shaky hand "Say what. That's
all. I've been paid"
"You know you're a sot, Bull"
Bull nodded. 81 know it."
"a disgrace to the Maker whose
image you were made in"
Bull started, but seemed, on reflec-
ton, to consider this a point on which
he need not commit himself
"Still, l believe there's a man in you
yet. Something, at any rate, you
couldn't completely kill with whisky
BulI-what?"
Bull lifted his weak and watery
eyes. His WhiSky-seamed face bright
ened into the ghost of q smile What
I'm going to ask you to do" continued
De Spain, ''is a mans job. You can
get into the gap without trouble. You
are the only man | can put my hand
on just now that can. I want you to
ride over this morning and hang out
around Duke Morgan's place till you
can get a chance to see Miss Nan"
At the mention of her name Bull
tive approval. "She's a queen I" he
exclaimed with admiring but pungent
explosives. ga queenn'
81 think so, Bull. But she is in
troublesome circumstances. You know,
Nan and /"
Dun NlhhSu IL 1liStltS ways.
"And her Uncle Duke is making US
trouble, Bull. l want you to find her,
speak with her. and bring word to me
as to what the situation is. That
doesn't mean you're to get drunk over
therein fact, don't think anybody
over there would give you a drink
Don't believe they would"
"And you are to ride back here with
what you can find out just as quick,
after you get into the clear, as horse
will bring you"
Bull passed his hand over his mouth
with show of resolution. 1t indi-
t2ted that he was pulling himself to-
gether. Within half an hour lie was
on his way to the gap.
For De Spain hours never dragged
SIS did the hours between Bulls start
ing and the setting of the sun that
night without his return. And the sun
set behind Music mountain in a drift
of heavy clouds that brought rain. AL
evening it fell steadily. At eleven
o'clock De Spain had given up hope
Of seeing his emissary before morn
ing and was sitting alone before the
stove in the office when he heard the
sound of hoofs. In another moment
Bull Page stood at the door.
He was sorry sight. Soaked to
the skin by the steady downpour !;
rain dripping internationally from his
frayed hi. his ragged beard and ia
| tered cou,; shaking with the cold as