The Jasper news., 1917-04-12
CHAPTER XVIII.
FACING the Music.


They had not underestimated the
danger from Sassoon's suspicious ma
levolence. He returned next morn
ing to read what further he could
among the rocks. 1t was little, but 1t
spelled a meeting of two people-Nan
and another-and he was stipulated to
keep his eyes and ears open for fur
ther discoveries. Moreover, contlnu-
ing ease In seeing each other, unde-
tected by hostile eyes, gradually rem
dered the lovers less cautious in their
arrangements.
De Spain, naturally reckless, had
won In Nan q girl hardly more con-
cerned. Self-reliant, both of them.
and instinctively vlgilant. they spent
so much time together that Scott and
Lefever, who, before fortnight had
passed after Dukes return home. sur
missed that De Spain must be carry
ing on some sort of q clandestine af-
fair limiting toward the gap, only ques-
toned how long 1t would be before
something happened, and only hoped
1t would not be, in their own word,
unpleasant. 1t was not theirs In any
case to ,admonish De Spain, nor to
dog the movements of so capable n
friend, even when his safety was con-
cerned. SO lorg as he preferred to keep
his own counsel-there are limits
within which no man welcomes unl1-
vited assistance. And De Spain, In
his long and frequent rides, his pro-
tracted absences, indifference to the
details of business and careless humor,
had evidently passed within these
limits.
What was stage traffic to him COM
pared to the sunshine on Mans hair
what attraction had schedules to offer
against O moment of her, eyes; what
pleasing connection could there be be-
tween bad-order wheels and her 10"
laugh?
The two felt they must meet to dis.
cuss their constant perpleXities and
the problems of their difficult situa'
tion; but when they reached thelI
trysting places, there was more of gay
ETY. than gravity, more Of nonchalance
than concern, more of looking into
each others hearts than looking into
the troublesome future. And there
was hardly an inviting spot within
miles of Music mountain that one ol
the other of the two had not waited
near.
There were, of course, disappoint
ments. but there were only few fail
ures In their arrangements. The diff
culties of these fell chiefly on Nan
How she overcame them was source
Of surprise TO De Spain. who marvelet
at her innocent resource In escaping
the demands at home and making he
way, despite an array of obstacles, t
his distant impotence. ~.
Midway between Music mountain
and Sleepy Cat low-lylng wall %
Lawn rock, in part sand-covered and II
part exposed. pal Iallels and sometime
crosses the principal trail. This undu
hitting ridge was a favorite with ID
Spain and Nan, because they coul'
ride In and out OF hiding places with
out more than Just leaving the tral
Itself. To the west of this ridge. IN,
commanding 1t, rose rather more thai
a nile away the cone called Black Car
Suppose" said Nan one afternoon
looking from De Spain's side townr
the mountains, someone should b
spying on us from Black Capf" Sh
pointed to the solitary rock.
"If anyone has been, Nan, with
, good glass he must have seen e1
changes of confidence that would max
him gnash his teeth. l know If eve
} saw anything like 1t I'd 60 hang. Blu
' the country around there is too roug
for horse. Nobody even hides aroun
] Black Cap. except some tramp hold-u