The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1917-05-10
CHAPTER XIV.
Strategy.

One week went TO repairs. To a
man Of action such a week is longer
than ten years of service. But chained
TO bed in the Sleepy Cat hospital, De
Spain had no escape from one week Of
thinking, and for that week he thought
about Nan Morgan. And the impulse
that moved him the first moment he
could get out of bed and into a saddle
was to spur his way hard and fast
10 her; TO make her, against a score
Of burly cousins, his own; and never
TO release her from his sudden arms
again.
With De Spain TO think was TO do;
at least to do something, but not with
out further careful thinking. and not
without anticipating every chance Of
failure. And his manner was 10 cast
up all difficulties and obstacles in q
situation, brush them aside. and have
his will If the heavens fell; and he
now set himself, while doing his rou-
tine work every day, to do one par
ticular thing-to see, talk to, plead
with, struggle with the woman or girl,
rather-child, even, TO his thoughts, so
fragile she was-this girl who had
given him back his life against her
own narauding relatives
His friends saw that something was
absorbing him in an unusual, even an
extraordinary way, yet none could ar
rive at certain conclusion as 10 what
it was. The one man in the country
who could have surnised the situa-
ton between the two-the barn boss,
McAlpin-if he entertained suspicious,
was far too pawky to share them with
anyone.
When two weeks had passed without
De SPANS having seen Nan or having
heard Of her being seen. the eonelu-
sion urged itself on him that she was
either i'll or in uouble-perhaps In
trouble for helping him; q moment
later he was laying plans TO get into
the gap to find out.
Nothing in the way Of q venture
could be more foOlhardy-this he ad-
mitted TO himSelf-nOthing he con-
soled himself by rejecting, but some
thing stronger than danger could jus
tify il. OF all the motley Morgan fol-
lowing within the mountain fasness
he could count on but one man to help
him in the slightest degre-this was
the derelict, Bull Page. There was no
choice but TO use him. and he was
easily enlisted. for the Calabasas affair I
had made heroic figure of De Spain
in the barrooms. De Spain, according
". lay in wait for the old man and
him one day on the road
to Sleepy Cat, walking the twenty
miles patiently for his whisky.
you must be the only man in the (
gap, Bull. that can't borrow or steal I
a horse to ride" remarked De Spain. 4
stopping him near the river bridge.
Page pushed back the broken brim |
Of his hat and looked up. you .
believe it." he said. impart- I
ing q cheerful confidence. but ten .
years ago I had horses TO lend 70 every 1
nan tween here and Thief river" He (
nodded toward Sleepy Cat with a
wrecked smile, and by a dramatic
,hance the broken hat-brim fell with .
he words: They've got 'em all"
your fault. Bull"
say" Up went the broken brim.
md the whiskfed face lighted with q
shaking smile, you turned some trick
N that Calabasas crsw-sOme fight
Suu chuckled.
Bull. is old Duke Morgan n Repub-
icang"
Bull looked surprised at the turn OF
De Spuin's question. but answered in /
pod faith: Duke votes most any
icket that's again the railroad.
How about picking couple Of
God barnmen over In the gap, Bully /
"what kind of q job y gOt?"
"See McAlpln the next time you're
yer al Calabasls. How about that
i'll that lives with Duke?'
Bulls face lighted. Mani Sayl
he's a little hummer!" II
Il hear she's gone down 70 Thief
liver, teaching school"
Game by Dukes lesS'n three hours
go. Seen her in the kitchen maxim
read
They're looking for a Schoolteacher
own there, anyway. Much sickness in I
he gap lately, BullG" II
"On'y sickness l knowed lately IS I
hat you're responsible for y'SeI." re- s