Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-01-26
G NAN Of 9
MUSIC MOUNTAIN
By frank II. Spedrmdn
Author Of Whispering Smith

HU, Willie he thought of this the two
dancers disappeared, and new and
roushrrpamy crowded out on the floor.
"NDw isn't that II pretty bunch %
exclaimed tlr laxative woman again.
"IlW'> .he Calnhasas gang. Look at
Suudusky that big fellow, with the
crooked .uW. And Harvey Logan, with
MS luck hair plastered over his eyes.
Why for one drink those two fellows
would tura loose on this crowd and kill
half Dozen And there's two Of Duke
Moruu's cowboys with them, boozing
old }ull la-e and that squlnt.eyed Sas-
soon he's worse than the others, that
follow u the bunch TO allow In this
town"
II lGl hpcome second nature to De
Spain ~ NOTE even Insignificant de-
tails concerning men, and he took an
Interest b and remarked how very low
Logan Carried his gun in front Of his
hip. SHu3u,k}S holster was slung
higher ua farther back on the side
l''t'"' "''''' u lat, S'iir' anu Nl'"Ai' sun
""SN5' ''u'''>S' was dresS'u III "iite
Shirt, with red tie, and wore n soiled,
N-NI''. Na'>'ea' iasIeheu NJ the oot'
tom rs eGtgiasS button.
me Sl''lP ~ gossip commented on
how wlh MONEY these men had been
Slrul'lp' 'lli 'I'ty she wondered ALOUD
rrehle'N al'ia6itliy ~ consequences
wa" l.t! ,rta fohhed' iateIy' 10 pro-
Nd' u '',f e'ilPahi'h scolded her
Tor 'i'tr'L1 W. iiik that might make
trouble aNerftl she dldht believe
haii lb" stories She Leard; asserted
thal ii.csr iatl llNtd iiletly AT GAIA
haSaS. ti4tls heir cwn affairs. And
WImaeri iln ohdurate one, with other
peoples u@leH
~ Span disconnected, turning
again Tito MAIN street, continued on to
the Thet River stage barn. After look.
lng the horses over and inspecting the
wagons with a ,pW but mild curiosity,
awakened by Ieflries' proposal. De
Spain walked back toward the station.
He had virtually decided not to take
the io1. Medicine Bend was his home.
He kL,Y every man, woman and child
III The tow Before the tragic death
of hi, fit r his mother had lived
there, a., ~ SPUN had grown up In
The town a.a gone 10 school there. He
was railroad man, anyway-a modest
traimuas ned not eager for stage
line uGnae,m5nt.
As h,m~,,d Grant street again he
encountered q party on horseback
heading for The river bridge. Three
of the men were riding abreast and q
Ittl' aheai. ~ these the mld1le
h"rSrh.43 Vas q spare man OF frankly
diSr'puiable air, Ills face was drawn
UP INTO q ane.Sldrd smile. Satt Nor
gan 5 Slnlir WIS hahltual ana lessened
LIS stern aspect At his right rode his
cousin Duke Morgan, older, shorter
ana Stouter His square, heavy-jawed,
Sm"oth.ShHren face was lighted by
hard, Keen eyes aud finished by an un-
compromising chin. Duke was the real
head Of the clan of which there were
numerous branches In the Superstition
mountains, all looking with friendli-
ness pr eliniiy 70 the Morgans OF Nor
CANS gap.
The yrilew-haired man riding on the
lett with a rcd face and red-lldded.
squirting eyes, showed none OF the
blood of his companions. But David
SasSoon the Galabasas gambler, Quon-
dam cowboy and chronic brawler,
stood IN some way close to the differ
ent Mursaus, and was rep.'ed to have
got each IF them, at different times
out oi more than one troublesome af-
iair, either ny sheer force Of arms, or
through his resourceful cunning.
These meaWtfe followed by a young
er man riding with very young wom-
an. De Spain knew none of the front
rank men, hut he knew well Nan Nor
gan and her dancing partner. Gales
face lighted as he set eyes on De Spain,
and he spoke quickly 10 Nan: There's
your handsome Medicine Bend gun
man
Nan glancing toward De Spain,
seemed aware that he heard. She
looked away De Spain tightered up
with rage, The blood rushed to his
face, the sarcasm struck in. If the
birthmark could have deepened with
humiliation it would have done so at
the instant of the cold inspection Of |
the girls pretty eyes. Gale, calling
n baud IA tIg y,I 49, t...t4 4 49, -.