The Mena weekly star., 1917-06-07


 his head down till he curled Ike a pOrcupine
 Gale, game as he undoubtedly was. cornered, felt perhaps recoIlections of Calabasas and close quarters with the brown eyes and the burning face. What they might mean in this little room, which De Spain was crossing step by step, was food for thought. NOT did De Spain break his obstinate silence until their burst of rage had blown You've arranged your mar riage,' he said at length. "Now pull it."
 My cousins ready to marry me, and she's goin' to do 1t tonight" cried Gale violently.
 Duke, towering with rage, looked at De Spain and pointed to the hall door. You hear thatl Get out of my house." he cried, launching a vicious epithet with the words.
 This isn't your house." retorted De Spain angrily. "ThIs house is Nan's. not yours. When she orders me out. I'll go. Bring her down." he thun- dered, raising his voice to shut off Duke, who had redoubled his abuse. Firing her into this room," he re peated. "We'll see whether she wants to get married. If she does, I'll marry her. If she doesn't, and you've beer putting this up to force her into marrs ing, so help me God, you'll be carries out of this room tonight, or I will. He whirled on her uncle with an accus ing finger. You used to be a man, Duke. I've taken from you here to- night what I would take from no man on earth but for the sake of Nan Nor gan. She asked me never to touch you. But If you've gone into this thing to trap your own flesh and blood, your dead brothers girl. living under your own protection, you don't deserve mercy, and tonight you shall have what's coming to you. I've fought you both fair, too fair. Now-before I leave--it's my girl or both of you"
 He was standing near Druel. With out taking his eyes off the other man, he caught Druei with his left hand by the coat collar, and threw him half way across the room. "Get upstairs, you old carrlon, and tell Nan Morgan Henry de Spain Is here to talk to her"
 Druel, frightened to death, scrambled Into the hall. He turned on De Spain. 'PIu an officer of the law. I arrest you for trespass and assault" he shouted, shaking with fear.
 "Arrest meT' echoed De Spain con temptuously. You scoundrel, If you don't climb those stairs, I'll send you to the penitentiary the day get back to town. Upstairs with your message l"
 "It isn't necessary" said low voice In the hall, and with the words Nan appeared in the open doorway. Her face was white. but there was no sign of haste or panic in it; De Spain choked back breath; to him she had never looked in her silence so awe inspiring.
 He addressed her, holding his left hand out with his plea. "Nan," he said. controlling his voice, "these men were getting ready to marry you to Gale Morgan. No matter how you feel toward me, you know he well enough to know that all I want is the truth: Was this with your consentT'
 She stepped into the line of fire be- tween her cousin and De Spain as she answered: "No. You know l shall never marry any man but you. This vile bully"-she turned little to look at her angry cousin-''has influenced Uncle Duke-who never before tried to persecute or betray me-into joining him in this thing They never could have dragged me into it alive. And they've kept me locked up for three days in a room upstairs, hoping to break me down"
 Stand back. Nan"
 If De Spain's words of warning struck her with terror of a situation sine could not control, she did not re- veal 1t. "No," she said resolutely. If anybody here is to be shot, ri bs first. Uncle Duke. you have always protect ed me from Gale Morgan; now you join hands with him. You drive me from this roof because I don't know how I can protect myself under it.'
 Gale looked steadily at her. "You promised to marry me-" he muttered truculently. "Tll find way to make you keep your word"
 A loud knocking interrupted him. and, without waiting to be admitted. Pardaioe. the cowboy. opened the front door and staIked boldly in from the ball.
 If the situation in the room surprised him, he gave no evidence of it. And as he walked In Nan disappeared. Par daloe was drenched with rain. and, talk ing or his hat as he crossed the room to the fire. he shook it hard into the blazing wood.
 "what do you want. PardaloeT snapped Duke.
 Pardaloe shook his hat once more and turned few steps SO that he stood between the uncurtained window and the light. "The creeks up." he said to Duke in his peculiarly slow, steady tone. "Some Of Satt's boys are trying to get the cattle out of the lower cor ral.p He fingered his hat, looked first at Duke, then at Gale, then at De Spain. "Guess they'll need little help. so I asked Sassoon to come over--" Pardaloe jerked his head in- dicatively toward tine front. He's ont side with some of the boys now"
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