The L'Anse sentinel., 1917-06-16
@ NAN Of 9
MUSIC MOUNTAIN
By frank II. Spedrmdn
Author Of Whispering Smith
CHAPTER xxllI-Continued.
AulilOr OF WliSperlNQ Smith

tiSy "NiS tuihlue uDOul, Dul WIS
uneasy concerning Nan. and was not
to be baked, by any combination, of
his purpose Of finding her. To secure
Information concerning her was not
possible, unless he should enter the
house, and this, with scant hesitation,
he decided to do.
He wore snug-ftting leathern
coat. He unbuttoned this and threw
It open as he stepped noiselessly up
to the door. Laying his hand on the
knob, he paused. then. hnding the
door unlocked. he pushed 1t slowly
open.
The wind, rushed In. upset his cal
culations and blew open the door lead
ing from the hall into the living room.
"A stream of light in turn shot through
the open door, across the hall. In
;stantly De Spain stepped inside and
directly behind the front door-which
he now realized he dare not close
and stood expectant In the darkness.
Gale Morgan, with an impatient ex-
iclamation, stfode from the fireplace to
close the front door.
AS he walked into the hall and
slammed the front door shut he could
have touched with his hand the man
standing in the shadow behind 1t. De
Spain, not hoping to escape, stood
with folded arms, but under the ell
bow of his left arm was hidden the
long muzzle of his revolver. Holding
his breath, he waited. Gales mind
was apparently filed with other
things. He did not suspect the pres
ence Of an intruder. and he walked
back into the living room, partly clos
ing the second door. De Spain. fol-
lowing almost on his heels, stepped
past this door, past the hall stairs op-
posite 1t, and through a curtained
opening at the end of the hall into
the dining room. Barely ten feet from
him, this room opened through an
arch into the living roon, and where
he stood he could hear all that was
said.
"Who's there?" demanded Duke
gruffiy.
Nobody" said Gale. "Go on,
Druel."
Druel talked softly and through his
nose: 81 was only going to say 1t
would be a good idea to have two wit
nesses."
"Nlta," suggested Gale.
Duke was profane. "You couldn't
keep the girl in the room If she had
Nita to help her. And I want 1t un-
derstood, Gale. between you and me.
fair and square. that Mans goin' to
live right here with me after this mar
riage till I'm satisfied she's willing
to 60 to you-otherwise 1t can't take
place, now or never"
De Spain opened his ears. Gale
felt the hard. cold tone of his crusty
relative, and answered with like
harshness: "What do you keep harp
Ing on that for? You've got my word.
All i want OF you is to keep yours
understandT
"Come, come" interposed Druel.
There's no need of hard words. But
We need two witnesses. Who's going
to be the other witness?"
Before anyone could answer De
Spain stepped out into the open arch
way before the three men. "I'll act
40 AhV oCSOuu WltucSS, ut Suiu. Z
With a common roar the Morgans
bounded to their feet. De Spain,
standing slightly sidewise, his coat
lapels tapped wide open, his arms
akimbo, and his hands on his hips,
faced the three in an attitude of read
iness only. He had reckoned on the
instant Of indscisiOn which at times,
/ when coupled with apprehension, pa--
alyzes the will of two men acting to
gether. Under the circumstances ell
ther of the Morgans alone would nave
whipped q gun on De Spain at sight.
Together, and knowing that to do so
meant death to the one that took the
first shot from the archway each walt
ed for the other; that fraction of
second unsettled their purpose. In
stead of bullets, each launched curses
at the intruder. and every second that
passed led away from fight.
De Spain took their oaths, demands
and abuse without batting az eye.-
I'm here for the second Witness"
was all he repeated, covering both
men with short glances. Druel, his
face muddy white as the whisky
bloat deserted 1t, shrunk inside his
shabby clothes De Spain with each
epithet hurled at him took a dreaded
step toward Gale. and Druel, In the
line Of fire, brought his knees up and
his head down till he curled like a
porcupine. ~
Gale, game as he undoubtedly was,
.cornerec. felt perhaps recollections 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.
Nor 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
af Ds Spain and pointed to the hall