The Ozark spectator., 1917-05-02
"YVhat do YOU meang"

the gun back.
 "Now, Man." he said, you know me. You may have doubts-they will all die. You will hear many stories about me-but you will say: I put the car trdges in his revolver with my own hands, and I know he won't abuse the means of defense I gave him myself There can never be any real doubts or misunderstanding between us again, Nan" He waited for her to speak, but she remained silent.
 You have given me my life, my de- fense," he continued, passing from a subject that he perceived was better left untouched. "Who is nearest and dearest to you at homeT'
 My Uncle Duke"
 "Then I never will raise hand against your Uncle Duke. And this man, tonight-this cousin-Gale? Nan. what is that man?"
 "I hate him."
 Thank Godl So do T."
 But he is a cousin.''
 "Then I suppose he must be one of mine."
 Unless he tries to kill you.'
 "1Ie won't be very long in trying that. And now, what about yourself? What have you got to defend yourself against him, and against every other drunken man?'
 She laid her own pistol without n word in De Spain's hand. He felt it, opened, closed, and gave it back. That's good defender-when it's in reach. When it's at home it's poor one"
 Ut will never be at home again ex- cept when I am." Shall l tell you n secret?'
 "WRat is it?" asked Nan unsuspect- ingly.
 We are engaged to be married" She sprang from him like deer. It's q dead secret" he said gravely; mo body knows it yet-not even you" You need never talk again like that if you want to be friends with me- she said indignantly. T hate it."
 Hate it if you will; it's so. And it began when you handed me that little bit of lead and brass on the mountain tonight, to defend your life and mine."
 "Ill hate you if you persecute me the way Gale does. The moon is almost up. You must go."
 You haven't told me-" he persisted. 'how you got away at all." They had walked out of the trees. He looked reluctantly to the east. Tell me and I'll go," he promised.
 After went up to my room I walt cd till the house was all quiet. Then l started for CalabaSaS. When I came back I got up to my room without be- ing seen, and sat at the window n long riding past. Then I climbed through the window and down the kitchen roof, and let myself down to the ground. Some more men came past. and I hid on the porch and slipped over to the horse barns and found a hackamore, and went down to the corral and hunt ed around till 1 found this little pinto she's the best to ride bareback"
 '1 could ride a razorback-why take all that trouble for mel"
 If you don't start while you have n chance, you undo everything l have tried to do to avoid fight"
 The wind. stirring softly, set the aspen leaves Qulverlng. The stars, chilled in the thin, clear night air hung diamondlike in the heavens and the eastern sky across the distant des- ert paled for the rising moon. The two, standing at th' horses head. lis- tened a momen together 1T the dark ness. De Spain, leaning forward, said something in low, laughing voice. Nan made no answer. Then. bending, he took her hand and, before she could release 1t, caught 1t up to his lips.
 
 For a long time after he had gone she stood, listening for shot-won- dering, breathless at moments, wheth- CT he could get past the waiting traps. De Spain, trce to all she had ever heard of h.s kndianlike stealth, had left her side unabashed and unafraid- living, laughing, paying bold court to her even when she stubbornly refused to be courted-and had made himself in the twinkling of an eye a part of the silence beyond-the silence of the night, the wind, the stars, the waste of sand, and of all the mystery that brooded upon 1t. She would have well comed, in her keen suspense. n sound of some kind, some reminder that he yet lived and could yet laugh; none came.