Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-01-11

til SCOTS hand laid on the dreamer's
shoulder drove 1t suddenly away. Day
was ut hand.
De Spain got up and shook off the
chilliness and drowsiness Of the night.
II had been agreed that he, being less
known in the gop than either of his
companions, could best attempt the diff
fcult capture. Bob Scott, who knew
the recess well, repeated his explicit
directions as to how De Spain was to
reach SassOon'S shack. He repeated
his description Of its interior, told him
where the bed stood, and even where
Sassoon ordinarily kept his knife and
his revolver.
De Spain gave his horse his head
it was still too dark to distinguish the
path-nnd advanced ut a snails pace
until he passed the base of III Captain,
when of sudden, as he rode out from
among high projecting rocks full into
the opening, faint rays of light from
the eastern dawn revealed the narrow,
strangely inclosed and perfectly hid
den valley before him.
De Spain caught his breath. No de-
scrlption he had ever heard of the
nook that screened the Morgans from
the outside world had prepared him
for what he saw. From side to side
between the frowning cliffs which rose.
at points, half mile into the sky, 1t
was several miles, and the gap was
more than as much in depth, as it ran
back to mere wedge between I'M
named Superstition peaks.
Every moment that he pushed ahead
warned him that daylight would come
suddenly and his time to act would be
short. The trail he followed broad
ened into road, and turn brought
him up startled and almost face to
face with long, rambling ranch
house. The gable end Of the two-story
portion of the building was so close
to him that he instantly rcincd up to
seek hiding from its upper and lower
windows.
From Scots accurate description he
knew the place. This was Duke Nor
CAMS ranch-house, set as fortress al
most ut the mouth of tho gap. To pass
1t unobserveG was to compass the most
tcklsh part Of his mission, and with
out changing his slow pace he rode on
No bullet challenged him and no sound
came from the silent house. He can
tered away from the peril, thinking
with kind of awe of Nan, asleep, so
close, under that roof-contident too,
he had not been seen--though, in mat
ter of fact, he had been.
Other cabins back toward The north
wall could be seen dimly to his right.
but all were well removed from his
way. In due time, as Scott had adj
vised, he saw confronting him, not far
ahead, n small. misunderstanding cabin
shack. Dismounting before this, he
threw his lines, shook himself n little,
and walked up to the cabin door. Ii
was open.
De Spain called grufly to the cabin
inmate. There was no answer. he
hitche;l his trouser band near to the
butt of his revolver with his right
hand, and laid his left on the jamb OF
the door, his eyes meantime boring the
darkness to the left, where Sas5oons
bed should be. The utmost scrutiny
failed 10 disclose any sign Of it or any
sound Of breathing from that corner
He took n few steps toward where the
man should he asleep, and perceived
beyond Il doubt that there was no bed
in the corner 1T al. lie turned toWar;
the other corner, his hand GOVERN.
the butt of his gun. 'IIcllo, Shike"
he called out III slightly strained tone
of camaradcrc, addressing Sossoon BY
a common nickname. Then he lis
tened. A trumpeting snore answered
No sound was ever sweeter to DC
. SPANS ear. The rude noise cleared
the air and steadied the intruder as II
Music mountain itself had been lifted
off his nerves.
He tried again: "Whcre are you
: Shkc?' he growled. "What's this stuff
: on the foor?" he continued, shuillint
his way ostentatiously to the Other
l side of the room. He felt his way to
| ward the inner door. This was where
he expected to find it, and it was
V closed. He laid hand gingerly on thu
Z latch. "Where are you, Shkc" III
| dcmanded again, this time with an i'm
patient expletive summoned for thu
Z occasion. A second fearful snore an
u swered him. De Spain, relieved, al
most laughed as he pushed the doc
t open. though not sure whether curs
J, or shot would greet him. lie go
u neither. And n welcome surprise IL
the dim light came through stuff.
L pane Of glass at one end Of the room
1t revealed at the other end maj
e stretched asleep on wall bunk
o man that would, in all likelihood, hav
L heard tho stcalthest sound had any eff
q fort been made TO conceal II, but t
u whose ears the rough voices Of
o mountain cabin are mere sleeping pc
y lions.
e The sleeper woke to feel hand la
ID lightly on his shoulder. The instlnc
Ne Of representation acted like ilasl
'k Ills eyes opened and his hands siruc
n out like cats paws to the right an