The Clio messenger., 1917-03-09


since you are unarmed, l will be, too.
Not that this puts us on an even foot
ing. l don't mean that. Nothing
would. You would be too much for me
in any kind of a contest, armed or
unarmed."
"What do you mean?" she demand
ed to hide her confusion. And she
saw that each step he took cost pain,
skillfully concealed.
81 mean," he said, "you are to take
this cartridge as a remembrance of my
forgetfulness and your adventure"
She drew back. II don't want it."
"Take It,"
He was persistent. She allowed
him to drop the loaded shell into her
hand. "Now," he continued, replacing
his gun, IF / encounter any of your
people in an attempt to break through
a line, and somebody gets killed, you
will know, when you hear the story,
that this time, at least, / didn't start
it,"
He put her objections aside, enjoy
ing being so near her and happy that
she made no retreat. "My reputa-
tion," he insisted, "has suffered little
in Morgan's gap. mean that at least
one who makes her home under Music
mountain shall know differently of me.
"LiSten ~
The two, looking at each other.
trained their ears to hear more
through the rush of the falling water.
someone is coming" said De Spain.
Nan ran lightly to where she could
peep over the ledge. Hardly pausin4
as she glanced down, she stepped
quickly back. "I'll go right on up the
mountain to the azalea fields" she said
hastily.
He nodded. "I'll hide. Stop. If
you are questioned, you don't know
I'm here. You must say so for your
own sake, not for mine."
She was gone before he had finished.
De Spain drew quickly back to where
he could secrete himself. In another
moment he heard heavy footsteps
where he had stood with his visitor.
But the footsteps crossed the ledge,
and their sound died away up the
path Nan had taken. Then snatches
OF two voices began to reach him. He
could distinguish Mans voice and at
intervals the heavier tones of q man.
The two were descending. In a few
moments they reached the ledge, and
De Spain, near at hand, could hear
every word.
"Hold on a minute" said the man
roughly. His voice was heavy and his
utterance harsh.
II must go home" objected Nan.
"Hold on, l tell you," returned her
companion. De Spain could not see,
but he began already to feel the scene.
IL want to talk to you."
"We can talk going down." parried
Nan.
De Spain heard her hurried foot.
falls. mo, you DON'T" retorted heI
companion, evidently cutting off heI
retreat.
"Gale Morgan!" There was blaze
In Mans sharp exclamation. .'What
do you mean?'
II mean you and are going to have
this out right here, before we leave
this ledge"
"How dare you stop mel"
"Tll show you what / dare, young
lady. You'll talk things over with me
right here, and as long as like" here.
torted savagely. "Every time ask you
to marry me you've got some new
excuse"
'Tt's shameful for you to act In this
way, Gale" She spoke low and rap.
idly to her enraged suitor. De Spain
alone knew 1t was to keep her hu-
initiation from his own ears, and he
made no effort to follow her quick
pleading words. The moment was most
embarrassing for two of the three In
volved. But nothing that Nan could
say would win from her cousin any
reprieve.
"When you came back from school
I told Duke 1 was going to marry you
He said, all right" persisted her cous'
in stubbornly. "You said you'd marry
me-"
Nan exploded: 81 never, never said
so in this world" Her voice shook
with Indignation. "You know that's
n downright falsehood."
''You said you didn't care for any
body else" he fairly beloved. 'Nov
1 want to know whether you'll marry
me If / take you over to Sleepy Cat
tomorrow
"No~ Nan flung out her answer
reckless of consequence. "Tll never
marry you. Let me go home"
"You'll go home when get through
with you. You've fooled me Ions
enough"
Her blood froze at the look in hi.
face. slow dare you" she gasped
Get out of my wayi"
"You little vixen" He sprang for
ward and caught her by the wrist. She
fought like tigress. He dragged her
struggling into his arms. But above
her half-stifled cries and his gruntine
laugh, Morgan heard sharp voice