The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-05-26


storm, and De Spain looked with ever
more anxious eyes at Nan. After half
an hours superhuman struggle to re-
gain a trail that should restore their
bearings, they halted, and De Spain,
riding up to the wagon, spoke to Nor
gan, who was driving: How long is
this going to last?"
"All day and all night" Nan leaned
closely over to hear the curt question
and answer. Neither man spoke again
for a moment.
"Well have TO have help" said De
Spain after pause.
"HelpY echoed Morgan scornfully.
"Where's help coming fromT'
De Spain's answer was not hurried.
zone of us must go after it." Nan
looked at him intently.
Duke set his hard jaw against the
HURTING stream Of ice that showered
on the forlorn party. 'rll go for it,"
he snapped.
NO" returned De Spain. Better
for me to CO."
60 together" said Nan.
De Spain shook his head. Duke
Morgan, too, said that only one should
go; the other must stay. De Spain,
while the storm ratified and shook at
the two men, told why he should go
himself. ITS not claiming you are not
entitled to say who should go, Duke"
| he said evenly. Nor that our men,
anywhere you reach wouldn't give you
the same attention they would me.
And it isn't saying that you're not the
better man for the job-youve trav-
eled the sinks longer than / have. But
between you and me, Duke, it's twenty
eight years against fifty. l ought to
hold out a while the longer, that's all.
Let's work farther to the east"
Quartering against the mad hurri-
cane, they drove and rode on until the
team could hardly be urged to further
effort against the Infatuated elements
DE Spain riding at intervals as far
to the right and the left as he dared
in vain quest of landmark. When
he halted beside the wagon for the
last time he was mass of snow and
ice; horse and rider were frozen to
each other. He got down to the
ground with visible effort, and in the
singing wind told Duke his plan and
purpose. rg
He had chosen on the open desert q
, hollow falling somewhat abruptly
: from the north. and beneath It's shout.
! der, while Morgan loosened the horses
J he scooped and kicked away mass OF
; snow. The wagon had been drawn
/. just above the point of refuge, and the
. two men, with the aid of the wind
dumped 1t over sidewise, making OF
;. the body windbreak over the hollow
a sort of roof, around which the snow
b driven by the gale, would heap itself
:. In hard waves. Within this shelter the
t men slowed Nan. The horses were
It driven down behind it, and from one
), of them De Spain took the collar, the
e tugs and the whitf1etrees. He stuck {
r hitching strap in his pocket, and while
# Morgan steadied the Lady's head, d.
IT Spain buckled the collar on her
!. doubled the tugs around the while
o tree, and fastened the roll at her sid
e, in front of the saddle.
e Nan came out and stood beside hin
az he worked. When he had finished
II she put her hand on his sleeve. HI
O held her close, Duke listening, to tel
e, her what he meant to try to do. Eacl
/ knew it well might be the last momen
It together. "One thing and anOthe
d have kept us from marriage vows
lie Man," said De Spain, reckoning a
length to Morgan to step closer tina
n he might clearly hear. Nothing mus
n keep US longer. Will you marry me?
70 She looked up into his eyes. "Iv
Il. promised you l would. l will promis
II every time you ask me. l never coui
lie have but one answer to that, Henry
"a it must alwaysfbe yes!"
1t "Then take me, Henry" he sal
~ slowly, there and now for your wedde
IL IL husband. VIII you do this, Nan?"
- Still looking into his eyes, she ar
: swered without surprise or fear: "Her
:. ~, | do take you"
- "And /, Henry, take you, Nan, her
~ and now for my welded wife, for bel
ter for worse for richer for poorer
from this day forward, until death u
= do part"
- They sealed their pact with sileu
;, embrace. De Spain turned to Duke
u you are the witness of this marriage
o. Duke. You will see, if an acciden
= happens, that anything, everything
i have-some personal property-my ft
" theirs old ranch north of. Medicin
u Bend-some little money in bank q
Sleepy Cat-goes to my wife, Nan MOI
. gan de Spain. VIII you see to itT'
II II will. And if it comes to me--yol
= De Spain, win see to it that what stoc
have in the gap goes to my niec'
u Nan, your wife"
She looked from one to the other Q
u the two men. "All that / have" sIl
: said In turn, "the lands in the gap, eN
erywhere around Music mountain, g
t. to you two equally together, or which
e ever survives. And if you both liyt
and do not, remember my last mes
j. sage-Dury the past in my grave"
o Duke Morgan tested the cinches @
y the saddle on the Lady once more, III
II loosed the tugs once more from IN
horses shoulder, examined each buckl