The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-04-28

affair was marked by good sense, and
with Lefever. who, like woman,
reached by intuition conclusion at
which Scott or De Spain arrived by
profess Of thought, only revealed the
fact that all three, as Leftover con-
fessed, were nonplused.
'Tt's one of two things" declared
Lefeyer, whose eyes were never dulled
by late hours. "Either they've sent
this to lure you into the gap and get
you, or else-and that's great big
or else'-she needs you. Henry, did
that message-I mean the way it was
worded-sound like Nan MorganT
De Spain could hardly answer. sit
did, and 1t didn't" he said finally.
But" his companions saw during
the pause by which his lips expressed
the resolve he had finally reached
that he was not likely to be truned
from TT am going to act Just as
| If the word came from Nan and she
does need me-"
More than one scheme for getting
quickly into touch with Nan was pro-
posed and rejected within the next
ten minutes. And when Lefever, after
comforting with Scott, put up to De
Spain proposal that the three should
ride into the gap together and de-
mand Nan at the hands Of Duke Nor
gan, De Spain had reached another
conclusion.
II know you are willing to take
more than your share, John, of any
game 1 play. In the first place, it
isn't right to take you and Bob in
where am going on my own personal
affair. And know Nan wouldn't en-
JOY the prospect of an all-around fight
on her account. Fighting is horror
to that girl. I've got her feelings to
think about as well as my own. I've
decided what to do, John. Pm going
in alone"
you're going In alone"
"Tonight. Now, I'll tell you what
I'd like you to do If you want to: ride
with me and wait till morning, out
side Ell Captain. If you don't hear
from me by ten o'clock, ride back to
Calabasas and notify Jeffries to look
for new manager"
ION the contrary, If we don't hear
from you by ten o'clock, Henry, we
will blaze our way in and drag out
your body" Leftover put up his hand
to cut off any rejoinder. "Don't dis
cuss it. What happens after ten
o'clock tomorrow morning, If we don't
hear from you before that, can't DOS
sibly be of interest to you or make
any difference" He paused, but De
Spain saw that he was not done.
When he resumed, he spoke in q tone
different from that which De Spain
usually associated with him. "Henry,
you've pulled good many rough
games In this country. No man knows
better than l that you never pulled
one for thealooks of the thing or to
make people talk--or that you ever
took chance you didn't feel you had
to take. But 1t isn't humanity pos
sible you can keep this up for all
tifhsS 1t csihl 90 on forever. The
pitcher goes to the well once too
often, Henry; there comes time
when 1t doesn't come back.
"Understand-TIn not saying this to
attempt to dissuade you from the
worst job you ever started in on. I
know your mind is made up. You
won't listen to me; you won't listen to
Scott; and I'm too good an Indian not
to know where get of, or not to
do what I'm told. But this is what
I've been thinking of a long, long
time; and that is what I feel ought
to say, here and now"
The two men were sitting In De
SPANS room. De Spain was staring
through the broad south window at
the White-capped peaks Of the distant
range. He was silent for time. II
believe you're right, john" he said
after while. II know you are, In
this case l am tied up more than I've
ever been tied before; but I've got to
see 1t through as best l can, and take
what comes without whining. My
mind is made up, and, strange as it
may sound to you, 1 feel that I am
coming back. Not but what I know
It's due me, John. Not but what I
expect to get 1t sometime. And may
be I'm wrong now; but I don't feel
as It's coming till I've given all the
protection to that girl that man can
give to a woman"
CHAPTER XIII.