Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-02


heard this miserable creature had been
taken to the hospital. and Doctor
Torpy said she could never get well.
told The sister to take care Of her and
send the billie to him. because he knew
her father and mother In Medicine
BEND and went to school with her there
when she was . decent girl. Go and
hear what she has to say about Henry
de Spain. you contemptible falsiAer."
Gale laughed sard0nically. that's
right. I like to see q girl stick to her
friends. lie Spain ought to take care
OF hes. Good story"
And she has other good stories, too,
you ought to hear" continued Nan un.
dismayed. MOST Of them about you
and your fine friends In town. She told
the nurse It's you who ought to be pay.
Ing her bills till she dies"
Gale made a disclaimIng face and q
d~eprecating gesture. "NO. no, Nan
let De Spain take ARE Of his own. BE
a sport yourself. grille, right now" He
stepped nearer her. Nan retreated,
Kiss and make up" he exclaimed with
a laugh. But she knew he was angry,
and knew what to guard against. Still
laughing. he sprang toward her aud
tried to catch her arm.
Don't touch mel" she cried. jump.
Ing away with her hand In her blouse.
You little vixen," he exclaimed with
an oath. what have you got there?'
But he halted at her gesture, and Nun,
painting, stood her ground.
Keep away! she cried.
"Where did you get that knife3'
Numbered Gale.
From n who showed me how to
use 1t on a coward"
He affected amusement and tried to
pass the Incident off as Il joke. But
his discrimination al more dangerous,
she knew, than his brutality. and he
left her the prey to more than one
alarm and the renewed resolve never
to be taken of her guard. That night
he came back. He told her uncle,
glancing a~dmiringly at Nan as he re.
counted the story, how she had stood
her ground against him in the morn.
ing.
Nor did Nan like the way her uncle
acted while he listened--and after
ward. He talked a good deal about
Gale and the way she was treating
her cousin. When Nan declared she
never would have anything to do with
him, her uncle told her with d~lsconcert.
ing bluntness to get all that out of her
head, for she was going to marry him.
When she protested she never would,
Duke told her, with many harsh oaths,
that she should never marry De Spain
even if he had to kill him or get killed
to stop 1t, and that If she had n
sense she would get ready to marry
her cousin peaceably, adding, that IL
she didn't have sense, he would see
himself it was provided for her.
His threats left Nan aghast. For two
days she thought them all over. Then
she dressed to so to town. On her
way to the barn her uncle intercepted
her. where You going:"
ITO Sleepy Cat" returned Nan, re-
garding him ~collectedly.
mo, you're not" he announced
bluntly.
Nan looked at him In silence. II
don't want you running to. town any
o to meet De Spain," added Duke,
without any attempt to soften his in
junction.
But I've got to go to town once In
n while, whether I meet Henry de
Spain or not, Uncle Duke"
what do you have to go fort"
"Why, for mail, supplies-eyery-
thing"
"Pardaloc can attend to all that"
Nan shook her head. whether he
can or not, I'm not going to be cut off
from going to Sleepy Cat, Uncle Duke
nor from seeing Henry de SPAIN"
Meaning to say you won't obey,
ehT"
when I'm going to marry n man It
isn't right to forbid me seeing him."
you're not going to marry him ;
you're going to marry Gale, and the
quicker You make up your mind to it
the better"
"You might better tell me ! am going
to marry Bull Page--1 would marry
him first. I will never marry Gale
Morgan In the living world. and I've
told you so more than once"
He regarded his niece a moment
wrathfully and, without replying,
walked back to the house. Nan, upset
but resolute, went on to the barn and
asked Pardaloe to saddle her pony.
Pardnloe shulled around in an obliging