Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-08-03

her back on one side as Bull rage
threw the saddle across her from the
other; hostlers caught at the clnehes'
while others hurriedly rubbed the legs |
. OF the qulyerlng mare. De Spain, his
hand on McAlpln's shoulder was CIV
ling his parting injunctions' and the
bnrn boss, head cooked down. and eyes
cast frrtlvely on the scattering Sow
D fakes outside, was listening with M at
tcntion that recorded indellbly every
uttered syllable.
Once only, he interrupted. Henry,
you're rldin' out into this thing alone
don't do it,
II can't help It," snapped De spain
impatlently.
ITS man killer
a can't help It."
"Boh Scott, If he VS. here, I'D never
hot you do it. I'll ride wi We myself
Henry. / worked for your father"
You're TOO old man, Jim"
"IIcnry--"
'Don't Talk to me Do as | tell your
Numbered De Spain.
McAlpln bowed his head
pc "Readyl- yelled Page, buckllng the
rifle holster IN place. StIll talking, and
with 2cAlpln glued to his elbow De
Spain yaulted into the saddle caught
the lines from Bulls hands, and
steadlcd the Lady rs she sidestepped
neyousiy-McAlpin following close
and lodging the dancing hoofs as he
locked earnestly up to catch the last
word De SnaIu touched the horse with
tho lines. She leaped through the door
wpv and he raised a backward hand
10 those behind. Running outside the
door, they yelled chorus of cries
after tie swift-moying horseman, and,
clustered In IN excited group, watched
the Lady with dozen great strides
round the Calabasas trail and disap-
pear with her rider into the whlrling
snow.
She fell Mt once into an easy reach
ing step, and De Spain, busy with his
reflections, hardly gave thought TO
what she was doing, and little more to
what was going on about him.
No moving figure reflects the lmpas-
siye more than horseman Of the
mountains, on a long ride. Though
never so swift-borne, the man, looking
neither TO the right nor to the left,
moving evenly and statuelike against
1he sky. part Of the wiry beast under
him, presents the very picture Of In
difference TO the world around him
The great, swift wind spreading over
the desert emptled on II snow-laden
yuffs that whlrled and wrapped a cloud
Of flakes about horse and rider In the
symbol OF q STROUD. De Spain gave
no heed to these skirmishing eddies
but he knew what was behind them
and for the wind, he only wished II
might keen the snow in the air till hi
caught sight Of Nan.
The even reach Of the horse brought
him TO the point where Nan haC
changed to the stage wagon. Without
d break IN her long stride, Lady Jan,
took the hint Of her swerying rider
put her nose into the wind, and headed
north. De Spain, alive 10 the dlfucI
ties of his venture, set his hat lowe
and bert forward to follow the wager
along the sand. With the first of tn
white furres passed, he found hlmsel
IN a snowless pocket, as. II were, of III
advancing storm. He hoped for moth
Ing from the prospect ahead; bnt ey
cry moment Of respite from the blind
ing whirl was a gain, and with his eye
close on the trail that had carried Ma
into danger. he urged the Lady on,
When the snow again closed dow
about him he calculated frotn tn
roughness of the country that h
+ should be within a mile of the roa
TINT Man was trying to reach, from tn
gap to Sleepy Cat. But the broke
ground straight ahead would proven
her from driving directly to 1t. II
knew she must hold to the right, an
her curving track, now becoming diff
emit to trail, confirmed his conclusion
A fyesh drive of the wind buffete
him as he turned directly north. Onl
ut intervals could he see any trace {
the wagon wheels. The driving sno'
compelled him more than once to d
mount and search for the trail. Fac
time he lost it the effort to regain
was more prolonged. At times he We
compelled to ride the desert In vic
circles to find the tracks, and this col
time when minutes might mean lif
But Us long as he could he chung
the struggle to track her exactly. L
saw almost where the storm had struC
the two wayfarers. Neither, he kne'
was insensible to its dangers. VIII
amazed him was that a man like Dull
Morgan should be out In 1t. He four
spot where they had halted and, vii
a start that checked the beating Of b
heart, his eyes fell on her footpril
not yet obliterated, beside the wage
track.
The sight Of 1t was an electric shoe
Throwing himself from his horse,
knelt over 1t In the storm, oblivious f
an instant of everything but that tn
tracery meant her presence, where
now bent, hardly half an hour befol
He swung, after a moments keen scr
tiny, into his saddle, with fresh
solve. Pressed by the rising fury
the wind. the wayfarers had decor
from this point, De Spain saw t
plainly. hardly more than fugitive
Coed ground to the left, where the
nope Of safety lay, had been ov'