The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1917-07-05
CHAPTER XVII.
Hope ForIorn.

opiLV VI IlleiI ueFOIlOn, 10 LDe emu Oh
their dream. They parted late, each
trying to soften the blow as it fell on
the other, each processing a courage
which, in the face of the revelation,
neither could clearly feel.
In the morning Jeffries brought
down to De Spain, who had spent a
sleepless night at the Office, a letter
from Nan.
De Spain opened it with acute mis-
givings. Hardly able to believe his
eyes, he slowly read:
Dearest-A wild hope has come to me.
Perhaps we don't know the truth Of this
terrible story as 1t really is. Suppose we
should be condemning poor Uncle Duke
without having the real facts? Sassoon
was a wretch, Henry, If ever one lived
curse to everyone What purpose he
could serve by repeating this story, which
he must have kept very secret till now,
don't know; but there was some reason
must know the whole TRUTH feel that
l. alone. can get hold OF it. and that you
would approve what 1 am doing II you
were here with me in this little room,
where I am writing at daybreak, to show
you my heart.
Long before you get this I shall be
to Uncle Duke to get from him the ex-
act truth. Uncle Duke is breaking-has
broken-and now that the very worst has
come, and we must face it, he will tell
me what I ask. Whether I can get him
to repeat this to you, to come to you, to
throw himself on your pity, my dearest
one, don't know. But it is for this 1
am going to try, and for this I beg of
your love-the love of which I have been
so proud!-that you will let me stay with
him until at least learn everything and
can bring the whole story to you. II
can bring him, / will
And l shall be safe with Unexpectedly
safe. Gale has been driven away. Pard-
aloe, know 1 can trust. and he will be
under the roof with me. Please, do not
try to come to me. 1t might ruin every
thing. Only forgive me, and 1 shall be
back with what I hope for, or what
fear very, very soon Not till then can
bear to look into your eyes. You have
a better right than anyone in the world
to know the whole truth, cost what it
may. Be patient for only little while
with NAN.
1t was Jeffries who said, afterward,
he hoped never again to be the bearer
of a letter such as that. Never until
he had read and grasped the contents
of Mans note had Jeffries seen the
bundle of resource and nerve and
sinew, that men called Henry de
Spain, go to pieces. For once, trouble
overbore him.
When he was able to speak he told
he said hopelessly. 81 was so crippled,
so stunned, she must have thought
see it nOw-that l was making ready
to ride out by daybreak and shoot
Duke down on sight. It's the price a
man must pay, Jeffries, for the abil-
ity to defend himself against this
bunch of holdup men and assassins.
Because they can't get me, I'm gun
man"
mo, you're not 'gunman.
"a gunman and nothing else. That's
what everybody, friends and enemies,
reckon me-a gunman. You put me
here to clean out this Calabasas gang,
not because of my good looks, but
because I've been, so far, fraction of
a second quicker on a trigger than
these dOuble-d-d crooks"
Jeffries; from behind his pipe, re-
garded De Spaifl's random talk calmly.
~ do feel hard over my fathers
DEATH" he went on moodily. "Who
wouldn't? If God meant me to forget
it, why did he put this mark on my
face, jeff? l did talk pretty strong to
Nan about it on Music mountain.
3 81 did feel, for long time, I'd like
to kill with my own hands the man
that murdered my father, JEFF. My
mother mus have realized that her
babe, if man-child, was doomed to a
life of bloodShed. I've been trying to
think most of the night what she'd
want me to do now. L don't know what
| can do, or can't do, when l set eyes
on the old scoundrel. He's got to tell
the trutfi-that's all I say now. If he
lies, after what he made my mother
suffer. he ought to die like a dog-nO
matter who he is.
81 don't want to break Mans heart.
What can do? Hanging him here in
sleepy Cat. if l could do it. wouldn't
help her feelings whole lot. If l
could see the fellow" De SPANS
r"uds. spread before him on the table,
drew M tight. eff I could get my fin
gers on his throat. for 2 minute. ana
talk to him. tell him what | think OF
Lim-I might know wh"t | would want
to do-Nan might he there to see ana
nudge between us. I'd he almost Will
ing TO leave things to her to settle her !
self. | only want what's right. But |
the oath that recorded his closing |
threat was collected and pitileSs, II
any harm comes TO that girl now from |
this wild trip back among those wolves
God pity the men that mt 1t over. II |
wipe out the whole aCcursed clan II |
have to swing for it right here IN |
Sleepy Gait"
John Lefeyer, Jeffries. Scott in turn
took him in hand TO hold him during /
three days, to restrain the fury of his
resentment, and keep him from riding
TO the gap in a temper that each o1
them knew would mean only tragedy
worse than what had gone before.
Even three days of tactful representa-
ton and patient admonition from cool
headed counselors did not accomplish
all they hoped for in De SPANS atti-
tude. His rage subsidized, but only TO
be followed by settled gloom that
tbey knew might burst into uncon-
trollable anger at any moment.
report reached McAlpin that Gale
Morgan was making ready TO return to
Music mountain with the remnant OF
gang, TO make demand
on Duke for certain property ana