Mexico Missouri message., 1917-03-29

saw his deadly revolver in Its accus-
toned place and did not mean to sur
render her command of him. Nor
would she tell him where he was. She
parted his questions. He could get no
information of any sort out of her.
Yet he saw that something more than
his mere presence detained and per-
picked her. Her prompt condemna-
ton Of him ranked In his mind, and
the strain Of facing her suspicion wore
on him. II won't ask you anything
MORE" he said at length. "You think
I've no right to llve-that's what you
think, isn't It2 Why don't you shoot2"
She only stared at him. "Why don't
you answer? he demanded recklessly.
Nan summoned her resolution. ~
know you tried to kill my cousin" she
said hotly, after he had tainted her
once more. "And am going to think
what to do before tell you anything
or do anything"
"You know tried to kill your cou-
sinl You know nothing OF the kind.
Your cousin tried to kill me. He's
bully and coward, man that doesn't
know what fair fighting means"
"You are safe in abusing him when
he's not here"
"Send him to mer His voice shook
with anger "Tell him I'm wounded;
tell him I've had nothing to eat since
1 fought him before. And If he's still
afraid'-De Spain drew and broke his
revolver almost like flash. In that
incredibly quick instant she realized
he might have threatened her life be-
fore she could move q muscle-"tell
your fine cousin I've got one cartridge
left--just one!' So saying, he held in
one hand the loaded cartridge and in
the other the empty revolver.
you've asked me to go-Tm going.
How much of what you tell me Is true,
don't know. But can believe my
own eyes, and believe you are not in
condition to do much injury, even if
you came here with that intention. You
will certainly lose your life if you move
from your hiding place."
She started away. He leaned toward
her. "Stop," he said peremptorily,
raising himself with wrenchlng eff
fort. Something In the stern eye held
her. His extended hand pointed toward
her as arbitrarily as if, instead of lying
helpless at her feet, he could command
her to his bidding. II want to ask you
question. I've told you the truth.
have just one cartridge. If you are
going to send your cousin and his men
here, it's only fair I should know it
now-isn't it?"
'My cousin is wounded" she said,
pausing. And then with indecislon /:
'If you stay here quietly you are not
likely to be molested."
She stepped down from the ledge
as noiselessly as she had come. Shaken
by the discovery she had so unexpect-
eddy made, Nan retreated almost pre-
cipitately from the spot. And the
question of what to do worried her as
much as it worried De Spain. The
whole range had been shaken by the
CalabaSas fight. Even the men in
Morgan's gap, supposed to be past
masters Of the game played in the
closed room at Calabasas, had been
stunned by the issue Of the few min
utes with Jeffries' new man.
Nan, who had heard but one side OF
the story, pictured the aggressor from
the tale of the two who lived to tel
Of the horribly sharp action with him
But Mans common sense whispered t
her, whatever might be said about DE-
SPANS starting the fight, that one mar
locked In a room with four enemies, al
dangerous in an ARRAY, was not likely
to begin q fight unless forced to-
none, at least, but a mailman would d.
so.
Unhappy and irresolute, Nan, wheI
she got home, was glad of an excus,
to ride to Calabasas for a packet o
dressing coming by stage from Sleep.
Cat for Gale, who lay wounded at Sat
Morgan's; and, eating a hasty lunch
: con, she ordered her horse and set out
Should she tell her Uncle Duke o
finding De Spain7 Whenever she dc
) cided that she must, something In tn
, recollection of De SPANS condition ur
settled her resolution. Tales enoug
e Of his bloodthirstlness, his merciles
5 efficiency, his !S7er-ready craft and COZ
e summate dSplicity were familiar I
E her. Yet only few Of these stOrie
e appealed to Mans innate conviction
e Of truth and justice. She lived anon
men who were, for the most part. ne
truthful or dependable even in sma
|. things-how could they be relied on I
/ tell the truth about De SPANS motive
: and conduct? As to his deadly ski
u with arms, no stories were needed I
confirm this, even though she herse
; had once overcome him In cOntes
The evidence Of his mastery had no
/ fatal pre-emInence among the trag