The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-24
what do you mean?"

the gun back.
"Now, Man." he said, you know nae.
You may have doubts--they will all
die. You will hear many stories about
me-but you will say: I put the car
tridges in his revolver with my own
hands, and I know he won't abuse the
means Of defense l gave him myself.
There can never be any real doubts
or misunderstanding between us
again, Nan" he waited for her to
speak, but she remained silent.
"You have given me my life, my de-
fense," he continued, passing from 8
subject that he perceived was better
left untouched. "Who Is nearest and
dearest to you at home"
"My Uncle Duke"
"Then l never will raise hand
against your Uncle Duke. And this
man, tonight-this cousin-Gale? Nan,
what is that mani"
II hate him."
"Thank God! So do II"
"But he is a cousin"
"Then I suppose he must be ons OF
NINE"
"Unless he tries to kill you"
'He won't be very long In trying
that. And now, what about yourself2
What have you got to defend yourself
against him, and against every other
drunken MANI"
She laid her own pistol without q
word in De Spain's hand. He felt 1t,
opened, closed, and gave it back.
That's good defender when it's Il
reach. When it's at home It's a poor
one"
Il. It viii never be b II enc = asE
cept when / am"
"Shall I tell you a secret?"
"What is It'll" asked Nan unsuspect-
ingly.
1--WE are engaged to be married.
She sprang from him like deer. .It's
a dead secret" he said gravely; "no-
body knows 1t yet--not even you."
"You need never talk again like
that if you want to be friends with
me-" she said Indignantly. II hate
It,"
"Hate it II you will; it's so. And
1t began when you handed me that
little bit Of lead and brass on itfe
mountain tonight, to defend your ufU
and mine"
"Tll hate you If you prosecute me
the way Gale does. The moon is
almost up. You must CO."
"You haven't told me-" he persisted,
show you got away at ALL" They had
walked out of the trees. He looked
reluctantly to the east. "Tell me and
I'll CO." he promised.
AFTER / went up to my room I wait
ed till the house was all quiet. Than
/ started for Calabasas. When came
back I got up to my room without be-
ing seen, and sat at the window long
time. waited till all the men stopped
riding past. Then I climbed through
the window and down the kitchen roof,
and let myself down to the ground.
Some more men came past, and / hid
on the porch and slipped over to the
horse barns and found a hackamore,
and went down to the corral and hunt
ed around till / found this little pinto
she's the best to ride bareback"
II could ride razorback-why take
ali that trouble for me?'
eff you don't start while you have
q chance, you undo everything I have
tried to do to avoid a fight"
The wind, stirring softly. set the
aspen leaves quivering. The stars
chilled in the thin, clear night air
hung diamondlike In the heavens and
the eastern sky across the distant DIES.
ert paled for the rising moon. The
two, standing at thu horses head, lis
tened momen together ir the dark.
ness. De Spain, leaning forward, said
something in low, laughing voice
Nan made no answer. Then, bending
he took her hand and, before she could
release 1t, caught 1t up to his lips.
.
For a long time after he had gone
she stood, listening for shot-won
dering, breathless at moments, wheth
er he could get past the waiting traps
De Spain, true to all she had evel
heard of his Indianlike stealth, hat
left her side unabashed and unafraid-
! living, laughing, paying bold court t.
! her even when she stubbornly refused
to be courted-and had made himself
/ In the twinkling of an eye part d,
the silence beyoDd-the silence OF til.
t night, the wind. the stars, the vast,
! of sand, and Of all the mystery tina
} breoded upon it. She would have vel
coined. r her keen suspense, a sount
! of some kind, some reminder that b,
; yet lived and could yet laagh; non,
, Came.
Day was breaking VIXEN the nigh