Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-16
CHAPTER xxmi-centinued.

lie spain suspected nothing Of what
uhey were talking about. but he was
uneasy concerning Nan, and was not
70 be baked. by any combination. Of
gus purpose OF finding her. To secure
Information concerning her was not
possible. unless be should enter the
ainuse, aud this, with scant hesitation,
de decided to do.
he wore a snug-Atting leathern
GOAT. Lie unbuttoncd this and threw
II open as he stepped noiselessly up
I" the door. Laying his hand on the
Knob, he paused. then. finding the
door unlocked. he pushed It slowly
open.
Inc wind, rushed In, upset his cal
citations and blew open the door lead
aiiS from the hall into the living room.
"A stream of light In turn shot through
lie open door. across the hall. In
sstantsy De Spain stepped inside and
directly behind the front 'door-which
se now realized he dare not close
and stood expectant In the darkness.
Gale Morgan, with an impatient ex-
clamation. strobe from the fireplace to
close the front door.
AS he walked into the hall and
slammed the front door shut, he could
have touched with his hand the man
standing In the shadow behind 1t. De
Spain, not hoping to escape, stood
with folded arms, but under the ell
bow of his left arm was hidden the
Tong muzzle of his revolver. Holding
his breath, tie waited. Gates mind
was apparently filled with other
things. He did not suspect the pres
cnce of an Intruder, and he walked
back into the living room, partly clos
ing the second door. De Spain. fol.
lowing almost on his heels, stepped
past this door. past the hall stairs op-
7",site 1t. aud through a curtained
opening at the end of the hall into
the dining room. Barely ten feet from
him. this opened through III
arch into The living room, and where
ate stood h. could hear all that al
said.
Who's ~t,ere?" demanded Duke
ernny,
Nobody" said Gale. go on.
1ruel."
Drue1 tatAnl softly and through his
nose: II was only going to say 1t
would he a good idea to have two wit
E1esses."
"Nltl," suggested Gale.
Duke was p%rofane. "You couldn't
EGep the girl In the room If she had
Mia to help her. And I want 1t I'M
darstood. Gale, between you and me,
lair and square, that Mans goin' to
live right here with me after this mar
riase till I'm satisfied she's willing
10 ~ to you--otherwise it can't take
place, now or never"
De Spain opened his cars. Gale
felt he hard, cold tone of his crusty
relative. and answered with like
5har&ha.ss: What do you keep harp
Jing on that forr You've got my word.
All want Of you is to keep yours
understand"
Come. come" in%terposed pruel.
''Thega's ma need Of hard words. But
I'VE need two witnesses. Who's going
TO be- the other witness?"
Before Anyone could answer De
Spain stepped out into the open arch
way before the three men. I'll act
as the setDnd Witness" he said.
With a common q the MOrgans
bounded 10 their feet. De Spain,
standing slightly sidewise. his coat
Iapels tapped wide open, his arms
al1imbO. and his hands on his hips,
faced tfr three in an attitude Of read.
iness only. He had reckoned on the
instant of INDIGESTION which at times
when coupled with apprehension, par
alyzes the will Of two c acting to-
Ecther. Under the circumstances ell
,.lier of the Morgans alone would have
whipped a gun on DE Spain at sight
Together, and knowing that to do SC
ane,nt death to the n that took the
first shot from the archway. each wait
ed for the other; that fraction Of q
second unsettled their purpose. In
stead of bullets, cnch launched curses
mt the intruder. and every second tina
passed led AWAY from a fight.
De Spain took their Oaths, demand.
end abuse without batting IN eye.
'I'm here for the second Witness
was all he repeated. covering boil
mcn with short giances. Druei, hi
face muddy white as the whisk!
bloat deserted It. shrunk Inside hi
shabby clothes. De Spain with eacl
epithet hurled at him took a dreade,
step toward Gale, md Druel, In tn
line Of fire. brought his knees up ant
llis head down I'LL he curled like
porcupine.
Gale, game az he undoubtedly was
corncred. felt perhaps recoliections o
Galabasas and close quarters with tn
thrown eyes aud the burning fact
what they might mean In this littl
room, which De Spain WINS c~rossinI
step BY step, was food for thought
Nor did Dc Spain break his obstlnnt
silence until their burst Of rnge ha'
blown. you've arranged your ma,
rage." he said at length. snow pull
It."
MY cousta's ready to marry mi
and she's goin' to do It tonight" erie
Gallo violently.
Duke. towering with rage. locke
1t Dc Spain and pointed TO the hal
A~~ AV..ss hnue khak fSnk MT n