Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-01-29
@ NAN Of .
MUSIC MOUNTAIN
MffdnkH. Spedrndn-
Author q Whispering Smith ..,..,, .x
Author Of Whispering SmiA


and another-and he was stimulated to
keep his eyes and ears open for fur
Their discoveries. Moreover continu-
Ing case In seeing each other, unde-
tected by hostile eyes gradually rem
dercd the lovers less cautious in their
arrangements.
De Spain, naturally reckless, had
won In Nan a girl hardly more con-
cerned. Self-reliant, both of them,
and instnctively vigilant, they spent
50 much time together that Scott and
Lefever. who, before fortnight had
passed after Dukes return home sur
missed that De Spain must be carry
ing ON some sort of Il clandestine af-
fair limiting toward the gap, only ques-
toned how long it would be before
something happened, and only hoped
it would not be, in their own word,
unpleasant. 1t was not theirs In any
case to admonish De Spain, nor to
dog the movements Of SO capable n
friend. even when his safety was con-
cernet, so long as he preferred to keep
his own eounsel-there are limits
within which no man welcomes unin.
vited assistance. And De Spain, in
his long and frequent rides, his pro-
tracted absences, Indifference TO the
details of business and careless humor,
had evidently passed within these
limits.
What was stage traffic TO him COM
pared to the sunshine on Mans hair !;
what attraction had schedules to offer
against moment of her eyes; what
pleasing connection could there be be-
tween bad-order wheels and her low
laugh?
The two felt they must meet to dis
cuss their constant perplexities and
the problems Of their difficult situa-
tion, but when they reached their
.rysting places, there was more Of gay
ery tnnn gravity, more Of noncbalsnce
than concern, more Of looking into
/
each others hearts than looking into
the troublesome future. And there
was hardly IN inviting spot within
miles of Music mountain that one or
the other of the two had not waited
I near.
There were, of course, disappoint.
ments, but there were only a few fail
ures in their arrangements. The dim
culties of these fell chiefly on Nan
How she overcame them was Il source
of surprise to De Spain. who marveied
at her innocent resource in escaping
the demands at home and making hel
way, despite an array Of obstacles, tC
his distant impotence.
Midway between Music mountain
and Sleepy Cat Il low-lying wall OF
lava rock, in part sand-covered and II
part eyposed, parallels and sometimes
crosses the principal trail. This undu
hitting ridge was fav0rite with ID,
Spain and Man, because they coult
ride in and out Of hiding places with
out more than just leaving the trai
itself. To the west of this ridge, ant
commanding it, rose rather more thar
nile away the cone called Black Cap
Suppose" said Nan one afternoon
looking, from De SPANS side towar'
the mountains, someone should b.
spying on us from Black CapT Sh
pointed to the solitary rock.
"lf anyone has been, Nan, with
good glass he must have seen eS
changes of confidence that would max
him gnash his teeth. | know II eve
! saw anything like 1t I'd go hang b'l
the country around there Is too roug
for horse. Nobody even hides nroun
. Black Cup, except some tramp hold-u
man that's crowded In his getaway
Bob Scott says there are dozens Q
mountain lions over there
But Sassoon had the unpleasant pr
thence Of q mountain lion and its dos
ged persistence, and, hiding himself Q
Black Cap, he made certain one ga
: of what he had long been convinced
that Nan was meeting De Spain.
The day aftcr she had mcntlonc
Black Cnp to her lover, Nan rode ovt
! to Calnhasas to get bride mcnde'
Galloping back. She encountered Sa
soon just inside the gap. Nan
detcsted him that she never spol
when SHE could avoid It. On his par
he pretended not to see her as 81
passed. When she reached home 81
found her Uncle Duke aud Gale stan
: Ing In front Of the fireplace IN the II
= ing room, The two appeared fro