Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-03-16


n fatal pre-eminence among the trage-
dies OF the Spanish sinks. Where he
lay he could II he medtated revenge
on her people, murder any Of them nj.
most at viii. TO spare his life imper-
He'd to this extent thelrs-hut surely
he lay not far from death hy cXhaus.
tlon. Ard II he was not helped soon
he would die.
But who was to help himf Certainly
none of his friends. II She told them
they would try to reach him. That
would mean an appalling an unthlnk'
able fight. All came back To one ter.
rifylng alternative: Should she help
this wretched man hersef2 And II h,
lived world he repay her hy shooting
someone Of her own kin?
The long ride to CnlahuS1tS went fast
as the debate swept on and the vivid
shock Of her strange experience re,
cured TO her Imagination
She drew up before the biz barn
Jim McAlpln was coming out to 90 t
supper. Nan asked FOR her package
and wanted 10 start directly back
again. McAlpln refused absolutely t
hear OF II. He looked nj her horse and
profesSed to be- shocked He told her
she had ridden hard urged her 70 dis.
mount. and sent her pony In to be
rubbed, While her horse wuS cared
for, McAlpin asked In his harmless
Scotch way, about Gale.
Concerning Gale Nan was noncom-
initial. But she listened with interest,
more or less yelled, to whatever run
ming comment McAlpn had to Offer
concerning the CalabasaS fight. And
was sorry to see Gale mixed mp III II, :"
he concluded, in his effort 10 draw Nan
out, sorry. And sorrier 10 think Of
Henry de SPUN getting Killed that
way. Some say" he suggested. look
ing significantly toward the door Of
the barn, and significantly away again.
that Henry went down there To pick a
fight with the boys. But he asserted
graphically, II happen to know that
wasn't So"
Then what did he go down there
for?' demanded Nan Indignantly. but
not warily.
McAlpn, the situation now In hand.
took his time to it. He leaned forward
in a manner calculated 10 invite conf
dence without giving offense. Miss
Man. said he simply Henry de Spain
was here, with me, sitting right there
where you are sitting, in that chair,
not fifteen minutes before that fight
began told you h. never went down
there 10 fight Do you want the proof7
III tell you-I wouldn't want anybody
else to know-will you keep IT."
Nan seemed Indifferent. Girls are
not supposed TO keep secrets, she said
ob>tinately.
Her narrator was not to be baked.
He pointed to the coat-rack on the
wall IN front Of them both. "There Ia
Henry de SPANS coat. He hung IL
there just before he went down to the
inn. Under 1t, If you look. you'll find
his belt Of cartridges. Don't take my
Word-look for yourself"
Giving this information time to sink
in. McAlpin continued. Mans eyes had
turned, despite her indifference, TO the
cont; but she was thinking more In
tenlly about the belt which McAlpin
asserted hung under II. you want to
know what he did 90 down to the hotel
for that afternoon7 happen to know
that too averred McAlpin, sitting
down, but respectfully on the edge OF
the chair. First want to say this: /
worked for your Uncle Duke Ave
years"
He paused to give Nan chance to
dispute the statement II She so desired.
Then, taking her despairing silence rs
an Endorsement Of his position in Civ
ing her a confidence. he went on:
Henry de Spain is dead he snld qui-
city. She eyed him without So much
as wInklng. 81 wouldn't tell It, If he
wasn't. The boys dead. And ne was
always talking about You. Its Gods
truth, and since he's dead II harms no
one to tell 1t to you, though I'd never
breathe 1t to another. lie was fairly
gone on you.
"You don't have to knock me down,
Miss Nan, to put me wise about
mans being keen on girl. I'm mar
rled man." declared McAlpln with
modest pride. He thought all the
time he was foollng me, and keeping
covered. Now, that afternoon he came
In here kind Of moody. 1t was an an.
adversary for him, and a hard one-the
day his father was shot from am.
Dush--a good many years ago but
nary one Of us had forgot 1t. Then
he happened to see your pony-this
same pony you're riding today--a.
back there In the box-stall.
He asked me whose 1t was: and he
asked me about you, and, by jlnx the
way he perked up when | told him
tou were coming In on the stage that
tftern0on When he heard you'd been
'lck, he was for going down to the
lotel to get cup Of collector you"
NcAlpin, like any good story-teller,
vas already on his feet again. HE
lid II" he exclaimed, "and you know
What he got when he stepped into the
He took hold of De SPANS I
'oat and held 1t aside to enter his
'Xhlbit. There" he concluded, us
lis cambridge belt, hanging there yet. .
he boy Is dead-why shouldn't l tell !
GU"
Nan rode home much more excited,
more bewlldered than when she had
idden over. Strangest shock of all {
hat this man of all other men should
rofess to care for her. She had {
hown anger when McAlpln dared ]
peak of 1t: at least, she thought she q
nd. And she still did not know how I
Efficiently to resent the thought Of t