Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-06

He resorts We're put under observation
horsemen clattered mp and down the
street. Within I'm incredibly short
time the town was rounded up, every
outgoing trail watched. and search
was underway for anyone from Nor
CAMS gap. and especially for the send
er Of the telephone message.
De Spain. after instructing Lefever,
hastened to Tensions. His rapid
questioning OF the few habitues of the
place md the bartender elected only
the information that a man had used
the telephone booth within few min
ntes. Nobody knew him, or, II they
did know him. refused to describe
him in any but vague terms.
! Outside. Bob Scott in the saddle
waited with led horse. The two men
| rode straight and hard out on the
sinks. The sky was overcast and
speed was their only resource. After
two miles Of riding. they refined up on
ridge. and. Scott, springing from the
saddle, listened for sounds. He rose
from the ground, declaring he could
hear the strides Of n running horse.
Again the two dashed ahead. The
chase was bootless. Whoever rode
before them easily eluded pursuit.
Undeterred by his failure to OVER
take the fugitive ne Spain rode rnp,
idly back TO town to look for other
clews. Nothing further was found to
throw light on the message or mes
senger. No one had been found any.
where In town from Morgan's gap;
whoever had taken chance in de-
livering the message had escaped un-
detected.
Even after the search had been
abandoned the significance Of the in
cident remained to be weighed De
Spain was much upset. A conference
with Scott, whose judgment in any
affair was marked by good sense, and
with 1.efever. who. like a woman,
reached by intuition conclusion at
which Scott or De Spain arrived by
process OF thought only revealed the
fact that all three. as Lefever CON
fessed. We're nonplused.
IT'S one Of two things" declared
Leftover, whose eyes were never dulled
by late hours. "Either they've sent
this to- lure you into the gap ana get
you or else-and that's Il great big
or else'-she needs you. Henry. did
that message mean the way it was
worded-sonnd like Nan Morgan?"
De Spain. could hardly answer. ut
did and it didn't he said finally.
But" his companions saw during
the pause by which his lips expressed
the resolve he had finally reached
that he was not likely to be trunpd
from til am going TO act Just as
II the word came from Nan and she
does need me-"
More than one scheme for gcttin.
quickly into touch with Nan was pro-
posed and rejected within the next
ten minutes. And when Lefever, after
comforting with Scott, put up to De
Spain n proposal that the three should
ride into the gap together and de-
mand Nan at tho hands of Duke Nor
gan, De Spain had reached another
conclusion.
Il know you are willing to take
more than your share, John, of any
game ! play In the first place. It
isn't right to take you and Bob In
where am going on my own personal
AFFAIR And know Nan wouldn't en-
JOY the prospect Of an nll-around fight
on her account. Fighting Is horror
to that girl. I've got her feelings to
think about as well as my own. I've
decided what to DO John. I'm going
In alone"
X You're going In alone!"
Tonight. Now. I'll tell you what
Ia Ike you to do If you want to: ride
with me and wait till morning. OUT
side I'll Captain. IF you don't herr
from me BY ten o'clock, ride back to
Calabasas and notify Jeifries to look
for a new manager"
'On the contrary, II we don't hear
from you by ten o'clock, Henry We
will blaze our way In and drag ont
your body" Lefever put up his hand
to cut off any rejoinder. Don't dis
cuss It. What happens after ten
o'clock tomorrow morning. If we don't
hear from you before that, can't pos
sibly Ne Of interest to you or make
any difference He paused, but De
Spain saw that he was not done.
When he resumed, he spoke in a zone
different from that which De Spain /
usually associated with him. Henry
you've pullEd q good nany rouyh |
games H. this country. No man knows
better than that you never pullet:
one for the looks Of tire thing or 70
make people talk---or that you ever
took chance you didn't feel you had
to take. But II isn't humanity poe-
sible you can keep this ux for a.
time 1t can't go on forever The
pitcher goes to the well once too
often, Henry; there comes time
when It doesn't come back.
"Cnderstand.--Im not saying this to