Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-12

knife. A moment before she had
faced death alone; it was still death
she faced-she realized this-but it
was death, at least, together, and her
joy and tears rose from her heart in
one stream.
De Spain comforted her, quieted
her. cut away one of the coats from
his horse, slipped it over her should
ers, incased her in the heavy fur, and
turned his eyes to Duke.
The old mans set, square face sur
rendered nothing of implacability to
the dangers confronting him. De
Spain looked for none of that. He
had known the Morgan record too
long, and faced the Morgan men too
often, to fancy they would finch at
the drum-beat of death.
The two men, in the deadly, driving
snow. eyed each other. Out of the old
mans deep-set eyes burned the re-
sistance of a hundred storms faced
before. But he was caught now like
wolf in trap, and he knew he had
little to hope for little to fear. AS
De Spain regarded him. something
like pity may have mixed with his
hatred. The old outlaw was thinly
clad. His open throat was beaten
with snow, and, standing beside the
wagon, he held the team reins in a
bare hand. De Spain cut the other
coat from his saddle and held it out.
Duke pretended not to see, and, when
not longer equal to keeping up the
pretense, shook his head.
Take it," said De Spain curtly.
NO"
Take it, I say. You and will set
tie our affairs when we get Nan out
of this" he insisted.
DE Spain!" Dukes voice, as was
its wont, cracked like a pistol. "I
can say all I've got to say to you right
here"
NO"
Yes" cried the old man.
Listen, Henry" pleaded Nan,
seeking shelter from the furious
blast within his arms, Just for a
moment listen"
Not now, I tell you!" cried De
Spain.
He was coming. Henry. all the
way-and he is sick-just to say it
to you. Let him say it here, now."
GO on" cried De Spain roughly.
Say it,"
shouted the old man, his neck barred
|
J You're a better man than I am, bet
! ter than 1 ever was-don't think
don't know that. But I'm not afraid
of e'er a man / faced, De Spain
/ they'll tell you that when I'm dead.
! All the trouble that ever come tween
/ you and me come by an accident
come before you was born, and come
| through Dave Sassoon, and he's held
| it over me ever since you come up
] f.NfA N1,fG fRNE Il fal
| low. Sassoon worked for my father
/ The cattle and sheep war was on,
north of Medicine Bend. The Peace
| river sheepmen raided our place
your father was with them. He never
! did us no harm, but my brother, Bay
| Morgan, was shot in that raid by a
man name of Jennings. l started out
/ to get the man that shot him. Sas-
soon trailed him to the Bar NJ, the
old De Spain ranch, working for
your father"
The words fell fast and in a fury
They came as If they had been chok-
ed back till they strangled. "Sassoon
took me over there. Toward night we
got in sight of the ranchhouse. We
saw a man down at the corral
That's jennings Sassoon says.
never had laid eyes on him before
never laid eyes on your father be-
| fore. Both of us fired. Next day. we
heard your father was killed. and
Jennings had left the country. Sas-
| soon or J. one of us, killed your faith
er. De Spain. If it was l, 1 did il
| never knowing who he was, never
meaning to touch him. l was after
| the man that killed my brother. Sas-
/ soon didn't care which it was, never
| did, then nor never. But he held il
| over me to make trouble sometime