Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-05-10


De Spain reached Dukes ranch I'M
challenged. Night had fallen every
where, and the increasing rain OBJ
scured even the outline Of the house.
But light shone through one incur
.ained window. He waited some time
for a sound of life, for door to open
Or close, or for the dog to bark-he
heard nothing. Slipping out Of the
wet saddle, he led his horse in the
darkness under the shelter of the lone
pine tree and, securing him, walked
slowly toward the house.
Mindful of the admOnitiOnS he had
been loaded with, he tramped around
the house in narrowing circles, pauS-
ing at times to look and listen. In
like manner he circIed the barn and
stables, until he had made sure there
was no ambush and that he was alone
outside. After a time he stepped
around to the front of the house,
where, screened by bit OF shrubbery,
he could peer at close range into the
living room.
Standing before the fire burning in
the open hearth, and with his back
to it, ne now saw Gale Morgan. Sit
ting bolt upright beside the table,
square-jawed and 0bdurate, his stubby
brier pipe supported by his hand and
gripped in his great teeth, Duke Nor
gan looked uncompromisingly past his
beIligerent nephew into the fire. A
third and elderly man, heavy, red
faced, and almost tOOthless as he
spoke, sat to the right Of the table in
a rocking chair, and looked at Duke ;
this was the old lawyer and justice
from Sleepy Cat, the sheriff's broth
er-JUdge Druel.
Nan was not to be seen. Gale, big
and aggressive, was doing most of the
talking, and energeticalIy, as was his
habit. Duke listened thOughtfully
but seemingly with coldness. Druel
looked from Gale to Duke, and ap-
peared occasionally to put in a word
to carry the argument along.
De Spain suspected nothing of what
they were talking about, but he was
uneasy concerning Nan, and was not
to be baked, by any combination, OF
his purpose of finding her. To secure
information concerning her was not
possible, unless he should enter the
house, and this, with scant hesitation
he decided to do.
He wore snug-fitting leatherr
coat. He unbUttOned this and threw
lit open rs he stepped nOiselessly III
to the door. Laying his hand on the
knob, he paused, then, finding the
door unlocked, he pushed it slowly
open.
The wind rushed in, upset his cal
CulatiOns and blew open the door lead
ing from the hall into the living room
A stream of light in turn shot through
the open door, across the hall II
stantly De Spain stepped inside ant
directly behind the front door-whicl
he now realized he dare not close
and stood eXpectant in the darkness
Gale Morgan, with an impatient eX
camation, strobe from the fireplace t.
close the. front door. 49,.
As he walked into the hall ant
slammed the front door shut, he coult
have touched with his hand the MAJ
standing in the shadow behind it. d,
Spain, not hoping to escape, stoot
with folded arms, but under the ell
bow of his left arm was hidden the
long muzzle of his revolver. Holding
his breath, he waited. Gales minC
was apparently filled with othel
things. He did not suspect the pres
ence 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
pOsite it. and through a curtaineC
opening at the end of the hall int
the dIInng room. G5drGiy ten feet from
him, this room opened through al