Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-04-20

Morgan and an antiquated spring wng-
ON, Nan rode, later In the afternoon,
over to Calabasas. The two that
would not be restrained had made
their appointment Mt the lower lava
beds halfway between the gap and
Calabasas. The sun vas sinking be-
hind the mountain when De Spain gal
l0ped ont of the rocks us Nan turned
from the trail and rode toward the
black and weather-beaten meeting
pldee. -
They could hardly slip from their
saddles fast enough to reach each 9th
er's arms-Nan, trim as a model IN
vresh khaki, trying with handker-
1hlef hardly larger than a postage
Ramp to wipe the flecks of dust from
Der pink cheeks, while De Spain, be.
een dabs, covered them with lmpor-
mate greetings. Looking engroSsed
70 each others eyes, and both In
flr eagerness, talking at once, they
LED their horses into hiding and sat
down to try to tell all that had hap
pened since their parting Wars and
runors of wars, feuds and raldings,
fights and pursuits, were no more 10
them than to babes In the woods. All
that mattered to them-sltting or
pacing together and absorbed, in the
path Of the long-cold volcanic stream
1aried 10 the shifting sands of the
esert--was that they should clasp
sAch others cllnging hands, listen each
4 4 the others answering voice, look
RESTRAINED into each others eyes.
They met in both the lava beds
upper lay between the gap and
l~gn-more than once. And one day
De a scare. They were sitting on
little ledge well up in the rocks
Ire De Spain could overlook the
east and west, and were talking
F6out bungalow some duy 10 be in
fleepy Cat. when they saw men riding
from the west toward Calabasas. There
were three in the party, one lagang
well behind The two men leading.
Nan and De Spain made out to be
Gale Morgan and Page. They saw the
man coming on behind stop his horse
ind lean forward, his head bent over
the trail. He was examining tie sand
and halted quite a minute 70 study
something. Both knew what BE- was
studying-the footprints Of Mans
pony heading toward the lava Nan
shrank back and with De SPUN moved
little to where they could watch the
intruder without being seen, Nan
whispered first: "It's Snssoon." De
Spain nodded. "What shall we do?"
breathed Nan.
Nothing yet" returned her lover
watching the horseman. whose eyes
were stRf fixed on the ponys trail
but wh1 was now less than half
mile AWAY and riding straight toward
them.
De Spain, his eyes on the danger
and his thand laid behind Mans whist,
led thel> way guardedly down to
where their horses stood. Nan, need.
Ing no instructions for the emergency
took the lines of the horses, ind De
Spain, standing beside his own horse,
reached his right hand over in front
OF the pommel and, regarding Sassoon
all the while, drew his rifle slowly
from Its scabbard. The blood fled
Mans cheeks. She said nothing. With .
out looking at her, De Spain drew her .
own rifle from her horse side, passed /
1t into her hand, and, moving over In
front Of the horses, laid his left hand (
roassuringly on her waist again. At
that moment, little knowing what eyes
were on him In the black fragments
ahead. Sassoon looked up. Then he
rode more slowly forward. The color
returned to Mans cheeks. DO you
want me to use this?" she murmured
indicating the rifle.
Certainly not. But If the others
turn back, / may need 1t. Stay right
here with the horses. He will lose the
trail In O minute now. When he
reaches the rock I'll go down and
keep him from getting off his horse
he won't fight from the saddle"
But with an instinct better than
knowledge, Sassoon, like wolf scent
Ing danger. stopped again. He scanned
the broken and forbidding hump In
front, now less than quarter of a
mile from him, questioningly. His
eyes seemed to rove inquisltively over
the lava pile as II asking why Nor
gan Gap pony had visited 1t. In an
other moment he wheeled his horse
ind spurred rapidly after his compan-
ons.
The two drew deep breath. De
Spain laughed. "What we don't know
aever hurts us" He drew Nan to him.
Holding the rifle muzzle at arms
ength as the butt rested on the
round, she looked UP from the shout
ier TO which she was drawn. "What
should you have done II he had Gomez
L .sraken you to the gap and then
aiken him to Sleepy Cat where he be-
ongz
nut Henry. suppose"
s.There wouldn't have been any sup
8 L. u -