The Lamar register., 1917-06-13
CHAPTER Xxx.

When WITHIN uu HOuF De SPAIN
joIned Nan tense with suspense and
anxiety. ut the hospital, she tried nard
10 reud his news in his face.
Have you seen him?" she asked
eagerly. De Spain nodded. What
does he sayf'
Nothing very reasonable
Her face fell. Il knew he wouldn't
Tell me all about it, Henry-every-
thing"
She listened keenly to each word. De
Spain gave her pretty accurate re-
citnl of the interview, and Mans Jppre-
hension grew with her hearing of 1t.
II knew it, she repeated with con
viction. 81 know him better than you
know him. What shall we do?"
De Spain took both her hands. He
held them against his breast and stood
looking into her eyes. When he re-
garded her in such way her doubts
and fears seemed mean and trivial. lie
spoke only one word, but there was a
world Of confidence in his tone +:
"Stlck."
She arched her brOws as she re-
turned his gaze, and with a little trop-
bled laugh drew closer. stick, Nan"
he repeated. at will come out all
right"
She paused a moment How can you
known"
81 know because it's got to. talked
1t all over with my best friend in Medi-
cine Bend. the other day"
"Who, Henry7"
"whIspering Smith. He laughed at
your uncle's opposing US. He said If
your uncle only knew it, it's the best
thing that could happen for him. And
he said If all the marriages opposed
by old folks had been stopped, there
wouldn't be young folks enough left
to milk the cows"
"Henry, what is this report about the
Calnbusas barns burningf'
"The old Number One barn is gone
and some of the old stages. We didn't
lose any horses, and the other barns
are all right. Some of our Calabasas
or gap friends, probably. No matter
wen get them all rounded up after II
while, Nan. Then, some fine day,
wei re sDluS 10 btl hluAAAtAs
De Spain rode that night to Gala
basas to look into the story Of the fire.
McAlpln, swathed In bandages, made
no bones about accusing the common
enemy. No witnesses could be found
TO throw any more light on the inquiry
than the barn boss himself. And Dc
Spain made only a pretense OF formal
IA haA hu
doubts about the origin of the fire they
would hnve been resolved by an anony'
nous scrawl, sent through the mail,
promising more If he didn't get out of
the country.
But Instead of getting out Of the
country. De Spain continued MS mat
ter Of energetic policy to get into it,
He rode the deserts stripped, so to say
for action and walked the streets OF
Sleepy Cat welcoming every chance To
meet men from Music mountain or the
sinks. Il was on Nan that the real
hardships Of the situation fell. and
Nan who had to bear them alone and
almost unaided.
Duke came home a day or two later
without word for Nan concerning his
encounter with De Spain. He was
shorter in the grain than ever. crustieT
to everyone than she had ever known
him-and toward Nan herself fiercely
resentful. Sassoon was in his com
pany a great deal, and Nan knew Of
old that Sassoon was a bad symptom
Gale, too, came often, and the three
were much together. In some way
Nan felt that she herself was in part
the subject Of their talks, but no infor-
nation concerning them could she ever
get.
One morning she sat on the porch
sewing when Gale rode up. He asked
for her uncle. Bonita told him Duke
had gone to Calabasas. Gale an
nounced he was bound for Calabasus
himself. and dlsmounted near Nan
professedly to cinch his saddle. He
fused with the straps for minute,
trying to engage Nan in the interval,
without success, in conversation. Look
here. Nan" he said at length. studious-
ly amlnble, don't you think you're
pretty hard on me, latelyT
"No, | don't" she answered. "lf
Uncle Duke didn't make me, I'd never
look at you. or speak TO you-or live
in the same mountains with you"
81 don't think when a fellow cares