Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1917-08-09
g NAN Of 9
MUSIC MOUNTAIN
By frank II. SpedrmdN
Author Of Whispering Smith
Author Of Whispering Smith


lie lMO lhChf III llC 0OoaiJf
snow, eyed each other. Out of the old
mans deep-set eyes burned the resist
ance of u 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 relns in bare hand. De Spain
cut the other coat from his saddle and
held it out. Duke pretended not 10
see, and, when not longer equal to
keeping up the pretense. shook his
head.
Take it," said De Spain CURLY.
mo-
Take it, l say. You and will settle
our affairs when we get Nan out of
this" he insisted.
DE Spain :" Dukes voice as was
Its wont, cracked like II pistol. Il can
say all I've got TO say to you right
here"
mo"
Yes" cried the old man.
Listen, Henry" pleaded Nan. seek
ing shelter from the furious blast
within his arm. Just for moment,
listen"
Not now. l tell YOU" cried De
Spain.
He was coming, Henry, all the way
and he is sick-just TO say 1t to you.
Let him say it here. now"
go on" cried De Spain roughly,
"Say it,"
Pm not afraid of you, De Spain -
shouted the old man. his neck barred TO
the flying ice. Don't think it You're
better man than l Gon, better than
ever was-don't think | don't know
that. But I'm not afraid of e'er ii
you that when TN dead. All the
trouble that ever come tween you aud
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 into this country,
l was young fellow. 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
man name of Jennings. | started
out 10 get the man that shot him. Sas,
fraflQ6 him rho Rar NJ h.. Al 1
De Spain ranch working for your ia
Their"
The words fell fast and In fury.
They came as if they had been choked
back till they strangled. "Sassoon
took me over there. Toward night we
got in sight of the ranchhouse. We
saw man down at the corral. That :
jennings Sassoon says. | never laid
eyes on him before-I never laid eyes
on your father before. Both of Us
fired. Next day we heard your father
was killed. and Jennings had left the
country. SassOOn or |, one of US, killed
your father, De Spain. If it was l.
l did it never knowing who he was
never meaning to touch him. | was
after the man that killed my brother
Sassoon didn't care which it was, never
did, then nor never. But he held II
over me to make trouble sometime
'twixt you and me. l was young fel.
low. l thought l was revenging my
brother. And if your father was
killed by patched bullet, his blood 1.
not on me, De Spain. and never was
SassoOn always shot patched bullet
| never shot one in my life. And II
never told you this of my own self
Nan said 1t was the whole truth from
me to you, or her life. She's as much
mine as she Is yours. | nursed her
took care of her when there weren'
no other living soul to do 1t. She 90
me and herself out into this this
morning. I'd never been caught lik,
this If I'd had my way. l told he
fore we'd been out an hour we'd neve
see the end of it. She said she'd rattle
die in it than you'd think she quit you
| told her I'd go on with her and d,
as she said-that's why we're here
and that's the whole truth, so help N
God
u amt afraid Of you De Spain. I'll
give you whatever you thinks coming
to you with rifle or a gun any time,
anywhere-you're a better man than
am or ever was, l know that-and that
ought to satisfy you. Or, I'll stand
my trial, if you say so, and tell the
truth"
The ice-laden wind, as De Spain
stood still, swept past the little group
with sinister roar. insensible alike to
its emotions and its deadly peril.
Within the shelter Of his arm he felt
the yielding form 'of the indomitable
girl who, by the power of love, had
1'Iung from the outlaw his reluctant
story-the story of the murder that
had stained with it's red strands the
relations of each of their lives to both
the others. He felt against his heart
the faint trembling of her frail body.
So, when a boy, he had held in his
hand a futtering bird and felt the