Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-05-18

pink ears and curling In stray ringlets
that the wind danced with while she
worked, she inhamed her brawny cous-
ms arlor afresh. "You used to care
for mo, Nan You can't deny that"
Her silence was irritating. "Can you"
he demanded. "Come, put up your
work and talk 1t out. ! didn't use to
have to coax you for a word and a
smile. What's come over your
Nothing has come over me, Gale. /
did use to like you--when first came
back from school, You seemed so big
and fine then, and were SO nice to me.
/ did like you"
"Why didn't you keep on liking mew
Nan made no answer. Her cousin
persisted. "You used to talk about
thinking the world of me-" she said at
last then | saw you one Frontier day,
riding around Sleepy Cat with Il car
rage full Of women"
Gale burst into huge laugh. Mans
face flushed. She bent over her work.
"Oh, that's what's the matter with you,
Is III" he demanded jocularly. you
never mentioned that before"
THAT isn't the only thing" she con-
tnucd after Il pause
why, that was just some Frontier
uay fun, Nan. A mans got to be Il lit
tie bit of sport once In a while hasn't
he?'
mot If he likes me- She spoke with
an ominous dstinctness, but under her
breath He caught her words and
laughed again "Pshaw, | didn't think
you'd get Jealous over a little thing
like that, Nan. When there's cele-
hraton ON in town, everybody's friend
Is w'h everybody else. II you lay
little thing like that up against me-
where would the rest Of the men get
You might ms well call me IN isosceles
triangle You're just crazy sore at me
when want to be friends with you.
Instead Of pulling my gun, Duke, I'll
lay il out on the case, here, to show
sou that all ask of you is to talk rea-
SON. De Spain, reaching with his left
hand under the lapel of his coat. took
Colts revolver from Its breast har-
ness and laid II, the muzZle toward
himself on the plate-glass top of the
cigar stand. II reduced him to the ne
ccSSty Of spring into Morgan for the
smallest chance for his life If Morgan
should draw; but De Spain was des-
pcrate gambler In such matters even
M twenty-eight, and he laid his
wagers on what he could read In an
others eye,
There's more reasons than one why
| shouldn't fight you" he said evenly.
Duke you're old enough to be my ia
thcr-do you realize that? What's the
good of our shooting each other upT
he asked, Ignoring Morgnn's furious In
terruptionS. "Whos to look after Nan
when you go-as you must. before very
many years2 Have you ever asked
yourself That? DO you want to leave
her 10 that pack of wolves In the gap2
You know, just as well as do, the gap
is no place for Il hlgh-bred, fine
grained girl like Nan Morgan. But the
gap is your home, and you've done
right 10 keep her under your roof and
under your eye. Do you think I'd like
10 pull trigger on man that's been
a father 10 Nan? Dannation, Duke,
could YOU expect me to do II, willing
~? Nan Is queen. The best In the
world isn't good enough for her-Im
not good enough, | know that She's
dear to YOU, she Is dear to me. II
you really want to see me try to use
gun send me a man that will insult or
abuse her. II you want to use your
own gun, use It on me II I ever insult
or abuse hers that far?"
"Damn your fine words" exclaimed
Morgan slowly and implacably. "They
don't pull any wool over my eyes.
know you, De Spain-I know your
breed"
What's that?"
Morgan checked himself at that tone.
"iou can't sneak into my affairs any
deeper" he cried. keep away from
MY blood. know how TO take care
Of my own I'll do It. So help me God,
If You ever take anyone of my kin
away frem me-itll be over my dead
bo4y" He ended with bitter oath
and final taunt: us that falr?"
Ne" retorted De Spain good-na-
turedly, ITS not fair. And some day,
Duke you'l be the first to say so. You
won't shake hands with me now,
know, SO I'll 20. But the day will
come when you will"
He covered his revolver with his left
hand, and replaced it under his coat.
The fat man who had been leaning pa