Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-06-28

the darkness and silence were plainly
a strain. you are mt the foot Of Mu.
sic mountain, about a mile from where
| live"
"iou must have thought l meant to
raid your house. l didn't. l was hit.
| got mixed up in trying to get away.
You want me out of here?"
"very much"
mo more than l want to get out.
Perhaps by tomorrow l could walk q
few miles. l should have to assassi-
nate somebody to get some ammuni.
ton"
ut wouldn't be hard for you to do
that, l presume"
Her words and her tone revealed the
Intensity OF her dislike and the depth
of her distrust.
He was silent for a moment. Then
he said, without resentment, you are
ashamed already Of saying that, aren't
your
mo, l am not" she answered de-
family.
yes, you are. You know 1t isn't
true. If You believed it. you never
would have brought food here to save
my life"
II brought 1t to save some Of my
own people from possible death at
your hands--to prevent another fight
to see If you hadn't manhood enough
after being helped, to go away. when
you were able to move, peaceably. One
cartridge might mean one life, dear
to me-"
II know whose life you mean"
"You know nothing about what l
mean"
II know better than you know your
self. If l believed you, l shouldn't
respect you. Fear and mercy are two
different things. If I thought you
were only afraid Of me, I shouldn't
think much Of your aid. Listen-l
never took the life of any mar except
to defend my own"
mo murderer that ever took any
body's life in this country ever said
anything but that"
Don't class me with murderers."
"You are known from one end Of the
country to the other as a gunman."
He answered lmpassively: "Did
these men who call me n gunman ever
tell you why I'm one?" She seemed
In too hostile q mood to answer. II
guess not" he vent on. Let me tell
you nov The next time you hear the
called a gunman you a tell them"
Il won't %listen," she exclaimed. res
tive.
"Yes. you will l%isten." he said qui-
city "you shall hear every word. My
father brought sheep into the Peace
river country. The cattlemen picked
on him to make m example of. He
went out, unarmed, n night to take
care of the horses. My mother heard
two shots. He didn't come back. She
went to look for him. He was lying
under the corral gate with a hole
smashed through his Jaw by Il rifle
bullet that tore his head half off. De
Spain did not raise his voice, nor did
he hasten his words. II was born
one night six months after that" he
continued. my mother died that
night. When q neighbours wife took
ME from her arm and wrapped me In a
blanket, she saw I carried the face
Of my father Is my mother had seen
1t the night he was murdered. That"
he said, lis what made me q 'eunman.'
Not whisky-not women-not cards
just what you've heard. Aud I'll tell
you something else you may tell the
men that coll me a gunman. The man
that shot down my father at his corral
gate I haven't found yet. I expect to
find him. For ten years. I've been get.
ting ready to find him. He Il here
In these mountains. ! don't even
know hts name. But II I live, I'll nnd
him. And when / do, I'll tear OMEN biz
head with q soft bullet In the way b
tore MY fathers open. After ! sci
through with that man"-he hesitat
ed-"they may call me- whateyer the,
like. You want me out Of the gap
De Spain concluded, his voice un
changed. n want 70 get out. Com,
back, once more, ~ the daytime.
viii see what I can do with my too
~ that time" He paused. "Will 70,
comefs
she hesitated. 1T would be. 10.
ldangefous for me to come up here Il
the daytime. Trouble would follow"
AComs at dusk. You know ] On
no murderer"
r don't know t." che persisted stut
4 hofnly. II WAS her 6nai protest.
@Count, some day, On knowing Il.
CHAPTER XIII.
ceanstna = sonan a01voe.