Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-30
Author q Whispering Smith

stances, that DE Spain should De near
er than Sleepy Cat to Nan. Moreover,
the period Of waiting she had ~enjOlned
on him was almost complete.
Without giving De Spain the story
fully. the two men talking before him
let the discussion drift toward . pro-
posal on his part to go down to Gala
basas. where he could more easily keep
track Of any movement to or from the
gap. and this they approved. De Spain,
already chatting under q hardly en-.
dured restraint. lost no time In start
ing for Calabasas. directing Lefever to
follow next day.
1t added nothing to his peace of
mind in the morning to learn definitely
from McAlpin that Gale Morgan. with
in t%wenty-four hours, had really dlsap-
peared from Calabasas. No word Of
any kind had come from Music 0un
tain for days. No mi at Calabasas
was aware even that Nan had gone
into the gap again. Bob Scott was Mt
Thief River. De Spain telephoned to
him to come up on the early stage, and
turned his attention toward getting In.
formation from Music mountain with
out violating Mans injunction not. to
frustrate her most delicate effort with
her uncle.
AS a possible scout to look into her
present situation and report on 1t, Nc
| Alpin could point only to Bull Page.
Bull was Il ready instrument, but his
present value as an assistant had be-
come a matter Of doubt. since prac-
tically every man In the gap had
| threatened within the week to blow his
head oE-though Bull himself felt no
scruples against making an attempt to
reach Music mountain and get back
again. 1t was proposed by the canny
McAipin to send him In with a team
and light wagon. ~ostensibly to bring
| out his trunk, which, If it had not been
fed to the horses, was still in Dukes
barn. As soon as a rig could be got up
Page started out.
1t was late November. A far, clear
air drew the ~snow-capped ranges
sharply down to the eye Of the desert
as II the %speckless sky. lighted by the
radiant sun, were but a monster glass
| rugged to trick the credulous retina. De
| Spain, In the saddle in front Of the
barn, his broad hat brim set on the
tmpasslve level Of the western horse
man, his lips seeming to compress his
thoughts, his lines over his forearm,
and his hands half slipped into the
pockets OF his snug leather coat.
watched Page with his light wagon and
horses drive away.
Idling around the neighborhood OF
the barns in the saddle, DE Spain saw
him gradually recede into the long
desert perspective. the perspective
which almost alone enabled the watch,
err to realize as he curtained hts eyes
behind their long, steady lashes from
the blazing sun, that it was a good bill
Of a way to the foot Of the great out.
post of the Superstition range.
De Spain's restlessness prevented his
remaining quietly anywhere for long
AS the morning advanced he canteret
out on the Music mountain trail, think
ing Of and wishing for a sight Of Nan
The deadly shock of Pardaloe's story
had been dulled by days and nights o.
pain. His deep-rooted love and hi
loneliness had Quieted his impulse fol
vengeance and overborne him with I
profound sadness. : He realized how
different his feelings were now from
what they had been when she knelt be
fore him In the darkened room and, no
daring to plead for mercy for her uncle
had asked him only for the pity TO
herself that he had seemed so SLOW
to. give. Something r%eproached hin
now for his GOODNESS at the mo,nen
that he should have thought Of he
suffering before his own.
1t was while riding in this way tina
his eyes, reading mechanically tn
wagon trail he was aimlessly followin,
for no reason other than that |
brought him, though forbidden, a littl
!. closer to her-arrested his attention
He checked his horse. Something, tn