The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-02-24
He is a prisoner, wanted Tor cutting up
one of our stage-guards.'


"And do you try to tell me'-she
pointed to Sassoon's unbound hands
'that he is riding out of here, free
man, to go to jail?"
II do tell you exactly that. He is
my prisoner"
Il don't believe either of you," de-
clared Nan scornfully. "You are plan
ming something underhand together"
De Spain laughed coolly. "We've
planned that much together, but not,
assure you, with his consent
II don't believe your stories at all"
she declared firmly.
De Spain flushed. The irritation and
the serious danger bore in on him. eff
you don't believe me it's not my fault"
he retorted. "Fve told you the truth.
Ride on, Sassoon."
He spoke angrily, but this in no
wise daunted Nan. She wheeled her
horse directly in front Of them. Don't
you stir, Sassoon," she commanded.
until call Uncle Duke.'
De Spain spurred straight at her;
their horses collided, and his knee
| touched hers in the saddle. "I'm &c.
| ing to take this man out Of here" he
| announced in a tone she never had
! heard before from man. I've no
. time to talk. Go call your uncle if you
like. We must pass"
"You shan't pass a step!"
| With the quick words of defiance the
two glared at each other. De Spain
was taken aback. He had expected nc
more than a war Of words-a few
screams at the most. Mans face
tom even of whimper. He noticed
her quick breathing and felt, instinc.
lively, the restrained gesture of her
| right hand as it started back to her
| side. The move steadied him. "One
question:" he said bluntly, "are you
arlAed?"
She hated even to answer, and met
his searching gaze resentfully, but
something in his tone and manner
wrung reply. II can defend myself"
she exclaimed angrily.
! De Spain raised his right hand from
his thigh to the pommel of his saddle.
The slight gesture was eloquent of his
surrender of the issue of force. Il
can't go into a shooting-match with
/; you about this cur. If you call your
uncle there will be bloodshed-unless
you drop me off my horse right here
and now before he appears. All ask
you is this: Is this kind Of a cut.
hot
my whole posse from Sleepy Cat is
right below us in the aspens. Some
of your own people will be killed in a
general fight. If you want to shoot me-
shoot-you can have the match all to
yourself. If you don't, let us 60 by
And if I've told you one word that isn't
true, call me back to this spot any time
you like, and I'll come at your call, and
answer for it."
His words and his manner confound
ed her for moment. She could not al
once make an answer, for she could not
decide what to say. Then, of sud
den, she was robbed of her chance tt
answer. From down the trail came {
yell like shot. The clatter of hoof!
rang out, and men on horses dashed
from the entrance Of the gap TOWARD
them. De Spain could not make ou
distinctly but he knew Lefever's yell
and pointed. "There they are" HI
exclaimed hurriedly. "There is thu
whole posse. They are coming!" A
shot, followed closely by second, ran.
out from below. &C.," he cried tt
Nan. "There'll be shooting here tina
I can't stop" He slapped Sassoon':
pony viciously with his hand, spurret
past her himself, and was away. Whit,
: with CONSERVATION and anger, sh,
steadied herself and looked after thu
fleeing pair. Then whirling in her sad
| die, she ran her pony back to tn
ranch-house to give the alarm.
: Yelling like half dozen men, LIE
fever and Scott, as De Spain and hi
prisoner dashed toward them, sep
arated, let the pair pass, and squire,
in behind to cover the flight and con
front any pursuers. None at the mo
mcnt threatened, but no words wer'
exchanged until the whole party ridin,
fast, were well past Ell Captain an,
out Of the gap. For some uncx
pressed reasOn-so strong is the influ
cnce of tradition and rcput;ti0n-n,
! one of the three coveted a close en-
counter with the Morgans within IT.
walls.
, ITS the long heels for it now, boys
cried De Spain. His companions close,
, up again.
: Save your horses" cautioned Scott
between strides. "It's good way
home'
"A1ake for Calabasas," shouted LIE
fever
NO." yelled Scott. "Thcy woul,
i stand us siege at Calabasas. Will
the trail is open make for the rail
road"
A great globe Of dazzling gold burs
into the east above the distant hills
But the glory Of the sunrise calle'
S0rth no admiration from the three
|