davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-04-19
CHAPTER VIII.
A Cup of Coffee.

He was willing, after a long and
bootleSs search, to confess to himself
that he would rather see Nan Morgan
Tor one minute than all women else in
the world for q lifetime. The other
incidents of the evening would have
given any ordinary man enough food
for reflectiOn-indeed they did force
De Spain to realize that his life would
hang by a slender thread while he
remained at Sleepy Cat and continued
to brave the rulers of the sinks.
But this danger, which after all was
4 portion of his responsibility in free
ing his stages from the depredations
of the Calabasas gang, failed to make
on him the moving impression of one
moment of Nan Morgan's eyes. There
was in the whole world nothing he
wanted to do so much as in some way
to please her-yet it seemed his i'll
luck to get continually deeper into
her bad graceS. Every day that lie rode
across the open country, his eyes
turned to the far range and to Music
mountain. The rounded, distant, i'm
A1AutGDlC pedh- JGSIIC us lIkG sun,
cold as the stars, shrouding in its I'M
known Businesses the mysteries Of the
ages and the secrets of time-meant
to him now this mountain girl whom
its solitude sheltered and to whom his
thoughts continually came back.
Within two weeks he became des-
perate. He rode the gap trail from
Sleepy Cat again and again for miles
and miles in the effort to encounter
her. He came TO know every ridge
and hollow on it, every patch and
stone between the lava beds and the
Rat river. And in spite of the coun-
sells of his associates, who warned him
to beware of traps, he spent, under
one pTetext or another, much of the
time either on the stages to and from
Calabasas or in the saddle toward Nor
gan's gap, looking for Nan.
Killing time in this way, after a
fruitless ride. his persistence was one
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-04-19

II was lot me2is, ~ answered. For
De Spain asked 1t oaIv 10 cover the
spring he made Ut that Instant into
SanduSky's middle. Csuisa though it
was, the feint did rot take the big fell
low unprepared. ne mad heard once.
when or whore he could not tell, but
be had never forgotten the hint, that
De Spain, a boxer. was as quick with
his feet as with his hands. The out
law Whfrled. Both men shot from the
hip; the reports cracked together. One
bullet, grazing the fancy button.
smashed through the gaudy waistcoat:
the other, as De SPANS free hand
struck ut the muzzle of the big mans
gun. tore into De Spain's foot. San
dusky, cOnvulsed by the frfghtful
shock, staggered against De SPANS
arm, the latter dancing tight against
him. Logan, alive to the trick but
caught behind his partner, fired over
Sandusky's right shoulder at De
SPANS head, flattened sidewfse against
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-04-19

CHAPTER Hide Spain and Le1e~-7z
ride to Calabasas inn and there meet
Gale Morgan with Deaf Sandusky a. i
Sassoon, gunner and retainers o. the
Morgan clan. Morgan demands the dis
charge of a stage driver and De Spain re-
fuses De Spain meets Nan but fails to
overcome her aversion to him.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-04-19
CHAPTER <.
After the Storm.

For q week the search continued day
and night, but each day, even each
succeeding hour, reduced the expec-
tatiOn of ever seeing De Spain alive.
Spies working at Calabasas, others
sent in by Jeffries to Music noun
tain among the MOrgans, and men
from Medicine Bend haunting Sleepy
Cat could get no word of De Spain.
Deaf Sandusky and Logan had been
found dead at the Inn by Lefever on
the night after the fight. Fairly accu-
rate reports accounted for Gale Nor
gan, nursing a wound at home, and
for SassOOn, badly wounded and under
cover somewhere in the gap. Beyond
this, information halted.
Toward the end of the week a Mexf-
can sheepherder brought word in to
Lefever that he had seen in Duke
NOEgan's stable SassOon's h0rse-the
one on which De Spain had escaped.
Ee averred he had seen the blood
stained Santa Fe saddle that had been
taken off the horse when the horse was
found at daybreak of the day follow
ing the fight, waiting at SassoOn's cor
raj to be cared for. There could be,
it was fairly well ascertained, no mis-
take about the hOrse-the man knew
the animal; but his information threw
NJ light on the fate of its missing
rider.
Though Scott had known first of
De SPANS helpless condition in his
desperate fight, as regarded seIf-de-
fense, the Indian was the last to aban-
don hope of seeing him alive again.
One night, in the midst Of a gloomy
council at Jeffries' office, he was
pressed for an explanation of his con
fdence. It was always difficult for
Scott to explain his reasons for think
ing anything. Men with the surest in
stinct are usually poorest at reason
ing q conviction out. But Bob, cross
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-04-19

lie spain ia 5Ea new dlslsas ion
weighed Lis chan = 5 Il sil.g Do1 net
ter and worse. They had put Sandus-
ky's first shot at no more than an
arms length from his prey, with Lo-
gan next, to cover the possibility of
the Big fellows failing TO paralyze De
Spain the first instant. On the other
hand, De Spain, trained in the tactics
Of Whispering Smith and Medicine
Bend gunner, welcomed a sh0rt-arm
struggle with the worst of his assail-
ants closest at hand. Their maneuver-
ing caused no disquiet to their slen-
der, compactly built victim. You'll
wait long time, if you wait for serv-
ice here, Morgan" he said, comment
ing with composure on NIorgan's i'm
patience. Logan looked again at his
two companions and laughed.
Every hope De Spain had of possible
help from the back room died with
that laugh. Then the door behind the
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-04-19
and struggling with his

J. JIM StttAlif- tIIu struggling WIN MS
breath.
In some Wa re happened, both
times I talked with her, to get in
wrong understand?" 3I2AIpin. with
clearing wits, nodded more than once.
No fault of mine; it just happened
so. And she may not at first take
Kindly to the idea of going with me-"
81 see"
But she ought to do it. She will
De tired-it's long. dusty ride for a
well woman, let alone one that has
been ill.,
$50 it is, so it is!''
De Spain looked now shamelose1v II
his ready-witted aid. "See that h..
pony is lame when she gets hero
can't be ridden. But you'll take good
care of him and send him home in
a few days-get it,"
McAlpin half closed his ewes, "FT..n
be so lame it would stagger a COW ..gy
to back him ten feet-and never be
hurt a mite neither. Trust me
IF she insists on riding SOM hing.
or even walking home" continued De
Spain obviously, for he felt instinc-
lively that he should have the task of
his life to induce Nan to accept any
kind of a peace-offering, I'll ride or
walk with her anyway. Can you sleep
me here tonight, on the hay?"
"Sleep you on a hair mattress. sir.
You've got a room right here upstairs {:
didn't yoG know thatT"
With arrangements so begun. De
Spain walked out of doors and looked
ret1ectively up the Sleepy Cat road
One further refinement in his appeal
for Mans favor suggested itself. She
would be hungry, possibly faint in the
heat and dust, when she arrived. He
returned to McAlpin: where can l
get a good cup of coffee when the
stage comes in?"
go right down TO the inn, sir. It's
a new chap running it-a half-witted
man from Texas. My wife is cooking
there off and on. She'll fix you I'D a
sandwich and cup of good coffee"
It was four o'clock, and the sun beat
fercely on the desert. De Spain walked
down to the inn unmindful of the heat,
In summer rig, with his soft-shirt col
lar turned under, his forearms bare.
and his thoughts engaged, he made his
way rapidly on, looking neither to the
right nor the left.
AS he approached the weather-beaten
pile it looked no more i4vitng il sun
shine than it had looked IL ST dow:
and, true to its traditions, not living
being was anywhere to ne seor. The
door OF the office stood :. u Spain,
pushing it all the way O. II, Vi. ed in.
No one greeted him as IL I'D the
threshold, and the unsightly room W
still bare of furA,.h gs .-yort tyr tn
bar, with its two ", lc.. .Girr~rs.
De Spain pou -a O.. 10 l..r lis
effort to attract ,,.Cention met with no
response. He walked to the left end
Of the bar, lifted the handrail that
inclosed the space behind it, and
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-04-19

Shoulder.
the gaSping outlaws breast. Hugging
his shield, De Spain threw his second
shot ever Sa&dusGy's left shoulder into
LOCan's face. Logan, sinking to the
floor, never Moved again. Supporting
with extraordinary strength the I'M
widely bulk Of the dying butcher De
81 ain Ela:l"ged to steady him as a buff
fe AGAINST Murgau'S fire ul5iI ne could
seI@ q slug over S&ndushy's head at
the instant the latter collapsed. Nor
gan fell against til h@r.
Sandusky's weight dragged De Spain
down. For an instant the four men
spraWled in heap. Sasso0n, who had
not vet got an effective shot across at
his o"iln nnnm~ dropping his revolver.
d0dgcd under the rail to close. De
Spain, struggling to free himself from
the dying man, saw, through a mist,
the greenish eyes and the thirsty knife.
He fired from the floor The bullet
shook without stopping his. enemy, and
De Spain, partly caught under San
iuSky'S body, thought, as SaSSOOn came
Oh, the game was up. With an effort
born of desperation, he dragged him.
self from under the tWitChing giant,
3reed his revolver, rolled away, and,
with his sight swimming, swung the
gun at SassOOn's stomach. He meant
to kill him. The bullet Whirled the
white-faced man to one side and he
dropped, but pulled himself full Of
fight, to his knees and, knife in hand
painted forward. De Spain, rolling has
tily from him. staggered to his feet,
and, running in as SassOon tried to
strike, beat him senseless with the
butt Of his gun.
His own eyes were streaming blood
His head was Keeling and he was
breathlesS, but he remembered those
Of the gang waiting outside. He still
could see dimly the window at the
end Of the bar. Dashing his fingers
through the red stream on his fore
head, he ran for the window, smashed
through the sash into the patio and
found SassOon's horse trembling at the
fusillade Catching the lines and the
pommeI, he stuck his foot up again
and again for the stirrup. It was use
less; he could not make it. Then,
summoning all of his fast-ebbing
strength, he threw himself like a sack
across the horses back. dashed the
brute through the open gateway,
climbed into the saddle, and spurred
blindly away.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-04-19

day most unexpectedly rewarded. ne
had ridden through a hot sun from
Sleepy Cat to CaIabasas, where he had
an appointment 20 meet Scott and Lee
fever at five O'Clock. When De Spain
reached the Calabasas barn, McAlpin,
the barn boss, was standing in the
doorway. you'd never be comm
from Soepy Cat in the saddler' ex-
claime1 McAlpin incredulously. De
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-04-19

examined and harifed, ilynaged to give
some explanation of the faith that was
IN him. In the first place" he said.
I've ridden a good deal with that
man-pretty much all over the coun-
try north of Medicine Bend. He is as
full of tricks as a nuts full Of meat.
Henry de Spain can hide out like an
Indian, and doctor himself. Then,
again, l know something about the
way he fights; up here they don't. If
those four fenows had ever seen him
IN action, they never would have ex-
pected to get out of room alive, after
a showdown with Henry de Spain. AS
near as can make out from all the
talk that's floating around, what fooled
them was seeing him shoot at a mark
here one day in Sleepy Cat"
Jefries didn't interrupt, but he
slapped his knee sharply.
''You mighs just as well try TO stand
on box of dynamite, and shoot into
it, and expect to live to tell it." con
unued Scott mildly, "as to shoot into
that fellow in a room with closed doors
and expect to get away with it. The
only way the bunch can ever kill that
man, without getting killed themselves.
is to get him from behind; and at that.
John, the man that fires the gun" MUIR
INJURED the scout, fought to be behind
tree.
''You say he is hit. I grant it." he
concluded. But 1 knew him once.
when he was hit, to lie out in the bush
for a week. He got cut off once from
Whispering Smith and Kennedy after
a scrimmage outside Williams Cache
two years ago"
"You don't believe, then, he's dead,
Bob?" demanded Jeffries impatiently.
Not till 1 see him dead" persisted
Scott unmoved.
La revista de Taos. [volume] (Taos, Nuevo MeÌxico) 1905-1922, 1917-12-28

Montrose, Colo, Die. 21.-Ano-
che, grupos de rancheros, vaqueros
y ayudantes del alguacil, llenos de
c6lera, continuaron registrando los
cafiones que corren por la region
Uncompahgre, con la esperanza de
encontrara John C. Bush. a quien
Sc le imputa ell haber matado a su
hijo de II aflos, cuyo cuerpo descuar-
tiz6 tambien. Entire tanto la Sra. j.
|. Bush, madre del homicida Sc halla
en- la carcel de Delta, en- donde Sc
nag6 hoy a firmar una declaration
uresentada por el coroner" en- la
que aseguraba que habfa matado a
su hijo, de cuyo cuerpo hizo 10 mis-
mo que elhabia hecho con ell de su
niet0.
Un hombre de quien Sc scspech6
que era el mism0 Bush Sc vic aver
a 10 largo del Canal de irrigaci6n;
sus perseguidores 10 siguieron por
La revista de Taos. [volume] (Taos, Nuevo MeÌxico) 1905-1922, 1917-12-28

tres millas, pero al fin perdieron
sus huellas. Los vecinos han hecho
va la promesa de que 81 10 encuen-
tran 10 lincharan, pues muchos de
los que 10 persiguen no tienen
ninguna autoridad para hacerlo, y
han expresado la amenaza de que
no 10 dejaran llegar vivo a la earcel.
La mujer de Bush, madrastra
del muchacho asesinado, despues
de hacer una vista, tras del homi-
cidio, sali6 para la casa de sus padres
en- Edna, Kansas.
La revista de Taos. [volume] (Taos, Nuevo MeÌxico) 1905-1922, 1917-12-28

Id cutIdQd pIlnclpdl, Ell el Gamma,
y no habia pasado mucho tempo,
cuando el padre y el niiio entraron,
por la cocina, fueron a la recama-
ra y Sc acostaron. Despues de I'm
corto tempo OF que mi hijo salia,
suponiendo que iba sacar al mu-
chacho; pero despues de haber per-
manecido un POGO fuera, volvi6 a
entrar, me llam6 y me dijo que
saliera.
lie die, que guerra, y me res
pondi6, 'levantese y venga.'
"El nifio yacia postrado en- ell
suelo y me supuse que va estaba
muerto. Cuando ME adelente Vi
a mi hijo terriblemente nervioso y
muy excitado, y bajo una fuerte
impression, dijo:
"Fue un accidente. Lo corregi y
10 hice muy duro.'
"Yo lie die, Juan, como ha su-
cedido este? Y ell me respondi6:
Tenia que suceder, y yo tenia
que, hacer algo.'
"Pues bueno, yo no tengo NADIA
que hacer con este, lie dijo. A 10
que me replic6: I'D. tendra que
ayudarme. Vamos a esconderlo.'
"iPodremos hacer esto?-Se
puso a meditar un ratio, nervioso
y muy excitado, y como estabamos
hacienda jab6n aquelIa tarde y
teniamos legia, me dijo que fuera
al s6tano, que trajera cinco botes
de legia, y cuando regrese va tenia
ell cadaver ell tanque.
"Pero me negue, diciendole que
no podiamos hacer ESQ. Fue al
vestidor tom6 un rifle, y apuntan-
dome, dijo: I'D. 10 tiene que ha-
cer.'
DOS Tres veces me repiti6 que
10 tenia que hacer. Temi que 81
no 10 hacia me matara, y la vacie
en- donde me dijo.
Tome el hacha y me dirigi a Ia
recamara. Tenia Ell hacha en- Ia
mano. y mire en- la cara a mi que.
rido hijo, y parecia como que al.
guien me decla que debia obrar,
pero obrar pronto, y levante e
hacha, y fuf de puntitas hasta su
CANA, sabiendo-aue no estaba des
pierto, sino que 10 simulaba. LIE.
vante ell hacha y me die: 'Debc
hacer este o el me matara.' Lucha.
ba al pensar que debia cometel
aquel atentado o permitir que e
me matara. Algo pas6 por mi alma
diciendome que 10 deberia hacel
y 10 hice, no movie nj un solo de-
do. Desoues dispuse que ell cuer.
po fuera hervido como el mandd
hervir ell del muchacho."
4
La Sra. Bush Sc condujo aver a
la carcel de Delta, esperanto encen-
trar meJor seguridad en- aquella
carcel da la que hay en- la carcel
local. La anciana manifesto que
habia relatado la historic al fiscal
acerca de su hijo dnicamente con
el prop6sito de que pudiera Ia
fuga. Sin embargo, dijo tambien
que "volveria a su tempo y al
lugar designado." No pudo explicar
10 que significaba este.
Con Rabia Persiguen al
Asesino.
La revista de Taos. [volume] (Taos, Nuevo MeÌxico) 1905-1922, 1917-12-28
TAOS MEXICO U. s. A., vERNEs de DcIEMBRE 1917

arreglada., y asi mismo nos hace
falta la resignation que necesita-
mos para poder soportar con for
taleza los males que recaigan So
bre nosotros. La infinidad de in
fortunes que esta sometida la
naturaleza humana ofrece un
campo variado y vasto que no ad-
mite classification porque incluye
toda especie de sufrimientos que
afigen a la humanidad. En- pri-
mer lugar la pobreza es un NAL
que desde ell principle ha sido
huesped constante de la inmensa
mayoria de los seres que habitan
sobre la terra. Ser pobre es ex-
perimentar escacez, hainbre, pri-
vaciones de toda especie y las con-
secuencias que provienen de ocu-
par un lugar inferior en- la escala
de la sociedad. Ser pobre, es ver-
Sc sometido a humillaciones, afro
pellos, desprecios, que no tienen
reparaoi6n nj enmienda y que son
la parte que toca al debil, al inde-
fenso que no halla quien tome su
.parte para defenderlo. Ser po-
hre es no encontrar amparo nj en-
la ley nj en- la autoridad y sucum-
bir ante ell abuse de la fuerza que
Sc emplea en- atropellar y usurpar
el derecho y la justicia. Para So
portar todo este necesitamos infni-
tos caudales de paciencia que trai-
ga consigo la resignation necesa-
ria para sufrir las duras pruebas
a que nos veamos sometidos.
La malicia y la soberbia de aque-
Hos que desconocen todo derecho
v no son capaces de sentir piedad
v tolerancia hacia los que son de-
biles y no tienen apoyo nj defensa,
obtienen su mayor desarrollo GUAM
do Sc Green seguros de la impuni-
dad Y no temen castigo de ningu-
ma clase por sus malos hechos,
va todos sabemos que los cora
zones malvados son insensibles a
todo sentimiento de compassion y
piedad y nunca dan oidos los re-
clamos de la razon, sino que dan
rienda suelta a sus pasiones aun-
que este traiga las consecuencias
mas funestas. Pero todos esos
males hallan su remedio eficaz en-
la paciencia y resignation de que
son capaces los que poseen tales
virtudes. 81 por desgracia suya
Sc ven privados de todos los me.
dios de existencia, no Sc desani.
men nj Sc acobardan sin6 que
vuelven de nuevo imprender Ia
tarea de remediar sus atlasos s.
las intermediates les causan sufri-
miento y Sc ven poStrados en- el
lecho del dolor, encuentran forta-
leza suficiente para soportar con-
firmeza sus padecimientos. Todos
en- este mundo estsmos obligados
a hacer todo 10 possible para mos
trarnos constantes Ell la adversi-
dad y dar pruebas de que posee-
mos fe y constancia para hacer
frente a nuestros sufrimientOs.
La constancia es una virtud que
da valor para sufrir las pruebas
mas duras y que en- todas las es-
feras de la vida infunde aliento
para contrarrestar los mas graves
infortunios. Sin constancia no es
possible ell valor nj la defensa de-
cidida porque todo esfuerzo que Sc
hace requiere perseverance, para
defender nuestro derecho.
La revista de Taos. [volume] (Taos, Nuevo MeÌxico) 1905-1922, 1917-12-28
RfSIGNACION
Y PACIfNCIA
Son Ell Renedio Sobe-
rano Que Curd 0
AIiyid Todos Los Ma
les Que Nos AfIigen
Tn tStd tsfera Te-
TrenaI

TrenaI
Nadie Sc escapa de este mundo
sin verse asediado de penas mas O
menos graves que amargan sus
dias y hacen mas penosa su exis-
tencia. 81 venimos al mundo para
padecer es justo que reconozcamos
que es precise conner nuestro pan
mezclado con lagrimas, y que mos
tremos calma y entereza para SO
portar los contratiempos que So
bre nosotros recaigan.
La paciencia es una yirtud que
puede considerarse como hermana
gemela de la resignation. pues la
una consiste en- sufrir todo sin inn
pacientarse y como fruto de infor-
tunios que no podemos evitar, y
la otra es un sentimiento que nos
lmueve a acoger todos los reveses
de la suerte como cosas que nos
dan campo para ejercitar nuestra
conformidad. Palo dado no hay
quien 10 quite, dice ell refran, y
esa Erase es un verdadero evange-
lilo que nos invita- a recibir con pa
ciencia y resignation los reveses
de la suerte. En- este mundo no
hay individuo que no experiments
sus contratiempos, y Ell casos Sc
mejantes corresponds al hombre
fuerte y valeroso confrontar con
intrepidez todas las pruebas a que
10 someta una suerte aciaga ar
mandose del valor que necesita
para no caer en- un estado de
desesperacion que 10 haga sucum
bir. Pero diran muchos, y diran
bien, que mas facil es predicar y
aconsejar que poner remedio a
males que son inevitables, pero a
este contestamos que todo clio
entra mezclado en- ell trabajo del
dfa, pues 81 unos hallan alivio en-
ell silencio de la muda resignation,
otros encuentran consuelo en- la
mentar grito alberto sus infor-
tunios como medic efcaz para ale
jarlos y ahuyentarlos de su pecho.
En- la Sagrada Escritura Sc halla
el Libro de Job, una especie de
poema y lamentaci6n en- que el
Santo Job expresa con mucha vo-
lubilidad y sentimiento los males
y dcsgracias que diariamente 10
visitan, manifestando al mismo
tempo la disposition que tiene de
acoger como castigo de sus culpas
todo 10 viene de mano del Senior.
Pero Ell Santo Job era un hon.
bfe de temple extraordinario. que
no ponia Unite a la suma de las
penas a que Sc veia sujeto y los
aceptaba todas con calma en- ex-
piaci6n de sus faltas. Pero no to-
dos nos parecemos en- resignation
y fortaleza al Santo Job, y nos IS
impossible imitar nj una pequefia
parte de sus virtudes y cualida-
des. Sufremos 10 que nos toca
sin disimular nuestra impaciencia
nj el pesar que nos causan los in
fortunios que nos aquejan. En- 10
menos que pensam0s es en- confor-
marnos con nuestra suerte pref
riendo lanzarnos por la senda de
la desesperaci6n que nos cause
mas sufrimiento sin poner RENE.
dio alguno. En- este mundo ne
cesitamos una suma infnita de
paciencia para mantener intactt
el equilibrio que necesitamos para
poder seguir una vida regular y