Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-02-09

nj midnight into the mountains. the
great red heart Of the Scorpion shone
aiire IN the southern sky Spreading
out when they rode between the noun
tain walls, they made their way with
out interruption silently toward their
rendezvous an aspen grove near which
purgutoIrr creek makes It's way out Of
the gap.
Scott was the first to reach the trees.
The little grove spreads across "A slope
half mile wide between the base Of
one towering elf. stll bearing It's
Spanish name, Fl Captain, and the
gorge Of the PurEutolre. To the east
Of this point the trails 10 Calabasas
and 10 Sleepy ca, divide, and here
Scott and Lcfrycr received De Spain.
who had ridden slowly nnl followed
Scott's iujuuciluuS to keep the red
star To the right Of Fl Captain all the
way across the sinks.
Securing their horses the three
Stretcln4 ont on the open ground to
wait for daylight De Spain medl.
,ated first on how he should capture
SasSoon at dayhrcak and then on Nan
Morgan and her mountain home into
which he was about 20 break to drag
out criminal. SaSSoon and his malice
soon drlfted out of his mind, but Nan
remained Il,r form outlined In the
mists that rose from the hidden creek
seemed 10 hover somewhere near I'M
I'll SCOTS hand laid on the dreamer's
shoulder drove Il suddenly away. Day
was al hand.
De Spain got up and shook OFF the
ChllneSs and drOwslness OF the night.
II had been agreed that he being less
known in the gap than either of his
companions, could best attempt the DIFF
ficult capture Bob Scott, who knew
the recess well, repeated his explicit
directions as to how De Spain was to
reach SaSs0on'S shack. He repeated
his description Of its Interior, told him
where the bed stood, and even where
Sassoon ordinarily kept his knife and
his revolver.
De Spain gave his horse his head
II was still too dark to distinguish the
path-anl advanced at snail's pace
until he passed the base Of FL Captain,
when Of Il sudden, as he rode out from
among high projecting rocks full into
the opening, faint rays of light from
the eastern dawn revealed the narrow,
strangely incloSed and perfectly hid
den valley before him.
De Spain caught his breath. No de-
scription he had ever heard of the
nook that screened the Morgans from
the outside world had prepared him
for what he saw. From side to side
between the frowung cliffs which rose,
At points, half mile into the sky, II
was several miles, and the gap was
more than as much in depth, as 1t ran
back to mere wedge between I'M
named Superstition peaks.
Every moment that he pushed ahead
warned him that daylight would come
suddenly and his time to act would be
short. The trail he followed broad
ened into road, and turn brought
him up startled and almost face to
face with a long, rambling ranch
house. The gable end Of the two-story
portion Of the building was so close
to him that he instantly refined up to
seek hiding from its upper and lower
windows.
From Scott's accurate description he
knew the place. This was Duke Nor
gan's ranch-house, set as a fortress al
most at the mouth of the gap. To pass
1t unobserved was to compass the most
ticklish part Of his mission, and with
out changing his slow pace he rode on.
No bullet challenged him and no sound