The Irish standard., 1917-06-16
@ NAN Of 9
MUSIC MOUNTAIN
Nffdnk Spedrrnan
Author Of Whispering Smith

east together, and her Joy and tears
rose from her heart in one stream.
De Spain comforted her, Quieted her,
tut away one of the coats from his
horse, slipped it over her shoulders, in
:ased her in the heavy fur, and turned
ais eyes to Duke.
The old mans set, square face sur
rendered nothing of applicability to
he dangers Confronting him. De
Spain looked for none of that. He had
Known the Morgan record too long, and
faced the Morgan men too often, to
!, fancy they would finch at the drum
oeat Of death.
The two men, in the deadly, driving
snow, eyed each other. Out Of the old
mans deep-set eyes burned the resist
lnce of hundred storms faced before.
But he was caught now like wolf in
trap, and he knew he had little to
hope for, little to fear. AS De Spain
regarded him, something like pity may
nave mixed with his hatred. The old
outlaw was thinly clad. His open
throat was beaten with snow, and,
standing beside the wagon, he held the
cam reins in bare hand. De Spain
tut the other coat from his saddle and
leld it OUT Duke pretended not to
zee, and, when not longer equal to
keeping up the pretense, shook his
lead.
"Take it," said De Spain CURLY.
<"No."
"Take it, say. You and will settle
,ur affairs when we get Nan out of
his" he insisted.
'De SPAIN" Dukes voice, as was
is wont, cracked like pistol. II can
Jay all I've got to say to you right
lere."
mo"
'Yes," cried the old man.
''Listen, Henry" pleaded Nan, seek
ng shelter from the furious blast
within his arm, "just for a moment,
isten!"
''Not now, I tell you'll" cried De
spain.
"He was coming, Henry, all the way
and he is sick-just to say it to you.
let him say it here, now"
eco on!" cried De Spain roughly.
Say it,"
'Tm not afraid Of you, De Spain!''
houted the old man, his neck barred I'd
he flying ice. "Don't think it! You're
better. man than am, better than I
| wer was-don't think I don't know
hat. But I'm not afraid of e'er a
nan 1 faced, De Spain; they'll tell
'ou that when I'm dead. All the
rouble that ever come tween you and
ne come by an accident-come before
'ou was born, and come through Dave
sassoon, and he's held it over me ever
ince you come up into this country.
was young fellow. Sassoon worked
;or my father. The cattle and sheep
var was on, north of Medicine Bend.
The Peace river sheepmen raided our
>lace-your father was with them. He
lever did us no harm, but my brother,
Say Morgan, was shot in that raid by
man name of Jennings. I started
,ut to get the man that shot him. Sas-
soon trailed him to the Bar M, the old
De Spain ranch, working for your IA
her"
The words fell fast and in a fury.
They came as if they had been choked
pack till they strangled. "Sassoon
:ook me over there. Toward night we
got in sight of the ranchhouse. We
saw man down at the corral. That's
Jennings Sassoon says. l never laid
eyes on him beforeE-I never laid eyes
IN your father before. Both of us
fred. Next day we heard your father
was killed, and Jennings had left the
country. Sassoon or I, one of us, killed
your father, De Spain. IF it was I,
{ did it never knowing who he was,
never meaning to touch him. I was
after the man that killed my brother.
Sassoon didn't care which it was, never
did, then nor never. But he held it
over me to make trouble sometime
twixt you and me. was young fell
low. I thought was revenging my
brother. And If your father was
killed by patched bullet, his blood is
not on me, De Spain, and never was.
sasspon always shot patched bullet.
Il newer shot one In my life. And I'd
never told you this Of my own self.
Nap said 1t was the whole truth from
me TO you. or her life. She's as much
mine as she is yours. I nursed her.
RI took care Of, her when there weren't
20 other living soul to do 1t. She got
me and herself. out into this, this,
morning. I'd never been caught like
this If I'd had my way. I told her
fore we'd been out tn hour we'd never