The Jasper news., 1917-04-26


would have been resolved by an anony-
nous scrawl, sent through the mall
promising more If he didn't get out of
the country.
But instead of getting out of the
country, De Spain continued as a mat.
ter of energetic policy to get into It,
lie roue the deserts stripped, so to say,
FOR action and walked the streets of
Sleepy Cat welcoming every chance to
meet men from Music mountain or the
sinks. 1t was on Nan that the real
hardships of the situation fell, and
Nan who had to bear them alone and
almost unaided.
Duke came home day or two later
without word for Nan concerning his
encounter with De Spain. He was
shorter In the grain than ever, crustier
TO everyone than she had ever known
him-and towSrd Nan herself flercely
resentful. Sassoon was in his COM
pany great deal, and Nan knew of
old that Sassoon was bad symptom.
Gale, too, came often, and the three
were much together. In some way
Nan felt that she herself was In part
the subject Of their talks, but no infor-
nation concerning them could she ever
get.
one morning size sat on the porch
sewing when Gale rode up. He asked
for her uncle. Bonita told him Duke
had gone to Calabasas. Gale an
nounced he was bound for Calabasas
himself, and. dlsmounted near Nan.
professedly to cinch his saddle. lie
fused with the straps for minute,
trying to engage Nan in the interval,
without success, in conversation. Look
here, Man," he said at length, studious-
ly amiable, don't you think you're
pretty hard on me, lately?"
"No, l don't" she answered. "If
Uncle Duke didn't make me, I'd never
look at you, or speak to you-or live
In the same mountains with you"
II don't think when fellow cares
for you as much as l do and gets out
OF patience once in while, Just be-
| cause he loves a girl the way q red
blooded man can't help loving her, she
ought to hold 1t against him forever.
Think she ought to. Nan?" he demand
ed after pause. She was sewing and
kept silence.
II think" she responded, showing
her avgsion in every syllable, before
man begins to talk red-blood rot, he
ought to find out whether the girl cares
for him, or just loathes the sight of
him."
He regarded her fixedly. Paying no
attention to him, but bending In the
sunshine over her sewing, her hand fly
ing with the needle, her masses of
brown hair sweeping back around her
pink ears and curling In stray rlnglets
that the wind danced with while she
worked, she inflamed her brawny cous-
ms ardor afresh. "You used to care
for me, Nan. You can't deny that"
Her silence was irritating. Can you p
he demanded. "Come, put up your
work and talk 1t out. l didn't use to
have to coax you for word and O
smile. What's come over your"
Nothing has come over me, Gale. !
did use to like you-when first came
back from school. You seemed SO biz
and fine then, and were so nice to me
l did like you"
"Why didn't you keep on liking me p
Nan made no answer Her cousin
persisted. "You used to talk about
thinking the world of me-" she said al
last; then saw you one Frontier day
riding around Sleepy Cat with a car
riage full of women"
Gale burst into huge laugh. Mans
face flushed. She bent over her work
"Oh, that's what's the matter with you
Is it?" he demanded jocularly. "Yol
never mentioned that before"
'That isn't the only thing" she con
tinued after a pause.
"Why, that was just some Frontier
day fun, Nan. A mans got to be a'Iit
tie bit Of sport once in a while, hasn'
seT