The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-10

render her command of him. Nor
would she tell him where he was. She
parted his questions. He could get no
information of any sort out Of her.
Yet he saw that something more than
his mere presence detained and per-
picked her. Her prompt condemna-
ton of him ranked in his mind, and
the strain of facing her suspicion wore
on him. II won't ask you anything
MORE" he said at length. "You think
I've no right to live-that's what you
think, isn't it? Why don't you shoot?"
She only stared at him. "Why don't
you answer" he demanded recklessly.
Nan summoned her resolution. Il
know you tried to kill my cousin" she
said holly, after he had tainted her
once more. "And I am going to think
what to do before I tell you anything
or do anything"
"You know l tried to kill your cou-
sin! You know nothing of the kind.
Your cousin tried to kill me. He's a
bully and a coward, man that doesn't
know what fair fighting means"
"You are safe in abusing him when
he's not here"
"Send him to mel" His voice shook
with anger. "Tell him I'm wounded;
tell him I've had nothing to eat since
I fought him before. And if he's still
afraid"-De Spain drew and broke his
revolver almost like flash. In that
incredibly quick instant she realized
he might have threatened her life be-
fore she could move muscle-"tell
your fine cousin I've got one cartridge
left-just one!" So saying, he held in
one hand the loaded cartridge and In
the other the empty revolver.
you've asked me to go-pm going.
How much of what you tell me is rTi-asss
don't know. But I can believe my
own eyes, and believe you are not In
condition to do much injury, even IL
you came here with that intention. You
will certainly lose your life If you move
from your hiding place."
She started away. He leaned toward
her. STOP" he said peremptorily,
raising himself with wrenching eff
fort. Something in the stern eye held
her. His extended hand pointed toward
her as arbitrarily as if, instead Of lying
helpless at her feet, he could command
her to his bidding. II want to ask you
a question. I've told you the truth. I
have just one cartridge. If you are
going to send your cousin and his men
here, it's only fair should know it
now-isn't it?"
"My cousin Is wounded" she said,
pausing. And then with indecision:
eff you stay here quietly you are not
likely to be molested."
She stepped down from the ledge
as noiselessly as she had come. Shaken
by the discovery she had so unexpect-
edly made, Nan retreated almost pre-
clpitately from the spot. And the
question of what to do worried her as
much as 1t worried De Spain. The
whole range had been shaken by the
Calabasas fight, Even the men in
Morgan's gap, supposed to be past
masters of the game played in the
closed room at Calabasas, had been
stunned by the issue of the few min
utes with Jeffries' new man.
Nan, who had heard but one side of
the story, pictured the aggressor from
the tale of the two who lived to tell
of the horribly sharp action with him.
But Mans common sense whispered to
her, whatever might be said about De
Spain's starting the fight, that one man
| locked in room with four enemies, all
dangerous in an affray, was not likely
to begin fight unless forced to
none, at least, but mailman would do
so.
Unhappy and irresolute, Nan, when
she got home, was glad of an excuse
to ride to Calabasas for packet Of
dressing coming by stage from Sleepy
Cat for Gale, who lay wounded at Satt
Morgan's; and, eating hasty lunch
con, she ordered her horse and set out.
Should she tell her Uncle Duke Of
finding De Spain? Whenever she de-
cided that she must, something in the
recollection Of De SPANS condition un-
settled her resolution. Tales enough
of his bloOdthirstiness, his merciless
efficiency, his ever-ready craft and con-
summate duplicity were familiar to
her. Yet only few of these stories
appealed to Mans innate convictions
Of truth and justice. She lived among
men who were, for the most part. not
truthful or dependable even in small!
things--how could they be relied on to
tell the truth about De Spains motives
and conduct? AS to his deadly skill
with arms, no stories were needed to
confirm this, even though she herself
had once overcome him in contest.
The evidence of his mastery had .srv
g eatci pre-eminaasz among the trass-