The Mena weekly star., 1917-05-31
@ NAN otH o MUSIC MUSIC MOUNTAIN By frank il. Spedrman
 Author cf Whispering Smith
CHAPTER XXI. (Concluded)
AuIhof oJ Whispering Smith

"By jing Just as ' got the words out O my mouth, who comes a-staIr- ing in but Gale Morgan. The minuto he seen me, he lit on me to beat tbe band-called me everything he couId lay his tongue to. l let on I was drunk, but that didn't help. He op dered me off the premises. W the worst of 1t was, Nan chimed right in and began to scold Bunny for lettin' me in-and leaves the room, quick like. Bunny put it on Pardaloe, and she and Gale had it, an b jing, Gale put me out-said he'd pepper me. But wait till I tell v how she fooled him. It was rainin' like h-l, n it looked as if I was booked for a ride through 1t and hadn't half drunk my second cup of coffee at that. I starts for the barn, when someone in the dark on the porch grabs my arm, spins me around like top, throws a flasher up into my face, and there was Nan. Bull, she says, I'm sorry. I don't want to see you ride out in this with nothing to eat; come this way quick
 ''She took me down cellar from the outside, under the kitchen. When Gale goes out again she filings up the trapdoor, speaks to Mex. pulls all the kitchen shades down, locks the doors, and l sets down on the trapdoor steps n eats a pipin' hot supper; say Well, 1 reckon I drank couple O quarts of coffee. Bull she says, I never done you no harm, did IT Never says I, and I never done you none, neither, did IF And what's more, I never will do you none.' Then I up and told her. Tell him. says she, I can't get hold of a horse, LOT pen, nor a piece of paper-I can't leave the house but what am watched every minute. They keep track of me day and night. Tell him. she says, I can protect myself; they think they'll break me-make me do what they want me to-marry-but they can't break me, and I'll never do it--tell him that
 "'But,' says I, that ain't the whole case. Miss Nan. What he'll ask me, when he's borin' through me with his eyes like the way you're borin' me through with yours, is: When will you see him-when will he see your
 "She looked worrit for a mint. Then she looks around, grabs up the cover of an empty 'bacco box and fork and begins a-writing inside" Bull with as much of a smile as he could call into life from his broken nerves, opened up his blanket, drew carefully from an inside coat pocket an oilskin package, unwrapped from 1t the fiat, square top of a tin tobacco box, on which Nan had scratched a message, and handed 1t triumphantly to De Spain.
 He read her words eagerly:
 Wait; don't have trouble. I can stand anything better than bloodshed, Henry. Be patient"
 While De Spain, standing close to the lantern, deciphered the brief note, Bull, wrapping his blanket about him with the air of one whose responsibil. ity is we'll ended, held out his hands toward the blazing stove. De Spain went over the words one by one, and the letters again and again. It was, after all their months of ardent meet. ings, the first written message he had ever had from Nan. He famed an. grily at the news that she was pris oner fin her own home. But there was much to weigh in her etched words, much to think about concerning her feelings-not alone concerning his own.
 He dropped into his chair, and ob. livious for a moment of his compan- ions presence, stared into the fire, When he started from his revery Bull was asleep. De Spain picked him up, carried him in his blanket over to cot cut the wet rags off him, and, rolling him in second blanket, walked out into the barn and ordered up a team and light wagon for Sleepy Cat. The rain fell all night.