Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-08-03

regarded MN, Something INV P''s "'y
have mixed with his hatred. The ola
outlaw was thinly clad. his open
throat was beaten with snow, ana,
standing beside the wagon, he held the
tenn reins In bare hand. De Spain
cut the other coat from his saddle ana
held II out. Duke pretended not 10
see, and, when not longer equal TO
keeping up the pretense, shook MS
head.
take it." said De Spain CURLY.
mo"
"Take 1t, say. You and will settle
our affairs when we get Nan out OF
this" he insisted.
'De Spaln" Dukes voice, as was
Its wont, cracked like a pistol. u can
say all I've got to say to you right
here"
mo-
"Yes," cried the old man.
"Listen, Henry" pleaded Nan, seek
Ing shelter from the furious blast
within his arm. "just for moment
Iisten" -
mot now. l tell you" cried De
Spain.
"He was coming, Henry, all the way
and he is sick-just to say 1t to you.
Let him say 1t here, now"
go onl' cried De Spain roughly.
"Say it,
I'm not afraid Of you, De spainF
shouted the old man, his neck barred TO
the flying ice. Don't think 1t You're
n better man. than | am, better than
ever was--don't think don't know
TINT. But I'm not afraid Of e'er
man faced, De Spain; they'll tell
YOU that when I'm dead. All the
trouble that ever come tween you aud
me come by an accident-come before
YOU was born, and come through Dave
Sassoon. and he's held 1t over me ever
since you come up into this country.
was young fellow. Sassoon worked
for nv father. The cattle and sheep
war was on, north Of Medicine Bend.
The Peace river sheepmen raided our
pace-your father was with them. lie
never did us no harm, but my brother,
Bay Morgan, was shot In that raid by
man name of Jennings. l started
out TO get the man that shot him. Sas-
soon tralled him TO the Bar NJ, the old
De Spain ranch, working for your fa-
Their"
The words fell fast and in a fury.
They came as If they had been choked
back till they strangled. "Sassoon
took me over there. Toward night we
rot in sight of the ranchhouse. We
saw man down at the corral. That's
Jennings Snssoon says. i never laid
eyes on him before-I never laid eyes
on your father before. Both of US
fired. Next day we heard your father
was killed, and Jennings had left the
country. SaSsoon or |, one of us, killed
YOUR father, De Spain. If 1t was l,
| did il never knowing who he was
never meaning to touch him. was
after the man that killed my brother
Sassonn didn't care which II was, never
did. then nor never. But he held II
over me 10 make trouble sometime
twixt you and me. l was young fel
low. | thought | was revenging IN!
brother. And II your father wa'
allied by a patched bullet, his blood II
not on me, De Spain, and never was
Sassoon always shot patched bullet
never shot one in my life. And II
never told you this of my own self
Nan sald IL was the whole truth iron
me to you, or her lie. She's as mucl
mine MS she Is yours. ] nursed her
took care of her when there weren'
no other living soul to do 1t. She 20
me and herself out into this, this
morning. I'd never been caught lik
this IL I'd had my way. | told he
fore we'd been out an hour we'd neve
see the end of 1t. She said she'd rattle
die In il than you'd think she quit yor
| told her I'd go on with her and d
MS g,o yald-that's why we're her,
and that's the whole truth, so help IN
God
81 amt afraid Of yo,, De Spain. IT
give you whatever you thinks COMING
to you with rifle or gun any time
anywhere-you're a better man than
am or ever was, know that-and ina
ought to satisfy you. Or, I'll STAN
my trial, II you say so, and tell IN
truth"
The ice.laden wind, as De Spai
stood still, swept past the little grou
with a sinister roar, insensible alike !
Its emotions and its deadly peri
Within the shelter of his arm he fel
the yielding form of the indomitaol
girl who, by the power of love, ha
, wrung from the outlaw his reluctaf
story-the story Of the murder thi
. had stained with Its red strands III
D relations Of each of their lives to Dol
!. The others. He felt against his heal
5 the faint trembling Of her frail boa
So, when a boy, he had held In n
4 hand fluttering bird and felt u
whirring beat of its frightened heal
against his strong, cruel fingers.
A sudden aversion 10 more pioo'
shed, a sickenIng Of vengeance, swel
over him as her heart mutely beat II
mercy against his heart. She ha
n done more than any man could q
/ Now she waited on him. Both n
Q arms wrapped round her. In the breat
3 less embrace that drew her closer 81
a read her answer from him. She look
r. up into his eyes and waited. "rhere
!. more than what's between you and m
a Duke, facing US now" said De Spa
r. sternly, when he turned. We've 9
=. to get Nan out of this-even II
!. don't get out ourselves. Where DO y
/, figure we aref" he cried.