Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1917-05-24
CHAPTER xxllI-continued.


uneasy concerning Nan. and was not
to be baked, by any combination, Of
his purpose of finding her. To secure
information concerning her was not
possible, unless he should enter the
house, and this, with scant hesitation,
he decided to do.
He wore q snug-fitting leathern
coat. He unbuttoned this and threw
ft open as he stepped noiselessly up
to the door. Laying his hand on the
knob, he paused, then, finding the
door unlocked, he pushed it slowly
open.
The wind, rushed In, upset his cal
culatlOns and blew open the door lead
ing from the hall into the living room.
A stream Of light in turn shot through
the open door, across the hall. In
stantly De Spain stepped inside and
directly behind the front doOr-which
he now realized he dare not close
and stood expectant In the darkness.
Gale Morgan, with an impatient ex-
clamatlon, strobe from the fireplace to
close the front door.
AS he walked into the hall and
slammed the front door shut, he could
have touched with his hand the man
standing in the shadow behind 1t. De
Spain, not hoping to escape, stood
with folded arms, but under the ell
bow of his left arm WIS hidden the
long muzzle of his revolver. Holding
his breath, he waited. Gales mind
was apparently filled with other
things. He did not suspect the pres
ence of an intruder, and he walked
back into the living room, partly clos
ing the second door. De Spain, fol-
lowing almost on his heels, stepped
past this door, past the hall stairs OPP
posite it, and through a curtained
opening at the end of the hall into
the dining room. Barely ten feet from
him, this room opened through an
arch into the living room, and where
he stood he could hear all that was
said.
who's there?" demanded Duke
grufIiy.
Nobody" said Gale. go on,
Druel."
Druel talked softly and through his
nose: II was only going to say it
would be a good idea to have two wit
nesses."
"Nita," suggested Gale.
Duke was profane. "You couldn't
keep the girl in the room if she had
Mia to help her. And 1 want it IN
-derstoOd, Gale, between you and me,
fair and square, that Mans goin' to
live right here with me after this mar
riage till I'm satisfied she's willing
to 20 to yOu-otherwise 1t can't take
place, now or never"
DE Spain opened his ears. Gale
relt the hard, cold tone Of his crusty
relative, and answered with like
harshness: "What do you keep harp
ing on that for? You've got my word.
All l want of you is to keep yours
understand"
"COme, come" interposed Druel.
EThere's no need of hard words. But
we need two witnesses. Who's going
TO be the other witness?"
Before anyone could answer De
Spain stepped out into the open arch
way before the three men. "Tn act
as the second Witness" he said.
With a common roar the Morgans
bounded to their feet. De Spain,
standing Slightly sidewise, his coat
iapels tapped wide open, his arms
lakimbo, and his hands on his hips,
faced the three in an attitude of read
mess only. He had reckoned on the
Instant of indecislon which at times,
when coupled with apprehension, par
alyzes the will Of two men acting to-
gether. Under the circumstances ell.
ther of the MOrgans alone would have
whipped a gun on De Spain at sight
Together, and knowing that to do SC
'meant death to the one that took the
!frst shot from th& archway, each wait
ed for the R4Ae-i that fraction of Q
second Unsettled their purpose. In
stead Of bullets, each launched curses
at the intruder, and every second thai
passed led away from a fight.
De Spain took their oaths, demands
and abuse without batting an eye.
I'm here for the second witness,
was all he repeated, covering boil
men with short glances. Druel, hi
face muddy white as the whlsk!
bloat deserted it, shrunk inside hi
shabby clothes. De Spain with eacl
-eplthet hurled at him took a dreadet
,step toward Gale, and Druel, in tn
Sine of fire, brought his knees up an,
mis- head down till he curled like
sporcupine.
Gale, game as he undoubtedly waI
scornered, felt perhaps recollections O
-CalabasaS and close quarters with tn
brown eyes and the burning fac,
What they might mean In this littl
tfOom, which De Spain was crossin
step by step, was food for though
Nor did De Spain break his Obstinat
silence until their burst of rage ha
blown. you've arranged your mai
lrtage," he said Mt length. "Now pu
Ct"
INV COusinia randy IN MARRY M