The Mena weekly star., 1917-02-15

1 Hams cache. rode in last night from Thief river, and you are riding out with me to start me on to the Sleepy Cat trall. If you can remember that much"
 De Spain stopped halfway through his sentence. The figure revealed in the half-light puzzled him at first. Then it confused and startled him. He saw 1t was not a man at all, but a woman and woman than whom he would rather have seen six men. It was Nan Morgan.
 With her head never more decisively set under her mannish hat, her waist never more attractively outlined in slenderness, she silently faced De Spain in the morning gray. His face reflected his chagrined perplexity. He could already see Mans eyes. They were bent keenly first on him, then on his companion, and again on him. De Spain kept his face down as much as he dared, and his hat had been pulled well over 1t from the beginning.
 They were now almost abreast. The very instinctive knowledge that her eyes were bent on his made him steal a glance at her in spite of himself. The next instant he was shamefacedly touching his hat. Though nothing was lost on her, Nan professed not to see the greeting. When she spoke her tone was dry with suspicion.
 ''Wait a moment, Sassoon. Where are you going?" she demanded. Sas- soon hitched with one hand at his trousers band. He inclined his head sulkily toward his companion. start ing man on the trail for Sleepy Cat"
 Stop" she exclaimed sharply, for De Spain, pushing his own horse ahead, had managed without being observed, to kick Sassoon's horse in the flank, and the two were passing. Sassoon at the resolute summons stopped. De Spain could do no less; both men. halting, faced their suspicious inquisi- tor. She scrutinlzed De Spain keenly. What is this man doing in the gap?"
 ''He came up from Thief river last night" answered Sassoon monoton- ously.
 ''What is he doing here with you?" persisted Nan.
 He's cousin of John Rebstock's from Williams Cache" continued Sas- soon. The yarn would have sounded decently we'll in the circumstances for which 1t was intended, but in the searching gaze of the eyes now con fronting and clearly recognizing him, 1t sounded so grotesque that De Spain would fully as lief have been sitting between his horses legs as astride his back.
 That's not true, SassoOn," said his relentless questioner. Her tone and the expression of her face boded no friendliness for either of the two she had intercepted.
 De Spain had recovered his wits. You're right" he interposed without an instant's hesitation. Tt isn't true. But that's not his fault; he is under arrest, and is telling you what I told him to tell you. I came in here this morning to take Sassoon to Sleepy Cat. He is a prisoner, wanted for cutting up one of our stage-guards."
 Nan, coldly skeptical, eyed De Spain. And do you try to tell me"--she pointed to Sassoon's unbound hands that he Is riding out of here, free man, to go to jail2"
 T do tell you exactly that. He is my prisoner"
 T don't believe either of you," de- clared Nan scornfully. You are plan ming something underhand together"
 De Spain laughed coolly. We've planned that much together, but not, l assure you, with his consent"
 q don't believe your stories at all" she declared firmly.
 De Spain flushed. The irritation and the serious danger bore in on him. If