Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-10
Nan ST
Music
Mountain
By
FRANK H. SPEARMAN
Author of WHISPERING SMITH
Copyright by chsr'es soribnsrs sOnsl
(Continued.)

(Continued.)
John Lefever. Jeffries, Scott in
turn took him in hand to hold him
during three days, to restrain the
fury of his resentment, and keep him
from riding TO the gap in a temper
that each of them knew would mean
only a tragedy worse than what had
gone before. Even three days of
tactful representation and patient
admonition from cool-headed coun-
selors did not accomplish all they
hoped for in De Spain's attitude. His
rage subsided, but only to be follow
ed by a settled gloom that they
knew might burst into uncontroll-
able anger at any moment.
A report reached McAlpin that
Gale Morgan was making ready to
return to Music mountain with the
remnants of Sandusky's gang, to
make a demand on Duke for certain
property and partnership adjust
ments. This rumor he telephoned to
Jeffries. Before talking with De
Spain, Jeffries went over the infor-
nation with LefeVer. The two agreed
it was right, in the circumstances,
that De Spain should be nearer than
than Sleepy Cat to Nan. Moreover,
the period of waiting she had en-
Joined on him was almost complete.
Without giving De Spain the story
IullNs the wv " ll4tAl lNtlh4llS bS4OLC Hill
let the discussion drift toward a pro-
posal on his part to go down to Gala
basas, where he could more easily
keep track of any movement to or
from the gap, and this they approx
ed, De Spain. already chafing under
a hardly endured restraint lost no
time in starting for Calabasas, direct
ing Lefever to follow next day.
1t added nothing to his peace of
mind in ThR in m learn def
nitely from McAlpin that Gale Nor
gan, within twenty-four hours, had
really disappeared from Calabasas.
No word of any kind had come from
Music mountain for days. No one at
Calabasas was aware even that Nan
had gone into the gap again. Bob
Scott was at Thief River. De Spain
telephoned to him to come up on the
early stage, and turned his attention
toward getting information from
Music mountain without violating
Mans Injunction not to Illustrate her
most delicate effort with her uncle.
AS possible scout to look into her
present situation and report on it,
McAlpin could point only to Bull
Page. Bull was a ready instrument,
but his present value as an assistant
had become matter of doubt, since
practically every man in the gap had
threatened within the week to blow
his head off-though Bull himself
felt no scruples against making an
attempt TO reach Music mountain
and get back again. 1t was proposed
by the canny McAlpin to send him in
with a team and light wagon, osten-
sibly to bring out his trunk, which,
If it had not been fed to the horses
was still in Dukes barn. AS soon as
a rig could be got up Page started
out.
1t was late November. a far. clear
air drew the snow-capped ranges
sharply down to the eye of the desert
as if the speckless sky, light 81 .,s
the radiant sun, were but monster
glass rigged TO trick the credulous
retina. De Spain, in the saddle in
front of the barn, his broad hat brim
set on the impassive level of the
western horseman, his lips seeming
to compress his thoughts, his lines
over his forearm, and his hands
half-slipped in to the pockets of his
leather coat, watched Page with his
light wagon and horses drive away.
Idling around the neighborhood of
the barns in the saddle, De Spain
saw him gradually reCede into the
long desert perspective, the perspec-
tive which almost alone enabled the
watcher to realize as he curtained his
eyes behind their long, steady lashes
from the blazing sun, that it was a
good bit of a way to the foot of the
great outpost of the Superstition
range.
De Spain's restlessness prevented
bis remaining quietly anywhere for
long. AS the morning advanced he
cantered out on the Music mountain
trail, thinking of and wishing for a
sight of Nan. The deadly shock of
Pardaloe's story had been dulled by
days and nights of pain. His deep
rooted love and his loneliness had
nuieted his impulse for vengeance and
overborne him with a profound sad
ness. He realized how different his
feelings were now from what they
had been when she knelt before him
in the darkeHed room and, not dar-
ing to plead fox mercy for her uncle,
had asked him only for the pity for
herself that he had seemed so slow
TO give. Something reproached him
now for his coldness at the moment,
that he should have thought of her
suffering before his own.