The Lamar register., 1917-05-02

of the horribly sharp action with him.
But Mans common sense whispered to
her, whatever might be said about De
Spain's starting the fight, that one man
locked Ill "a room with four enemies, all
dangerous in an ARRAY, was not likely
to begin IL fight unless forced to
none, at least, but u mailman would do
so.
Unhappy and irresolute, Nan, when
she got home, was glad Of an excuse
to ride to Calabasas for a packet of
dressing coming by stage from Sleepy
Cat for Gale, who lay wounded ut Satt
MOrgun's; and, eating a hasty lunch
con, she ordered her horse and set out.
Should she tell her Uncle Duke of
finding De Spain? Whenever she de
cided that she must, something in the
recollection of De Spain's condition IN
settled her resolution. Tales enough
of his bloodthirstiness, his merclless
efficiency. his ever-ready craft and con-
summate duplicity were familiar to
her. Yet only a few of these stories
appealed to Mans innate convictions
of truth and justice. She lived among
men who were, for the most part, not
truthful or dependable even in small
things-hOw could they be relied on to
tell the truth about De SPANS motives
and conduct? As to his deadly skill
with arms, no stories were needed to
confirm this. even though she herself
had once overcome him in n contest.
The evidence of his mastery had now
n fatal pre-eminence among the TRACE
dies of the Spanish sinks. Where he
lay he could, If he meditated revenge
on her people, murder any of them, al
most at will. To spare his life imper-
He'd to this extent thelrs-but surely
he lay not far from death by exhaus-
ton. And If he was not helped soon
he would die.
But who was to help him7 Certainly
none Of his friends. If she told them
they would try to reach him. That
would mean an appalling-an unthink-
ahle-fight. All came back to one ter
rifying alternative: Should she help
this wretched man herself7 And IL he
lived, would he repay her by shooting
someone Of her own kim
The long ride to Calabasas went fast
as the debate swept on, and the vivid
shock of her strange experience re-
Cured to her Imagination.
She drew up before the big barn.
Jim McAlpin was coming out to go TO
supper. Nan asked for her package
ana wanted to start directly back
again. McAlpin refused absolutely to
hear Of It. He looked at her horse and
pr0fessed to be shocked. He told her
she had ridden hard. urged her TO dis
mount, and sent her pony in to be
rubbed. While her horse was cared
for, McAlpin asked, in his harmless
Scotch way, about Gale.
Concerning Gale, Nan was noncom-
initial. But she listened with interest,
more or less yelled, to whatever run
ming comment McAlpln had to offer
concerning the Calabasas fight. "And
1 was sorry to see Gale mixed up In It,
he concluded. In his effort to draw Nan
out, "sorry. And sorrier to think OF
Henry de Spain getting killed that
way. Some say" he suggested, look
ing significantly toward the door of
the barn, and significantly away again,
shat Henry went down there to pick O
fight with the boys. But" he asserted
crypticafiy, II happen to know that
wasn't So"
"Then what did he go down there
for?" demanded Nan Indignantly, but
not wurily.
McAlpin the situation now in hand, |
took his time to 1t. He leaned forward
In a manner calculated to invite conf |
dence without giving offense. "Mlss
Nan" said he simply, Henry de Spain
was here, with me, sitting right there
where you are sitting, in that chair, |
not fifteen minutes before that fight
began l told you he never went down
there 10 fight Do you want the proof |
III tell you'll wouldn't want anybody
else to know-will you keep it,"
Nan seemed Indifferent. Girls are
not supposed to keep secrets" she said !
obstinately.
Her narrator was not to be baked. |
He pointed TO the coat-rack on the |
wall in front Of them both. There is |
Henry de SPANS coat. He hung 1t |
there just before he went down to the |
inn. Under 1t, II you look, you'll find |
his belt Of cartridges. Don't take my |
word-looll for yourself"
Giving this Information time to sink |
In, McAlpln continued. Mans eyes had |
turned, despite her Indifference, to the |
i.,,t .-t,. ,,-,u