Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-05-24

of despair she laid her burning cheek
Historically against his cheek. She
rained kisses on his ice-crusted brows
aud snoW-beaten eyes. Her arms held
him rigidly. He could not move nor
speak till she would let him. Trans
formed, this mountain girl who gave
herself so shyly, forgot everything. Her
words crowded on his ears. She re-
peated his name in an ecstasy OF well
Come, drew down his lips, laughed, re-
jOiced, knew no Shamefacedness ana
no restraint-she was one freed from
the stroke of a descending knife. A
moment before she had faced death
alone; it was still death she faced
she realized this-but it was death, at
least, together, and her joy and tears
rose from her heart in one stream.
De Spain comforted her, quoted her,
cut away one Of the coats from his
horse, slipped it over her shoulders, IN
cased her in the heavy fur, and turned
his eyes to Duke.
The old mans set, square face sur
rendered nothing Of implacability to
the dangers confronting him. De
Spain looked for none of that. He had
known the Morgan record too long, and
faced the Morgan men too often, to
fancy they would finch at the drum
beat of death.
The two men, in the deadly, driving
snow, eyed each other. Out Of the old
mans deep-set eyes burned the resist
ance of a hundred storms faced before.
But he was caught now like wolf IN
A trap, and he knew he had little to
hope for, little to fear. AS De Spain
regarded him, something like pity may
have mixed with his hatred. The old
outlaw was thinly clad. His open
throat was beaten with snow, and,
standing beside the wagon, he held the
team reins in a bare hand. De Spain
cut the other coat from his saddle and
held it out Duke pretended not to
see, and, when not longer equal TO
keeping up the pretense, shook his
head.
Take it" said De Spain CURLY.
"No."
Take it, I say. You and will settle
our affairs when we get Nan out of
his" he insisted.
de SPAIN" Dukes voice, as was
It's wont, cracked like a pistol. Il can
say all I've got to say to you right
acre."
mo"
yes" cried the old man.
Listen, Henry" pleaded Nan, seek
ng shelter from the furious blast
within his arm, Just for a moment,
isten!
Not now, I tell you'll" cried De
Spain.
'He was coming, Henry, all the way
and he is sick-just to say it to you.
Let him say it here, now"
"Go ont" cried De Spain roughly.
Say it."
Pm not afraid of you, De Spain! !"
shouted the old man, his neck barred to
he flying ice. Don't think it! You're
1 better man than I am, better than |
yer was-don't think I don't know
hat. But I'm not afraid Of e'er
nan I faced De Spain; they'll tell
YOU that when I'm dead. All the
rouble that ever come tween you and
| ne come by an accident-come before
gou was born, and come through Dave
| 5assoon, and he's held it over me ever
| since you come up into this country.
was young fellow, SassooD worked
Cor my father. The cattle and sheep
! war was on, north of Medicine Bend.
| rhe Peace river sheepmen ratded our
! p1ace-your father was with them. He
never did us no harm, but my brother,
Bay Morgan, was shot in that raid by
| 4 man name of Jennings. I started
! out to get the man that shot him. Sas-
soon trailed him to the Bar NJ, the old
| De Spain ranch, working for your IA
! Their"
The words fell fast and in q fury.
They came as If they had been choked
back till they Strangled. "Sassoon
| took me over there. Toward night we
| got in sight of the ranchhouse We
| saw a man down at the corral. That's
| Jennings SasSoOn says. | never laid
| eyes on him before-I never laid eyes
on your father before. Both of US
fred. Next day we heard your father
was killed, and Jennings had left the
country. SassoOn or I, one of us, killed
| your father, De Spain. If it was [,
[ did it never knowing who he was,
| never meaning to touch him. I was
after the man that killed my brother.
| SassOOn didn't care which it was, never
| did, then nor never. But he held it
| over me to make trouble sometime
'twixt you and me. was young fell
| low. l thought I was revenging nv
| brother. And If your father was
killed by patched bullet, his blood is
| not on me, De Spain, and never was.
Sassoon always shot patched bullet.
| | never shot one in my life. And I'd
never told you this of my own self.
! Nan said it was the whole truth from
NE to you, or her life. She's as much
mine as she is yours. I nursed her.
| | took care Of her when there weren't
| 40 other living soul to do it. She got
| me and herself out into this, this.
| morning. I'd never been caught like
| this if I'd had my way. l told her
! fore we'd been out an hour we'd never
! see the end of it. She said she'd rather
! die in it than you'd think she quit you.
! | told her I'd go on with her and do
as she said-that's why we're here,
and that's the whole truth, SO help me