The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-07-25
at Can't Go On Forever"

be hunting for n drink the mute II
gets cold know them. You can ride
right over their toes, if you'll be pa
tent"
The sun set across the range in a
drift of g~rayiSh-black. low-lying
clouds. which seemed only to await its
disappearance 10 envelOp the noun
tains and empty their moisture on the
desert. BY the time De Spain and Lee
fever reached the end of their long
ride n misty rain was drifting down
ridden into the quaking asps when n
man coming out of the gap almost
rode into them. The intruderS had
halted and We're sufficiently hidden to
escape notice. had not L~efcver's horse
indiscreetly coughed. The man from
the gap refined up and called out. Lee
fever answered.
Its Bull Page" declared De Spain,
after the exchange Of n few words,
! calling to Bull at the same time to
come over to the shelter Of the trees.
whats going on in there. Bull?"
asked De Spain after Bull had told
him that Gale had driven him out, and
he was heading for Calabasas.
you tell" retorted Page. Looks
TO me like old Dukes getting ready
to die. Gale says he's going to draw
his will tonight. and don't want no.
body around-got old Judge Druel in
there
De Spain pricked up his ears.
whats that, Druel?" he demanded.
Bull repeated his declaration. Lefe-
yer broke into violent language at the
Sleepy Cat ~jurist's expense, and ended
by declaring that no will should be
drawn in the gap that night by Duke
Morgan or anybody else, unless he
and Bull were made legatees.
Beyond this nothing could be
learned from Bull, who was persuad-
ed without difficulty by Lefever to
abandon the idea of riding to Calaba-
sas through the rain, and to spend
the night with him in the n~eighbor-
hood, wherever fancy, the rain, and
the w!nd-which was rising-should
dictate.
While the two were talking. De
Spain tried to slip away, unObserved
0y Lcfever, on his errand. He failed,
as he expected to, and after some "a
miliar abuse, rode off alone, fortified
by every possible suggestion at the
hands Of a man to whom the slightest
precaution was usually a joke.
De Spain reached Dukes ranch un-
challenged. Night had fallen every
where, and the increasing rain OBJ
scured even the outline Of the house.
But a light shone through n incur
tanned window. He waited some time
for a sound Of life, for a door to open
or close, or for the dog to bark-he
heard nothing. Slipping out Of the
wet saddle, he led his horse in the
darkness under the shelter Of the lone
pine tree and. securing him, walked
slowly toward the house.
Mindful of the admonitions he had
been loaded with, he tramped around
the house in narrowing circles, paus-
Ing at times to look and listen. In
like manner he circled the barn and
stables, until he had made sure there
was no ambush and that he was alone
outside. After q time he stepped
around to the front Of the house,
where, screened by a bit Of %shrubbery,
he could peer at close range into the
living room.
Standing before the fire burning In
the open hearth, and with his back
to 1t, he now saw Gale Morgan. Sit
ting bolt upright beside the table.
square-jawed and obdurate, his stubby
brier pipe supported by his hand and
gripped In his great teeth, Duke Nor
gan looked uncompromisingly past his
belligerent nephew into the fire. A
third and elderly man, heavy, red
faced. and almost toothless as he
spoke. sat to the right Of the table in
q rocking chair, and looked ut Duke;
this was the old lawyer and justice
from Sleepy Cat, the sherif's broth.
er-Judge Druel.
Nan was not to be seen. Gale, big
and aggressive, was doing most of the
talking. and energetically, as was his
habit. Duke listened t%houghtfully,
but seemingly with GOODNESS. Druel
looked from Gale to Duke, and ap-
peared occasionally to put In a word
to carry the argument along.
De Spain suspected nothing Of what
they were talking about. but he was
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.
BE wore q snug-ntting leathern
coat. BE unbuttoned this and threw
u open a. he stepped .n~oiselesslyb sup.|
to the door. Laying his hand on the