The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-08-22
G NAN Of 9
MUSIC MOUNTAIN
By frank II. Spedrmdn
Author q Whispering Smith
o+%anrr % ovass~ xDrr, suS
Author q Whispering Smth

and that's the whole truth, so help M
Godi
81 amt afraid of you, De Spain. I'll
give you whatever you thinks coming
10 you with a rifle or "A gun any time,
aL!7yhere-you're n better man than
am or ever was. | know that-and that
ought 10 satisfy you. Or. I'll stand
my trial, il you say so, and tell the
truth
The lce-laden wind, as De Spain
stood still. swept past the little group
with a sinister roar, insensible alike to
its emotions and its deadly peril.
Within the shelter of his arm he felt
the yielding form of the indomitable
girl who, by the power of love, had
wrung from the outlaw his reluctant
story-the story OF the murder h
had stained with its red strands the
the others. He felt against his heart
the faint trembling OF her frail body.
So. when "a boy, he had held in his
hand a iuttering bird and felt the
whirring beat Of its frightened hear.
against his strong, cruel fingers.
A sudden aversion 10 more blood
shed, a ~sickening Of vengeance, swept
over him as her heart mutely beat for
mercy against his heart. She had
done more than any man could do.
Now she waited on him. Both his
arms wrapped round her. In the breath
less embrace that drew her closer she
read her answer from him. She looked
up into his eyes and waited. There's
more than what's between you and me,
Duke, facing us now" said De Spain
sternly, when he turned. We've got
to get Nan out Of this-even If we
don't get out ourselves. Where do you
figure We are?" he cried.
II figure we're two miles north Of
the lava beds, De Spain" shouted Nor
gan.
De Spain shook his head In dissent.
Then where are wei" demanded the
older mar rudely.
~ ought not to say. against you.
But II I've got to guess, l say two
miles east. Either way. we must try
for Sleepy Cat. Is your team all
rightT"
Team Is all right. We tore a wheel
near of getting out Of the lava. The
wagons done for"
De Spain threw the fur coat at him.
"Put II on" he said. We'll look at
the Wheel"
They tried together to wrench II
into shape, but worked without avail.
In the end they dashed 1t, put Nan on
the Lady, and walked behind while the
team pushed into the pitiless wind.
Morgan wanted to cut the wagon away
and take to the horses, but De Spain
said. not till they found a trail or the.
stage road.
So much snow had fallen that in
spite Of the blizzard, driving with an
%unrelenting fury, the drifts were deep
ening, packing, and making all effort
increasingly difficult. 1t vas well-nigh
impossible to head the horses into the
storm, and De Spain looked with ever
more anxious eyes Mt Nan. After half
an hours superhuman struggle to re-
gain a trail that should restore their
bearings, they halted, and De Spain,
riding up to the wagon, spoke to Nor
gan, who was driving: "How long Is
this going to last?"
"All day and all night" Nan leaned
closely over to hear the curt question
and answer Neither man spoke again
for a moment.
"WeIl have to have help" said De
Spain after a pause.
"HelpT echoed Morgan scornfully.
where's help coming from?"
De SPANS answer was not hurried.
zone of US must go after it." Nan
looked at him intently.
Duke set his hard jaw against the
hurtling stream Of ice that showered
on the forlorn party. "Ill 60 for it."
he snapped.
mo-" returned De Spain. Better
for me to 60"
"Go together" said Nan.
De Spain shook his head. Duke
Morgan, too, said that only one should
go; the other must stay. De Spain,
while the storm ratified and shook al
the two men, told why he should 90
himself. Its not claiming you are not
entitled to say who should 60, Duke
he said evenly. "Nor that our men
anywhere you reach. wouldn't give YOU
the SAINT attention they would me
And 1t isn't saying that you're not thu
better man for the job--you've trav
eled the sinks longer than / have. Blu
between you and me, Duke, It's twenty
eight years against fifty. I ought t.
hold out a while the longer, that's all
Let's work farther to the east"
Quartering against the mad hurri
cane, they drove and rode on until tn,
team could hardly be urged to furthe
effort against the Infatuated element
DE Spain riding at intervals ~ "a
20 the right and the left as he dared
N vain quest Of a landmark. When
ne halted beside the wagon for the
last time he was q mass Of snow and
lce; horse and rider were frozen to
eacn other. He got down to the