The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-06-20
Author Of whispering Smith

Bull was beyond expressing his com
prehension In words alone. He winked
nodded, and screwed his face into {
thousand wrinkles. De Spain, wheel
ing, o away, the old man blinking
first after him, and then at the money
in his hand. He didn't profess TO IN,
derstand everything in the high coun.
try. but he could still distinguish the
principal figures at the end of Il bank
note. When he trarnped to Calabasas
the next day to interview McAlpin he
received more advice, with n strong
burr, about keeping his own counsel,
and q little expense money to run him
until an opening presented Itself or
the pay roll.
But long before Bull Page reached
Calabasas that day De Spain had act
ed. When he left Bull at the bridge
he started FOR Galabasas, took supper
there, ORDERED z saddle horse for one
o'clock In the morning, went to his
room, slept soundly, and. shortly after
he was called. started for Music noun
tain. He walked his horse into the gap
and rOde straight for Duke Morgan's
fortress. Leaving the horse under a
heavy mountain pine close TO the road,
De Spain walked carefully but directly
around the house to the east side. The
sky was cloudy and the darkness al
most complete. He made his way as
close as he could TO Mans window. and
raised the soft, grooming note OF the
desert owl.
After a while he was able to dlstin-
guish the outline OF her easement. and,
with much patience and some little
skill remaining from the boyhood days.
he kept up the faint call. Down at the
big barn the chained watchdog tore
himself with a fury Of barking at the
intruder, but mountain lions were com
mon in the gap, and the noisy sentinel
gained no credit for his alarm. In
deed, when the dog slackened his
fierceness, De Spain threw a stone over
his way to encourage a fresh outburst.
But neither the guardian nor the in
truder was able to arouse anyone
within the hUuse.
Undeterred by his failure, De Spain
held his ground as long as he dared.
When daybreak threatened, he with
drew. The following night he was I'm
the gap earlier and with renewed de-
termination. He tossed q pebble into
Mans open window and enewed his
soft call. Soon a light fickered for an
instant within the room and died out.
In the darkness following this, De
Spain thought he discerned a figure
outlined at the easement. Some min
utes later a door opened and closed.
He repeated the cry of the owl, and
could hear a footstep; the next mo-
ment he whispered her name as she
stood before him.
"What Is 1t you want?" she asked.
so calmly that 1t upset him. "Why do
you come here?"
Where he stood he was afraid of the
sound of her voice, and afraid of his
own. 7 see you" be said, collecting
himself. Come over to the pine tree"
Under its heavy branches, where the
why he had come-because he could
not see her anywhere outside.
"There is nothing to see me about"
she responded, still calm. II helped
you because you were wounded. l
was glad TO see you get away without
ighting-I hate bloodShed."
But put yourself in my place a
little, won't you? After what you did
TOR me, isn't II natural | should want
20 be sure you are well and not In any
trouble on my account?'
ut may be natural, but ii isn't nee
assary. | am In no trouble. No one
here knows l even know you"
Excuse me for coming, then. l
couldn't rest, Nan. without knowing
something. l was here last night"
81 know you were"
He started. "You made no sign"
"Why should l? / suspected it was
you, When you came again tonight l
knew should have to speak to you
at least, to ask you not to come again."
But you will be in and out of town
sometimes, won't you, Nan?"
IF l am, 1t will not be to talk with
you"
The words were spoken deliberately.
De Spain was silent for a moment.
Not even TO speak to me?' he asked.
you must know the position | am
in," she answered. "And what q no
sition you place me in If / am seen to
speak TO you. This is my home. You
are the enemy of my people,"
"Not because | want to be-"
sand you can't expect them not to
resent any acquaintance on my part
with you."
He paused before continuing. "Do
you count Gale Morgan as one of your
peopleT' he asked evenly.
II suppose l must"
Don't you think you ought. to count
all of your friends, your well-wishers,
those who would defend you with their
lives, among your peopleT" She made
no answer. "Aren't they the kind of
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