The Ralston Tribune (Ralston, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 49, Ed. 1 Friday, May 25, 1917 Page: 4 of 8
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::
Nan sf
Music
Mountain
By-
FRANK H. SPEARMAN
Author of "WHISPKR1N0 SMITH"
ICoprrlf bt bj ChbflM Moxlbuar'i Bom)
CHAPTER XXIV.—Continued.
—10—
Another bullet, deliberately aimed,
oIiIpfMMl th« rock above him. Nan.
agonizing In her suspense, cried out
she must Join, him and go with him
If he went. He steadied her with a
few words. A bullet struck again
viciously close between them. De
Spain spoke slowly: “Give me your
Without turning his head, he
rifle.’
held out his hand, keeping his eyes
rigidly on the suspicious spot on the
ridge. "How far is It to that road,
Nan?"
She looked toward the faint line
that lay In the deep shadows below.
"Three hundred yards.”
“Nan, If It wasn’t for you, I couldn’t
travel this country at ail," he re-
marked with studious unconcern.
"Last time I had no ammunition—this
• time, no rifle—you ulways have what’s
needed. How high are we, Nan?”
“Seven hundred feet."
"Elevate for me, Nan, will you?”
"Remember the wind," she faltered,
adjusting the sight ns he had asked.
With the cautioning words she
passed the burnished weapon, glitter-
ing yet with the raindrops. Into his
bund. A flash came from the distant
ridge. Throwing his rifle to his shoul-
der, De Spain covered n hardly per-
ceptible black object on the trull mid-
wuy between Sassoon’s ranch-house
and n little bridge. Then he tired be-
fore Nun could believe he had lined
the sights. Once, twice, three times
ids hand fell ami rose sharply on the
lever, with every mark of precision,
yet so rapidly Nun could not under-
stand how he coutd discover whut his
shots were doing.
The fire came steadily back, and de-
liberately, without the least Intimation
of being affected by De Spuin'* return.
Then, while she looked, breathlessly,
he took his eyes an instant from the
sights. “He’s running!” exclaimed De
Spuin as the rifle butt went lastuntly
buck to his cheek. "Whoever be Is,
God help Idm now!”
Ihillet nfter bullet pitilessly led the
escaping wretch. Suddenly De .Spain
Jerked the rifle from his cheek, threw
lan k his head, nnd swept his left hand
across his struinlng eyes. Once more
the rifle came up to place und flame
shot again In the gray morning light
from the hot muzzle. The rifle fell
uway from the shoulder. The black
sjH*ck running toward the ranchhouae
stumbled, as If stricken by an ax, nnd
sprawled headlong on the trail.
They reached the end of the trail.
De Spain, rifle In hand, looked buck.
J he sun, bursting in splendor across
the great desert, splashed* the valley
and the low-lying ridge with ribboned
gold. 1’urthcr up the gap horsemen,
stirred by the tiring, were riding rab-
idly down toward Sassoon’s ranch-
house. Rut the blaek thing in the
sunshine lay quite still.
CHAPTER XXV.
— '(I
Lefever to the Rescue.
Lcfever, chafing In the aspen grove
under the restraint of waiting In the
storm, was ready long before daylight
to hrenk orders and ride In to tlud
De Spain.
With the first peep of dawn, und
with his men facing him In their sad-
dles, Lefever made u abort explanation.
‘♦don't want any man to go into the
gap with me this morning under any
misunderstanding or any false pre-
tense," he began cheerfully, ”Rob
Scott and Hull will stay right here. If,
by any chance, De Spain makes his
way out while the rest of us are hunt,-
lag for him, you'll be here to signal us
—three shots. Rob—or to ride in with
De SiniIii to help rnrry the rest of us
out. Now, It's like this," be added, ad-
dressing the others. “You, all of you
know, or ought to know—everybody
'twlxt here and the railroad knows—
that De Spain and Nan Morgan have
fastened up to each other for the long
ride down the dusty trull together.
That, I take It, Is their business. Rut
her uncle, old Duke. undjinle, and the
whole bunch, I hear, ........I dead sore
on tt, and have tlxed It up to heat them
You all know the Morgans. They're
....... bum'll—and they stick for one
another like hornets, and all hold to-
gether In a light. So I don't want any
man to rule In there with me thinking
**e's going to a wedding. He Isn't. He
m«y or limy not he going to a Minoru I.
bill lies not going |o II slilViiree."
“Second verse. John. You're boss
here; whet lire we going to do? That’s
all we want to know," Elpaso replied.
“Henry's orders were to watt hpre
till fen o’clock this morning. There's
been firing Inside twice since twelve
o’clock Inst night. He told me to pny
no attention to that. But if the whole
Place hadn't been under water all
night. I’d hnve gone In, anyway. This
last time It wns two high-powered
gun", picking at long range and. If I’m
any judge of rifles nnd the men prob-
ably behind them, someone must have
got hurt. It's all a guess—but I’m go-
ing In there, peaceably If I can. to look
for Henry de Spain; if we are fired on
—we’ve got to fight for It. AuU
(here’s nny talking to be done—”
“You can do It,” grunted Elpaso.
"Thank you, Frank. And I will do It.
I need not say that Kennedy will ride
abend with me, Klpnso nud Wickwire
with Tommie Meggeson.'
Leaving Scott la the trees, the little
party trotted smartly up the road,
picking their way through the pools
and across the brawling streams that
tore over the trail toward Duke Mor-
gan’s place. The condition of the trail
broke their formation continually and
Lefever. In the circumstances, was not
sorry. His only anxiety was to keep
Klpnso from riding ahead far enough
to embroil them In a quarrel before he
himself should come up.
Half-way to Duke's house they found
n small bridgp had gone out. It cut off
the direct road, and, ut Klpnso's sug-
gestion, they crossed over to follow the
ridge up the valley. Swimming their
horses through the backwater that cov-
ered the depression to the south, they
gained the elevation and proceeded,
unmolested, on their way. As they
approached Sassoon's place, Elpaso,
riding ahead, drew up his horse nnd sat
a moment studying the trail nnd cast-
ing an occasional glance in the direc-
tion of the ranch-boose, which lay un-
der the brow of a hill ahead.
When Lefever rode up to him, he
*nw the story that Elpaso was reading
in the roadway. It told of a man shot
in his tracks us he was running toward
the house—and. In the judgment of
these men. futnlly shot—for. while his
companions spread like a fan In front
of him, Lefever got off his horse und.
bending Intently over the sudden page
torn out of u man’s life, recast the
scene that had taken place, where he
stood, half un hour earlier. Some little
time Lefever «i»ent patiently decipher-
ing the story printed in the rutted road,
and marked by a wide crimson splash
In the middle of It. He rose from his
study at length nnd followed hack the
trull of the running feet that had been
stricken at the pool. He stooped In
front of a fragment of rock Jutting up
beside the road, studied It a while und.
looking about, picked up n number of
empty cartridge-shells, examined them,
and tossed thorn away. Then he
straightened up and looked searching-
ly across the gap. Only the great,
silent face of El Cupituu confronted
him. It told no tales.
"If this waa Henry de Spain," mut-
tered Elpaso. when Lefever rejoined
his companions, “he won’t cure whether
you Join him now, or ut teu o’clock, or
never.”
“That Is not Henry.” asserted Le-
fever with his usual cheer. “Not With-
in forty rows of apple trees. It’s not
Henry’s gun. not Henry’s heels, not
Henry's hair, and thereby, not Henry's
head that wns hit that time. Hut it
was to a finish—aud blamed If at first
It didn't scare me. 1 thought It might
he Henry. Hung It, get down und see
for yourselves, boys.
Elpaso answered his invitation with
nn Inquiry. “Who was this fellow
fighting with?"
That, also. Is a question. Certainly
not with Henry de Spain, because the
other fellow. I think, was using soft-
nosed bullets. No white man does that,
much less De Spain.
"Unless Tie used another rifle,” sug-
gested Kennedv.
Tell me how they could gef his own
rifle away from him if he could fire a
gun at all. I don't put Henry quite as
high with a rifle as with a revolver—
If you want to split hairs—mind. I say.
If you want to spilt hairs. Rut no man
that's ever seen him bundle ehher
would want to try to take any kind of
a gun from him. Whoever It wns,” Le-
aver got up tnfo his saddle ntrain.
"threw some ounces of lend Into that
piece of rock hnck there, though I
don't understand how anyone could see
man lying behind It.
"Anyway, whoever wns hit here has
been carried down the road. We'll
try Sassoon's ranch-house If they don't
lire on iis before we get there."
In the sunshine a man In Ulilrt
sleeves, leaning against thejnmh. stood
the open doorway of Sassoon's
shark, watching the Invaders as they
rode nround the hill and gingerly ap-
proached. Lefever recognised Salt Mor-
gan. lie flung a greeting to him from
Ihe saddle.
Satt answered In kind, hut he eyed
(lie horsemen with reserve when they
drew up, and lie seemed to Lefever al-
together less responsive than usual.
John sparred with him for Informn-
'ion and Satterlee gave hack nothing
hut words. .
"(’nut fell us anything about De
Spain, eh?" echoed Lefever at length.
All right. Satt, we'll lind somebody
(hilt can. Is there a bridge over to
Duke's on tills trull?"
Salt's no«e wrinkled info his normal
port of three shots fired in the distance. I yon. Would yon mind putting out the
seemingly from the mouth of the gap.
Interrupted him. He paused In his ut
terance. There were no further shots,
nnd he resumed; “There Is a bridge
lights before I come up—I mean, in the
front of the house and la the room
where we talk?"
Not In the least. 1 mean—I nm nl-
, I, . » ... . . . I --- "VUOI, * IIU.UII 1 illll ill*
.1* "Z: yZ\ Ut | ways willing to take a chance against
any. othep Inan.s But I warr, j.o0>
come prepared to tuke care of your-
self."
"If you will do ns I ask. no harm
will come to anyone.”
last night. They’re blockaded. Duke
nnd Gale are over there. They’re pretty
sore on your man De Spain. You’d bet-
ter keep away from 'em this morning
unless you're looking for trouble."
hind quickly. -Not ,.l nil,” he I 0P “ ,he °' <l10
chiiim-d. f„r„.„rd
his words nnd adding the full orbit of , „ . bcwtt' To h,m 1,0 «**Pl«ined
Ids eye to his sincerity of manner. “No! h"‘w mted S"0*
at all. Soft t»,ib !„ .,ii | “e wnnted. Get up to Grant and Ran-
eherlo. Iioh, as quick as the Lord wlU
let you. Come by the back streets.
at all, Satt. This is all friendly, all
afMf^ln" ajmlo^x ^f bleary ^luluhl^t I There’s "a Mgl)6 “ll TT
turn up o. K., we'll-nhem—be back" lh,K * b,gh mulberry hedge nt the
None of his companions needed to he Thibet yOU,cnn Ket beh,nd-
told how to get prudently away At a I 1 , '!,p ,nny have been talking for
nod from Lefever Tommie Meggesom C^ vvl en h" '7* T
- - “•lover when he passes under the arc
light. If it is Sassoon or Gale Morgan.
come into Jeffries' house l»y the rear
door. Wait In the kitchen for my call
from the living room, or a shot. I’ll
Klpnso and Wickwire wheeled their
horses, rode rapidly back to the turn
near the hill nnd, facing about, halted,
with their rifles across their arms. Le-
fever aud Kennedy followed leisurely i -
nnd the party withdrew leaving Sutter- ar”,nge for your Rett,“S la-
lee. unmoved, In the sunny doorway. | , v,ng tbe telephone, De Spain re-
Once out of sight. Lefever led the way ! Jnm,*d Nan ln the living room. He told
rapidly down the gap to the reu- I h<>r brk>,ly of ,he expected visit and
dezvous. explained, laughingly, that his caller
Of all the confused Impressions that UaXVhe "Khts oot «”d to
crowded Nan’s memory after the wild "* mnde so llttIe
night on Music mountain, the most
vivid was that of a noticeably light-
stepping and not ungraceful fat man
advancing, hat in hand, to greet her us
she stood with De Spain, weary and
bedraggled in the aspen grove.
A smile flamed from her eyes when, j HenryB won't vlu ?’’
rnlng at once h.» n.t...L-^i i.„ ........ lc,uy’ "on 1 >ou"
the inclden* that Nan walked up the
stairs on I>e Spain's nrin reassured.
When he kissed her at her room door
and turned down the stairs again, site
leaned in the half-light over the banis-
ter. waving one hand nt him nnd mur-
muring the last caution: “Re careful.
turning at once, he rebuked I»e Spain
with dignity for not introducing him
to Nan. and while De Spain made m»ol-
ogles Lefever Introduced himself.
“And is this,” murmured Nan,' look-
ing at him quizzically, “really Mr. John
Lefever whom I’ve heard so many
stories about?”
“Dearie. I’m nlwnys careful.”
Cause you're a.I I’ve got now,” she
whispered.
“You're all I’ve got. Nan. girl.”
“I haven't got anv home—or nnv- | . , , , , —----—**•
tiling—just you. Don't go to the door "'t ‘G 7'** * 'V? U> <1<>—” N,uhin“*
s mt uoor lt germed, would hurry the story.
iag to stop him from picking both of
us off.”
“He was hit In the head.”
De Spain was silent
“It was a soft-nose bullet.” contin-
ued I’urdaloe.
Again there wns a pause. “I’ll tell
you about that, too, Parduloe.” Do
Spain went on collectedly. “I lost my
rifle before that man opened tire on
us. Nan happened to hnve her rtflo
with her—if she hudn’U he’d ’ve
dropped one or bqth of us off El Capi-
tal). He were pinued against the wall
.like a couple of targets. If there were
soft-nose bullets In her rifle It’s be-
cause she uses them on game—bobcats
and mountuln lions. I never thought
of It till this mtuute. That Is It”
"What 1 came up to tell you has to
do with Davo Sassoon. From what
happened today in the gap I thought
you ought to know It now. Gale and
Duke quarreled yesterduy over the way
things turned out; they were pretty
hitter. This afternoon Gule took It up
again with his uncle, nnd It ended In
Dukes driving him cleuu out of the
gap.”
“Where has he gone?”
"Nobody knows yet. Ed Wickwire
told me once that your father wus shot
from ambush u good many years ago.
It was north of Medicine Rend, on u
ranch near the Peace river; that yon
never found out who killed him. and
that one reason why you came up into
fills country was to keep an eye out for
u due.”
"What about It?" asked fu Spain,
ifls tone hardening.
“I was riding home one night nbout
a month ago from Calnlmsas with Sas-
soon. He’d been drinking. I let him
do the talking. He began cussing you
out, nnd talked pretty hard about what
you'd done, and what he’d done, und
yourself. Leave the front door open.
"If they hnve come from Mr. de Spain
—I warn you," said John, "take them
with nil reserve.” •
"Rut they haven't ail come from Mr.
de Spain.”
"If they come from any of my.
friends, discredit them in advance. You
could believe what my enemies say.” he
What a head. Nnn !”
De Spain cut off the lights, threw
"Finally, Sassoon says: ‘That hound
don't know yet who got his dad. It
was Duke Morgan; that’s who got him.
I was with Duke when be turned the
trick. We rode down to De Spuln's
open the front door, and in the d irk-1-..... :~~ .—1
down on tin! plnno -Uwl.A “» • ">»«"•
heavy step on the porch, a little while
later, wus followed by a knock on the
open door.
Come in !” called De Spain roughly,
ran on; then added ingenuously “If I Tl,e bu,k of u ,arse nifm filled and ob-
hnd any enemies!” ’ *
To De Spain he
talked very little. It seemed to tnke
hut few words to exchange the news.
Lefever asked gingerly about the fight.
He made no mention whatever of the
crimson pool iu the road uear Sas-
soon's hut.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Puppets of Fate.
When Nan rode with De Spain Into
Sleepy Cat that morning. Lefever had
already told their story to Jeffries over
the telephone from Culubn&is, and Mrs.
Jeffries had-thrown open her house to
receive Nun. Weary from exposure,
confusion and hunger. Nun was only
too grateful for u refuge.
On the evening of the second day De
Spain was Invited to join the family at
supper. In the evening the Jeffrieses
went down town.
scured for an Instant the opening,
then the visitor stepped carefully over
the threshold. “What do you want?"
asked De Spain without changing Ids
tone. He nwaffed with keenness the
sound of the answer.
“Is Henry de Spain here?”
The voice was not familiar to De
Spain’s ear. He told himself the man
That,” concluded Pnrdnloe, “was nil
Sassoon would say."
He stopped. He seembd *o wait.
There was uo word of answer, rwe of
comment from the man sitting neu*
him. Rut, for one, at least, who bean!
the passionless, monotonous recitul of
a murder of the long ngo, there fol-
lowed a silence ns relentless as fate,
a silence shrouded In the mystery of
(he darkness and striking despair Into
two henrts—a silence more fearful
than syiy word.
I'ardnloe shuffled his feet. He
coughed, but he evoked no response. “I
was unknow n to him. "I :m> n,.nrv i n„..
de Spain,” lie returned without hcslta- he sai! flimnv"«J ka°W,‘’
lion. “What do you want’” \ dua,,y' Sow tbat Sassoon will
you want?”
liie visit«>r's deliberation was reflect-
ed In bis measured speaking. "I am
from Thief River,” lie began, nnd his
reverberating voice was low and dis-
tinct. I was >ent In to Morgan's gap
some time ago to find out who burned
tlie Cnlnbasns barn."
“Anil you report to—?"
“Kennedy."
Do Spain paused. A fresh convic-
tion had flashed across his mind. “You
De Spain was talking with Nan In "hmip on the telephone one night
the living room when the telephone hell " ,st "eok." he said suddenly.
rang In the library.
De Spuin took the call, and a man's
voice answered Ids salutation. The
speaker asked for Mr. de Spuin un-J
seemed particular to mnke sure of bis
identity. v
"Ibis," relented De Spain more than
once, and somewhat testily, “Is Ileury
de Spain speaking.”
"I'd like to have n little talk with
you. Mr. de Spain."
"Who are you?"
The vein of sharpness in Ihe ques-
tion met with no deviation from rtie
slow, even tone of the voice at the
other end of the wire. "I urn not In
position to give you my name," came
the answer, “ut least, not over the
wire.”
A vague Impression suddenly crossed
lb* Spain s mind that somewhere he
had heard the voice before.
"Do you suppose I could come up to
where yon are tonight for n Tew min-
utes lulk.’’ continued the man coolly.
"Not unless you have something very
Important.”
Hhat I have Is more Important to
you thun to me."
Do Spain took an Instant to decide.
All right, tic said Impatiently; “mine
along. Only—” he paused to let the
word sink In. ”-|f nu* |s „ g„me you're
springing—"
"I’m springing no game," returned
lbe man evenly.
"Come along, then. I'll tell you Just
how to get here. |>o you hear?"
"I’m listening."
“Leave Main street at Rnneherlo
street. Follow Rnneherlo north four
blocks, turn west int„ urunt avenue,
.lr. Jeffries house Is on the coruer
"I'll find It."
"Don't come any other way. If you
do. you won't see.me.”
•Tin not afraid of you, Mr. de Spain,
and I II come as you say. There's only
one thing I should like to ask. It would
he as much as my ||fv 1m „op,|,
seen talking to you. And there are
. "rl,'k,','l1 l,,,° bl* normal «*1li**r good reasons why I shouldn't
........ ........... " XlW to Uuv. I, kumvii | l,„d
The answer came without evasion
“I did.”
"A oil gave me a message from Nnn
Morgan that she tfever gave you."
"I did. I thought she needed you
right off. She didn’t know me ns |
rightly am. I knew what was going on.
I rode into town that evening and rode
out again. It was not my business, ami
I couldn't let It Interfere wLlh the busi-
ness I m paid to look nfteMbThat's the
reason I dodged you."
“There Is n chair nf the left of the
door; sit down. What's your name?"
Th® maa feeling nrounfl slowly, de-
posited his nngular hulk with care mi-
ni. the little chair. “My name"-ln the
tenseness of the dark the word*
seemed to enrry added mysterv—"is
I’urdaloe." 3 '
“You've got n brother—Joe I’nrda-
loc? suggested De Spain to trap him
"No, I've got no brother. I j„st
Plain Jim I’ardnloe.’’
iitiT"* w,lut *vou l,nve ■’°t
“I'lie only job | could get in the gap
was with old Duke Morgan —I’ve been
working for him, off and on. und spend-
ing the rest of mv time with Gale nnd
l»uve Sassoon. There were three men
111 the ham-burning. Dave Sassoon
put lip the Joti."
"Where is Dave Sassoon now?"
"Dead."
Rota men were silent for a moment.
"Yesterday morning's tight?" asked
He Spain reluctantly.
“Yes. *lr.f
never talk any more.”
De Spain moistened his lips. When
he spoke his voice wns cracked und
harsh, as If with what he hud heurd he
laid suddenly grown old.
“You are right, I’urdalce. I thank
you. I—when I—iu the morning. I’nr-
daloe. for the present, go back to the
gap. 1 wilt talk with Wlckwiro—to-
morrow.”
“Good night, Mr. de Spain."
“Good night, Purduloe.”
Bending forward, limp, In his choir,
supporting his head vacantly or. Ids
hands, trying to think nud finring t»
think. De Spain heard I’ardaloCs menr-
ured tread on the descending stup?\
| aud listened mechanically to the rt-
Irenting echoes of his footstep* daw*
the shaded street. Minute ufttv nln-
ute passed. De Spain made no -D ive.
A step so light tlmt It could only bnvo
been the step or a delicate girlhovt, *
step free as the footfall of yrwh,
poised us the tread of womanhood anJ
beauty, came down the stuirs. Slight
as she was. nnd silent ns he wns.
walked straight to him in the dut-
ness, and, sinking between his fKf,
wound her hands through Ids V:o
anus. "1 heard everything, Ilei».’*
she murmured, looking up. An In’oN
notary start or protest was his only
response. "I was ufrnld of n plot
against you. I stayed ut the head of
the stairs. Henry, 1 told you long ng?
some dreadful thing would come bo-
tween us something not our fault.
And now it conies to dash our cup ut
happiness when It Is tilling."
She stopped, hoping pcrhnps b«
would say some little word, that hv
would even put her head, or pres* her
hand, but he sat like one stunned. “It
It could have been anything but tidal*
she pleaded, low and sorrowfully. "OU,
why did you not listen to mv before
we were engulfed I My ileur Henry;
You who’ve given me nil the happlne**
I have ever had—that the hiood of my
own should come ngninit j1tu and
yours!" The emotion she struggled
with, and fought hack with all tli*
How did he happen to catch us on' H,r,‘n“'h of ••‘T.nature, rose In
Kl Cap)tan?"
He saw a flre on Music mountain
and watched the lower end of the gup
all night. Sassoon waa a wide-awake
man."
“Well. I’m
worry, Fardaloe.” con
11 musl De Spain after a moment. “\o.
body could call It my fault. It was
either lie or I or the life of a woman
who never harmed a hair of his head
and a woman I'm bound to protect. ||e
was running when lie wus hit. if he
hud got to cover ugulu there hub Uoij,.
. a r«-
. nIn|less tide that swept her on. In th*
’ lace of Ills ominous silence, to despair
Her breath, no longer controlled ent*
brokenly, alld lier voice trembled.
"You hnve been very kind to r v
llenrv you ve ....... the only imin I v«
ever known tlmt always, every nil)./*
thought of me first. | told you | dli n't
deserve It. I Wasn't Worthy of It—••
I Us hands slipped silently over w
hands, lie ffnthered her elose lup.
arms, end Ids tear* fell on hvi
tamed fuee.
(TO BE CONflNUBfW
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Browning, Orrin L. The Ralston Tribune (Ralston, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 49, Ed. 1 Friday, May 25, 1917, newspaper, May 25, 1917; Ralston, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc908047/m1/4/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.