CHAPTER XV
CROSSING A DEEP RIVER
A grizzly bear hidden among the haystacks back of the corral wouldhave given Nan much less anxiety than de Spain secreted in the heartof the Morgan stronghold. But as she hurried home, fearful ofencountering an early rider who should ask questions, it seemed as ifshe might, indeed, find some way of getting rid of the troublesome foewithout having it on her conscience that she had starved a wounded manto death, or that he had shot some one of her people in getting away.
Her troubled speculations were reduced now almost to wondering when deSpain would leave, and, disinclined though she felt to further parley,she believed he would go the sooner if she were to consent to see himagain. Everything he had said to her seemed to unsettle her mind andto imperil impressions concerning him that she felt it dangerous, orat least treasonable, to part with. To believe anything but the worstof a man whom she heard cursed and abused continually by her uncles,cousins, and their associates and retainers, seemed a monstrousthing--and every effort de Spain made to dislodge her prejudicescalled for fresh distrust on her part. What had most shaken herconvictions--and it would come back to her in spite of everything shecould do to keep it out of her mind--was the recollection of themurder of his father, the tragic death of his mother. As for the factsof his story, somehow she never thought of questioning them. The sealof its dreadful truth he carried on his face.
That day Nan washed her hair. On the second day--because there were nogood reasons for it--she found herself deciding conscientiously to seede Spain for the last time, and toward sunset. This was about the timehe had suggested, but it really seemed, after long thought, the besttime. She began dressing early for her trip, and with constantlyrecurring dissatisfaction with her wardrobe--picking the best of herlimited stock of silk stockings, choosing the freshest of her fewpairs of tan boots. All of her riding-skirts looked shabby as shefretfully inspected them; but Bonita pressed out the newest one forthe hurried occasion, while Nan used the interval, with more thanusual care, on her troublesome hair--never less tractable, it seemed,in her life. Nothing, in truth, in her appearance, satisfied her, andshe was obliged at last to turn from her glass with the hateful sighthat it made no difference anyway.
De Spain was sitting with his back against a rock, and his knees drawnup, leaning his head on his right hand and resting his elbow on theknee. His left arm hung down over his left knee, and the look on hisface was one of reflection and irresolution rather than of action anddecision. But he looked so restored after his brief period ofnourishment that Nan, when she stepped up on the ledge at sunset,would not have known the wreck she had seen in the same place the weekbefore.
His heart jumped at the sight of her young face, and her clear,courageous eyes surveyed him questioningly as he scrambled to hisfeet.
"I am going to tramp out of here to-morrow night," he confided to herafter his thanks. "It is Saturday; a lot of your men will be in SleepyCat--and they won't all be very keen-sighted on their way back. I canget a good start outside before daylight."
She heard him with relief. "What will you do then?" she asked.
"Hide. Watch every chance to crawl a mile nearer Calabasas. I can'twalk much, but I ought to make it by Sunday night or Monday morning.I may see a friend--perhaps I may see the other fellow's friend, andwith my lone cartridge I may be able to bluff him out of a horse," hesuggested, gazing at the crimson tie that flowed from Nan's open neck."By the way," he added, his glance resting on her right side as henoticed the absence of her holster, "where is your protector to-day?"She made no answer. "Fine form," he said coldly, "to come unarmed onan errand of mercy to a desperado."
Nan flushed with vexation. "I came away in such a hurry I forgot it,"she replied lamely.
"A forget might cost you your life."
"Perhaps you've forgotten you left a cartridge-belt behind onceyourself," she returned swiftly. The retort startled him. How couldshe know? But he would not, at first, ask a question, though her eyestold him she knew what she was talking about. They looked at eachother a moment in silence.
De Spain, convicted, finally laid his fingers over the butt of hisempty revolver. "How did you find that out?"
She tossed her head. They were standing only a few feet apart, deSpain supporting himself now with his left hand high up against thewall; Nan, with her shoulder lightly against it; both had becomequizzical. "Other people forget, too, then," was all she said,fingering the loosened tie as the breeze from the west blew it towardher shoulder.
"No," he protested, "I didn't forget; not that time. I went over tothe joint to get a cup of coffee and expected to be back within fiveminutes, never dreaming of walking into a bear trap." He drew hisrevolver and, breaking it negligently, took out the single cartridge."Take this." He held the cartridge in his left hand and took twohalting steps toward her--"since you are unarmed, I will be, too. Notthat this puts us on an even footing. I don't mean that. Nothingwould. You would be too much for me in any kind of a contest, armed orunarmed."
"What do you mean?" she demanded to hide her confusion. And she sawthat each step he took cost pain, skilfully concealed.
"I mean," he said, "you are to take this cartridge as a remembrance ofmy forgetfulness and your adventure."
She drew back. "I don't want it."
"Take it."
He was persistent. She allowed him to drop the loaded shell into herhand. "Now," he continued, replacing his gun, "if I encounter any ofyour people in an attempt to break through a line, and somebody getskilled, you will know, when you hear the story, that _this_ time, atleast, _I_ didn't 'start it.'"
"All the same--" She hesitated. "I don't think that's exactly right.You need not shoot my people, even if you meet them. There are plentyof others you might meet----"
He put her objections aside, enjoying being so near her and happy thatshe made no retreat. "My reputation," he insisted, "has suffered alittle in Morgan's Gap. I mean that at least one who makes her homeunder Music Mountain shall know differently of me. What's that?" Heheard a sound. "Listen!"
The two, looking at each other, strained their ears to hear morethrough the rush of the falling water. "Some one is coming," said deSpain. Nan ran lightly to where she could peep over the ledge. Hardlypausing as she glanced down, she stepped quickly back. "I'll go righton up the mountain to the azalea fields," she said hastily.
He nodded. "I'll hide. Stop. If you are questioned, you don't know I'mhere. You must say so for your own sake, not for mine."
She was gone before he had finished. De Spain drew quickly back towhere he could secrete himself. In another moment he heard heavyfootsteps where he had stood with his visitor. But the footstepscrossed the ledge, and their sound died away up the path Nan hadtaken. De Spain could not see the intruder. It was impossible toconjecture who he was or what his errand, and de Spain could onlyawait whatever should develop. He waited several minutes before heheard any sign of life above. Then snatches of two voices began toreach him. He could distinguish Nan's voice and at intervals theheavier tones of a man. The two were descending. In a few moments theyreached the ledge, and de Spain, near at hand, could hear every word.
"Hold on a minute," said the man roughly. His voice was heavy and hisutterance harsh.
"I must get home," objected Nan.
"Hold on, I tell you," returned her companion. De Spain could not see,but he began already to feel the scene. "I want to talk to you."
"We can talk going down," parried Nan.
De Spain heard her hurried footfalls. "No, you don't," retorted hercompanion, evidently cutting off her retreat.
"Gale Morgan!" There was a blaze in Nan's sharp exclamation. "What doyou mean?"
"I mean you and I are going to have this out right here, before weleave this ledge."
"I tell you, I want to go home."
"You'll go home when I say so."
"Stand away from that girl!" repeated de Spain harshly,backing the words with a step forward.]
"How dare you
stop me!"
"I'll show you what I dare, young lady. You've been backing andfilling with me for two years. Now I want to know what you're going todo."
"Gale! Won't you have a little sense? Come along home with me, like agood fellow, and I'll talk things over with you just as long as youlike."
"You'll talk things over with me right here, and as long as _I_ like,"he retorted savagely. "Every time I ask you to marry me you've gotsome new excuse."
"It's shameful for you to act in this way, Gale." She spoke low andrapidly to her enraged suitor. De Spain alone knew it was to keep herhumiliation from his own ears, and he made no effort to follow herquick, pleading words. The moment was most embarrassing for two of thethree involved. But nothing that Nan could say would win from hercousin any reprieve.
"When you came back from school I told Duke I was going to marry you.He said, all right," persisted her cousin stubbornly.
"Gale Morgan, what Uncle Duke said, or didn't say, has nothingwhatever to do with _my_ consent."
"I told you I was going to marry you."
"Does that bind me to get married, when I don't want to?"
"You said you'd marry me."
Nan exploded: "I never, never said so in this world." Her voice shookwith indignation. "You know that's a downright falsehood."
"You said you didn't care for anybody else," he fairly bellowed. "NowI want to know whether you'll marry me if I take you over to SleepyCat to-morrow?"
"No!" Nan flung out her answer, reckless of consequence. "I'll nevermarry you. Let me go home."
"You'll go home when I get through with you. You've fooled me longenough."
Her blood froze at the look in his face. "How dare you!" she gasped."Get out of my way!"
"You damned little vixen!" He sprang forward and caught her by thewrist. "I'll take the kinks out of you. You wouldn't marry me yourway, now you'll marry me mine."
She fought like a tigress. He dragged her struggling into his arms.But above her half-stifled cries and his grunting laugh, Morgan hearda sharp voice: "Take your hands off that girl!"
Whirling, with Nan in his savage arms, the half-drunken mountaineersaw de Spain ten feet away, his right hand resting on the grip of hisrevolver. Stunned, but sobered by mortal danger, Morgan greeted hisenemy with an oath. "Stand away from that girl!" repeated de Spainharshly, backing the words with a step forward. Morgan's grasprelaxed. Nan, jerking away, looked at de Spain and instantly steppedin front of her cousin, on whom de Spain seemed about to draw.
"What are you doing here?" demanded Morgan, with an enraged oath.
"I left some business with you the other day at Calabasas halffinished," said de Spain. "I'm here this afternoon to clean it up. Getaway from that girl!"
His manner frightened even Nan. The quick step to the side andback--poising himself like a fencer--his revolver restrained a momentin its sheath by an eager right arm, as if at any instant it mightleap into deadly play.
Shocked with new fear, Nan hesitated. If it was play, it was toorealistic for the nerves even of a mountain girl. De Spain's angryface and burning eyes photographed themselves on her memory from thatmoment. But whatever he meant, she had her part to do. She backed,with arms spread low at her sides, directly against her cousin. "Youshan't fight," she cried at de Spain.
"Stand away from that man!" retorted de Spain sternly.
"You shan't kill my cousin. What do you mean? What are you doing here?Leave us!"
"Get away, Nan, I tell you. I'll finish him," cried Morgan, puncturingevery word with an oath.
She whirled and caught her cousin in her arms. "He will shoot us bothif you fire. Take me away, Gale. You coward," she exclaimed, whirlingagain with trembling tones on de Spain, "would you kill a woman?"
De Spain saw the danger was past. It needed hardly an instant to showhim that Morgan had lost stomach for a fight. He talked wrathfully,but he made no motion to draw. "I see I've got to chase you into afight," said de Spain contemptuously, and starting gingerly to circlethe hesitating cousin. Nan, in her excitement, ran directly toward theenemy, as if to cut off his movement.
"Don't you dare put me in danger," she cried, facing de Spainthreateningly. "Don't you dare fight my cousin here."
"Stand away from me," hammered de Spain, eying Morgan steadily.
"He is wounded now," stormed Nan, so fast she could hardly frame thewords. "You shan't kill him. If you are a man, don't shoot a woundedman and a woman. You shan't shoot. Gale! protect yourself!" Whirlingto face her cousin, she took the chance to back directly against deSpain. Both hands were spread open and partly behind her, the palmsup, as if to check him. In the instant that she and de Spain were incontact he realized, rather than saw--for his eyes never releasedMorgan's eyes--what she was frantically slipping to him--the loadedcartridge. It was done in a flash, and she was running from him again.Her warm fingers had swept across his own. She had returned to him,voluntarily, his slender chance for life. But in doing it she hadchallenged him to a new and overwhelming interest in life itself. Andagain, in front of her cousin, she was crying out anew against theshedding of blood.
"I came up here to fight a man. I don't fight women," muttered deSpain, maintaining the deceit and regarding both with an unpromisingvisage. Then to Morgan. "I'll talk to you later. But you've got tofight or get away from here, both of you, in ten seconds."
"Take me away, Gale," cried Nan. "Leave him here--take me home! Takeme home!"
She caught her cousin's arm. "Stay right where you are," shoutedMorgan, pointing at de Spain, and following Nan as she pulled himalong. "When I come back, I'll give you what you're looking for."
"Bring your friends," said de Spain tauntingly. "I'll accommodate fourmore of you. Stop!" With one hand still on his revolver he pointed theway. "Go down that trail first, Morgan. Stay where you are, girl, tillhe gets down that hill. You won't pot me over her shoulder for a whileyet. Move!"
Morgan took the path sullenly, de Spain covering every step he took.Behind de Spain Nan stood waiting for her cousin to get beyondearshot. "What," she whispered hurriedly to de Spain, "will you do?"
Covering Morgan, who could whirl on him at any turn in the descent, deSpain could not look at her in answering. "Looks pretty rocky, doesn'tit?"
"He will start the whole Gap as soon as he gets to his horse."
He looked at the darkening sky. "They won't be very active on the jobbefore morning."
Morgan was at a safe distance. De Spain turned to Nan. He tried tospeak out to her, but she sternly smothered his every effort. Hercheeks were on fire, she breathed fast, her eyes burned.
"It looks," muttered de Spain, "as if I should have to climb MusicMountain to make a get-away."
"There is no good place to hide anywhere above here," said Nan,regarding him intently.
"Why look so hard at me, then?" he asked. "If this is the last of it,I can take it here with our one lone cartridge."
Her eyes were bent on him as if they would pierce him through. "If Isave your life--" still breathing fast, she hesitated for words--"youwon't trick me--ever--will you?"
Steadily returning her appealing gaze, de Spain answered withdeliberation. "Don't ever give me a chance to trick you, Nan."
"What do you mean?" she demanded, fear and distrust burning in hertone.
"My life," he said slowly, "isn't worth it."
"You know--" He could see her resolute underlip, pink with fresh youngblood, quiver with intensity of feeling as she faltered. "You knowwhat every man says of every girl--foolish, trusting, easy todeceive--everything like that."
"May God wither my tongue before ever it speaks to deceive _you_,Nan."
"A while ago you frightened me so----"
"Frightened you! Great God!" He stepped closer and looked straightdown into her eyes. "If you had raised just one finger when I wasbluffing that fellow, I'd have calmed down and eaten out of yourlittle hand, by the hour!"
"There's not a moment to lose," she said swiftly. "Listen: a trailaround this
mountain leads out of the Gap, straight across the face ofEl Capitan."
"I can make it."
"Listen! It is terribly dangerous----"
"Whatever it is it's a concrete boulevard to a man in my fix."
"It is half a mile--only inches wide in places--up and down--looserock----"
"Some trail!"
"If you slip it's a thousand feet----"
"A hundred would be more than plenty."
"A good climber can do it--I have done it. I'd even go with you, if Icould."
"Why?"
She shook her head angrily at what he dared show in his eyes. "Oh,keep still, listen!"
"I know you'd go, Nan," he declared unperturbed. "But believe me, Inever would let you."
"I can't go, because to do any good I must meet you with a horseoutside."
He only looked silently at her, and she turned her eyes from his gaze."See," she said, taking him eagerly to the back of the ledge andpointing, "follow that trail, the one to the east--you can't get lost;you can reach El Capitan before dark--it's very close. Creep carefullyacross El Capitan on that narrow trail, and on the other side thereis a wide one clear down to the road--oh, do be careful on ElCapitan."
"I'll be careful."
"I must watch my chance to get away from the corral with a horse. If Ifail it will be because I am locked up at home, and you must hide anddo the best you can. How much they will surmise of this, I don'tknow."
"Go now, this minute," he said, restraining his words. "If you don'tcome, I shall know why."
She turned without speaking and, fearless as a chamois, ran down therocks. De Spain, losing not a moment, hobbled rapidly up along thegranite-walled passage that led the way to his chance for life.