CHAPTER XX
FACING THE MUSIC
They had not underestimated the danger from Sassoon's suspiciousmalevolence. He returned next morning to read what further he couldamong the rocks. It was little, but it spelled a meeting of twopeople--Nan and another--and he was stimulated to keep his eyes andears open for further discoveries. Moreover, continuing ease in seeingeach other, undetected by hostile eyes, gradually rendered the loversless cautious in their arrangements. The one thing that possessedtheir energies was to be together.
De Spain, naturally reckless, had won in Nan a girl hardly moreconcerned. Self-reliant, both of them, and instinctively vigilant,they spent so much time together that Scott and Lefever, who, before afortnight had passed after Duke's return home, surmised that de Spainmust be carrying on some sort of a clandestine affair hinting towardthe Gap, only questioned how long it would be before somethinghappened, and only hoped it would not be, in their own word,unpleasant. It was not theirs in any case to admonish de Spain, norto dog the movements of so capable a friend even when his safety wasconcerned, so long as he preferred to keep his own counsel--there arelimits within which no man welcomes uninvited assistance. And deSpain, in his long and frequent rides, his protracted absences,indifference to the details of business and careless humor, hadevidently passed within these limits.
What was stage traffic to him compared to the sunshine on Nan's hair;what attraction had schedules to offer against a moment of her eyes;what pleasing connection could there be between bad-order wheels andher low laugh?
The two felt they must meet to discuss their constant perplexities andthe problems of their difficult situation; but when they reached theirtrysting-places, there was more of gayety than gravity, more ofnonchalance than concern, more of looking into each other's heartsthan looking into the troublesome future. And there was hardly aninviting spot within miles of Music Mountain that one or the other ofthe two had not waited near.
There were, of course, disappointments, but there were only a fewfailures in their arrangements. The difficulties of these fell chieflyon Nan. How she overcame them was a source of surprise to de Spain,who marvelled at her innocent resource in escaping the demands athome and making her way, despite an array of obstacles, to his distantimpatience.
Midway between Music Mountain and Sleepy Cat a low-lying wall of lavarock, in part sand-covered and in part exposed, parallels andsometimes crosses the principal trail. This undulating ridge was afavorite with de Spain and Nan, because they could ride in and out ofhiding-places without more than just leaving the trail itself. To thewest of this ridge, and commanding it, rose rather more than a mileaway the cone called Black Cap.
"Suppose," said Nan one afternoon, looking from de Spain's side towardthe mountains, "some one should be spying on us from Black Cap?" Shepointed to the solitary rock.
"If any one has been, Nan, with a good glass he must have seenexchanges of confidence over here that would make him gnash his teeth.I know if I ever saw anything like it I'd go hang. But the countryaround there is too rough for a horse. Nobody even hides around BlackCap, except some tramp hold-up man that's crowded in his get-away. BobScott says there are dozens of mountain-lions over there."
But Sassoon had the unpleasant patience of a mountain-lion and itsdogged persistence, and, hiding himself on Black Cap, he made certainone day of what he had long been convinced--that Nan was meeting deSpain.
The day after she had mentioned Black Cap to her lover, Nan rode overto Calabasas to get a bridle mended. Galloping back, she encounteredSassoon just inside the Gap. Nan so detested him that she never spokewhen she could avoid it. On his part he pretended not to see her asshe passed. When she reached home she found her Uncle Duke and Galestanding in front of the fireplace in the living-room. The twoappeared from their manner to have been in a heated discussion, onethat had stopped suddenly on her appearance. Both looked at Nan. Theexpression on their faces forewarned her. She threw her quirt on thetable, drew off her riding-gloves, and began to unpin her hat; but sheknew a storm was impending.
Gale had been made for a long time to know that he was an unwelcomevisitor, and Nan's greeting of him was the merest contemptuous nod."Well, uncle," she said, glancing at Duke, "I'm late again. Have youhad supper?"
Duke always spoke curtly; to-night his heavy voice was as sharp as anaxe. "Been late a good deal lately."
Nan laid her hat on the table and, glancing composedly from onesuspicious face to the other, put her hands up to rearrange her hair."I'm going to try to do better. I'll go out and get my supper ifyou've had yours." She started toward the dining-room.
"Hold on!" Nan paused at her uncle's ferocious command. She looked athim either really or feignedly surprised, her expression changing toone of indignation, and waited for him to speak. Since he did no morethan glare angrily at her, Nan lifted her brows a little. "What do youwant, uncle?"
"Where did you go this afternoon?"
"Over to Calabasas," she answered innocently.
"Who'd you meet there?" Duke's tone snapped with anger. He was workinghimself into a fury, but Nan saw it must be faced. "The same people Iusually meet--why?"
"Did you meet Henry de Spain there this afternoon?"
Nan looked squarely at her cousin and returned his triumphantexpression defiantly before she turned her eyes on her uncle. "No,"she said collectedly. "Why?"
"Do you deny it?" he thundered.
"Yes, I deny it. Why?"
"Did you see de Spain at Calabasas this afternoon?"
"No."
"See him anywhere else?"
"No, I did not. What do you mean? What," demanded his niece withspirit, "do you want to know? What are you trying to find out?"
Duke turned in his rage on Gale. "There! You hear that--what have yougot to say now?" he demanded with an abusive oath.
Gale, who had been hardly able to refrain from breaking in, answeredfast. "What have I got to say?" he roared. "I say I know what I'mtalking about. I say she's lying, Duke."
Nan's face turned white with anger. Before she could speak her uncletook up the words. "Hold on," he shouted. "Don't tell me she lies." Helaunched another hot expletive. "I know she doesn't lie!"
Gale jumped forward, his finger pointed at Nan. "Look here, do youdeny you are meeting Henry de Spain all over the desert?"
Nan's anger supported her without a tremor. "Who are you to ask mewhom I meet or don't meet?"
"You've been meeting de Spain right along, haven't you? You met himdown the Sleepy Cat trail near Black Cap, didn't you?"
Nan stood with her back against the end of the table where her uncle'sfirst words had stopped her, and she looked sidewise toward hercousin. In her answer he heard as much contempt as a girl's voicecould carry to a rejected lover. "So you've turned sneak!"
Gale roared a string of bad words.
"You hire that coyote, Sassoon, to spy for you, do you?" demanded Nancoolly. "Aren't you proud of your manly relation, uncle?" Duke waschoking with rage. He tried to speak to her, but he could not form hiswords. "What is it you want to know, uncle? Whether it is true that Imeet Henry de Spain? It is. I do meet him, and we're engaged to bemarried when you give us permission, Uncle Duke--and not till then."
"There you have it," cried Gale. "There's the story. I told you so.I've known it for a week, I tell you." Nan's face set. "Not only,"continued her cousin jeeringly, "meeting that----"
Almost before the vile epithet that followed had reached her ears, Nancaught up the whip. Before he could escape she cut Gale sharply acrossthe face. "You coward," she cried, trembling so she could not controlher voice. "If you ever dare use that word before me again, I'llhorsewhip you. Go to Henry de Spain's face, you skulker, and say thatif you dare."
"Put down that quirt, Nan," yelled her uncle.
"I won't put it down," she exclaimed defiantly. "And he will get agood lashing with it if he says one more word about Henry de Spain."
"Put down that quirt, I tell you," thundered her uncle.
r /> She whirled. "I won't put it down. This hulking bully! I know himbetter than you do." She pointed a quivering finger at her cousin. "Heinsulted me as vilely as he could only a few months ago on MusicMountain. And if this very same Henry de Spain hadn't happened to bethere to protect me, you would have found me dead next morning by myown hand. Do you understand?" she cried, panting and furious. "That'swhat he is!"
Her uncle tried to break in. "Stop!" she exclaimed, pointing at Gale."_He_ never told you that, did he?"
"No; nor you neither," snapped Duke hoarsely.
"I didn't tell you," retorted Nan, "because I've been trying to livewith you here in peace among these thieves and cutthroats, and notkeep you stirred up all the time. And Henry de Spain faced this bigcoward and protected me from him with an empty revolver! What businessof yours is it whom I meet, or where I go?" she demanded, raining herwords with flaming eyes on her belligerent cousin. "I will never marryyou to save you from the hangman. Now leave this house." She stampedher foot. "Leave this house, and never come into it again!"
Gale, beside himself with rage, stood his ground. He poured all thathe safely could of abuse on Nan's own head. She had appeased her wrathand made no attempt to retort, only looking at him with white face andburning eyes as she breathed defiance. Duke interfered. "Get out!" hesaid to Gale harshly. "I'll talk to her. Go home!"
Not ceasing to mutter threats, Gale picked up his hat and stamped outof the house, slamming the doors. Duke, exhausted by the quarrel, satdown, eying his niece. "Now what does this mean?" he demandedhoarsely.
She tried to tell him honestly and frankly all that her acquaintancewith de Spain did mean--dwelling no more than was necessary on itsbeginning, but concealing nothing of its development and consequences,nothing of her love for de Spain, nor of his for her. But no part ofwhat she could say on any point she urged softened her uncle's face.His square hard jaw from beginning to end looked like stone.
"So he's your lover?" he said harshly when she had done.
"He wants to be your friend," returned Nan, determined not to giveup.
Duke looked at her uncompromisingly: "That man can't ever be anyfriend of mine--understand that! He can't ever marry you. If he evertries to, so help me God, I'll kill him if I hang for it. I know hisgame. I know what he wants. He doesn't care a pinch of snuff aboutyou. He thinks he can hit me a blow by getting you away from me."
"Nothing could be further from the truth," exclaimed Nan hopelessly.
Duke struck the table a smashing blow with his fist. "I'll show Mr. deSpain and his friends where they get off."
"Uncle Duke, if you won't listen to reason, you must listen to sense.Think of what a position you put me in. I love you for all your careof me. I love him for his affection for me and consideration ofme--because he knows how to treat a woman. I know he wouldn't harm ahair on your head, for my sake, yet you talk now of bloodshed betweenyou two. I know what your words mean--that one of you, or both of youare to be killed for a senseless feud. He will not stand up and letany man shoot him down without resistance. If you lay your blood onhis head, you know it would put a stain between him and me that nevercould be washed out as long as we lived. If you kill him I could neverstay here with you. His blood would cry out every day and nightagainst you."
Duke's violent finger shot out at her. "And you're the gal I took fromyour mammy and promised I'd bring up a decent woman. You've got noneo' her blood in you--not a drop. You're the brat of that damned,mincing brother of mine, that was always riding horseback and showingoff in town while I was weeding the tobacco-beds."
Nan clasped her hands. "Don't blame me because I'm your brother'schild. Blame me because I'm a woman, because I have a heart, because Iwant to live and see you live, and to see you live in peace instead ofwhat we do live in--suspicion, distrust, feuds, alarms, and worse. I'mnot ungrateful, as you plainly say I am. I want you to get out of whatyou are in here--I want to be out of it. I'd rather be dead now thanto live and die in it. And what is this anger all for? Nothing. Heoffers you his friendship--" She could speak no further. Her unclewith a curse left her alone. When she arose in the early morning hehad already gone away.