on his throat,
for a minute, and talk to him, tell him what I think of him--I might
know what I would want to do--Nan might be there to see and judge
between us. I'd be almost willing to leave things to her to settle
herself. I only want what's right. But," the oath that recorded his
closing threat was collected and pitiless, "if any harm comes to that
girl now from this wild trip back among those wolves--God pity the men
that put it over. I'll wipe out the whole accursed clan, if I have to
swing for it right here in Sleepy Cat!"

John Lefever, Jeffries, Scott in turn took him in hand to hold him
during three days, to restrain the fury of his resentment, and keep
him from riding to the Gap in a temper that each of them knew would
mean only a tragedy worse than what had gone before. Mountain-men who
happened in and out of Sleepy Cat during those three days remember how
it seemed for that time as if the attention of every man and woman in
the whole country was fixed on the new situation that balked de Spain.
They knew only that Nan had gone back to her people, not why she had
gone back; but the air was eager with surmise and rumor as to what had
happened, and in this complete overturning of all de Spain's hopes,
what would happen before the story ended.

Even three days of tactful representation and patient admonition from
cool-headed counsellors did not accomplish all they hoped for in de
Spain's attitude. His rage subsided, but only to be followed by a
settled gloom that they knew might burst into uncontrollable anger at
any moment.

A report reached McAlpin that Gale Morgan was making ready to return
to Music Mountain with the remnant of Sandusky's gang, to make a
demand on Duke for certain property and partnership adjustments. This
rumor he telephoned to Jeffries. Before talking with de Spain,
Jeffries went over the information with Lefever. The two agreed it was
right, in the circumstances, that de Spain should be nearer than
Sleepy Cat to Nan. Moreover, the period of waiting she had enjoined on
him was almost complete.

Without giving de Spain the story fully, the two men talking before
him let the discussion drift toward a proposal on his part to go down
to Calabasas, where he could more easily keep track of any movement to
or from the Gap, and this they approved. De Spain, already chafing
under a hardly endured restraint, lost no time in starting for
Calabasas, directing Lefever to follow next day.

It adde