The Dolores star., 1921-08-12

uuutT tuc uaEh iASHes. ne went "
Dams room, searched his bureau
drawer and all the pockets of the
clothes hanging In his closet. He up
set his trunk and paved among old
letters in the suitcase. Then, stealing
like some creature of the wilderness,
he came back to the living room.
Lenno1 was not on the divan where
he had left him. He lay instead on
the floor near the fireplace: and he
met the passion drawn face with entire
calmness. His motives were perfectly
plain. He had just made a desperate
effort to procure Dams rifle that hung
on two sets Of deer horns over the fire.
place, and was entirely exhausted
from 1t. He had succeeded in getting
down from the couch. though wracked
by agony, but had been unable to lift
himself up in reach Of the gun.
Cranston read his intention in one
glance. LennoH knew 1t. but he sim
ply didn't care. He had passed the
point where anything seemed to mat
ter.
"Tell me where 1t is," Cranston or
at LennoX's wasted breast.
Tell you where what is7 My
money!
You know what l want-and ii
isn't money. l mean those letters that
Failing found on the ridge. I'm
through fooling. Lenuox. Dan learned
that long ago. and it's time you learned
1t now"
Dan learned 1t because he was sick
He isn't sick now. Don't presume too
much on that"
Cranston laughed with harsh scorn.
But that isn't the question. said
I've wasted all the time I'm going TO.
You are an old man and helpless: but
I'm not going to let that stand in the
way Of getting what | came to get.
They're hidden somewhere around this
house. I've watched. and he's had no
chance to take them Into town. I'll
give yOu-just five seconds to tell me
where they're hidden"
And l give you" Lennox replied,
'one second less than that-to go to
h-llr
Both of them breathed hard in the
quiet room. Cranston was trembling
now, shvering just little in his arms
and shoulders. Don't get me wrong,
Lennox," he warned.
And don't have any delusions in re-
gard to me. either" Lennox replied.
I've stood worse pain from this acc-
dent than any man can give me while
I 1.-Two xt,ho ba
you want to get on me and hammer
me In the approved Cranston way. I
can't defend myself-but you won't
get civil answer out of me. I'm used
to pain. and I can stand it, I'm not
used to fawning to coyote like you.
and can't stand It."
But Cranston hardly heard. An idea
had famed in his mind and cast a red
glamor over all the scene about him.
1t was instilling a poison in his nerves
and madness in his blood, and it was
soaring him. like fire, in his dark
brain. Nothing seemed real. He sud
denly bent forward, tense
That's all right about you" he said.
But you'd be a little more polite If it
have to pay"
Perhaps the color faded slightly in
Lennox's face; but his voice did not
change.
They'll see your footprints before
they come in and be ready" Lennox
replied evenly. 'They always come in
by the back way. And even with
mic al
Did you think that was what |
meant?' Cranston scorned 81 know a
way to destroy those letters, and I'll
do it-in the four seconds that said.
unless y"u tell. I'm not even sure I'm
goin' to give you chance to tell now
it's too good scheme. There won't
be any witnesses then to yell around
fire to this house?"
1T wouldn't surprise me great
deal. It's your own trade" Lennox
shuddered once on his place on the
floor.
81 wouldn't have to worry about
those letters then, would 1? They are
somewhere in the house, and they'd be
OuIHtu u dSHtS. but tIdt lSn I all
that would be burned. You could may
be crawl out, but you couldn't carry
the guns. and you couldn't carry the
pantry full of food. You're nearly
eighty miles up here from the nearest
occupied house. with two pair of
snowshOes for the three of you and
one dlnky pistol. And you can't walk
at all. 1t would be a nice pickle.
wouldn't It7 Wouldn't you have fat
chance Of getting down to civiliza-
tionr'
The voice no longer held steady. II
trembled with passion. This vas no
Idle threat. The brain had already
seized upon the scheme with every in
tention Of carrying 1t out. The will
derness lay stark and bare, stripped of
all delusion-not only In the snow
world outside but In the hearts Of
these two men, its sons.
hANA