Middletown transcript., 1921-03-19
BOOK Three
The Payment.
CHAPTER I.

The Lennox home, in the wilderness
of the Umpqua Divide, looked rather
like an emergency hospital for the nrst
few days after Dams fight with Whis-
perfoot. Its old sounds of laughter
and talk were almost entirely lacking.
Two injured men and girl recovering
from a nervous collapse do not tend
toward cheer.
But the natural sturdiness of all
three quickly came to their AID. "
course Lennox had been severely In
jured by the falling log. and many
weeks would pass before he would be
able to walk again. He could sit up
for short periods, however; had the
partial use Of one arm; and could pro-
mel himself-after the first few weeks
at a snail's pace through the rooms
in a rude wheel chair that Bilrs 1nge-
nuity had contrived. The great lfvid
scratches that Dan bore on his body
quickly began to heal; and before
week was done he began to venture
forth on the hills again. Snowbird
had remained in bed for three days;
then she had hoped out one bright
afternoon, swearing never to go back
into it again. Evidently the crisp, fall
air of the mountains had been nerve
tonic for them all.
Of course thera had been medical
attention. A dOct.r and nurse had
motored up the day after the accident; ;
the physician had set the bones and
departed, and the nurse remained for
q week. to see the grizzled mountain
eer well on the way of cOnvalescence.
But it was an anxious wait, and Len
nox's car was kept constantly in readi-
ness to speed her away In case the
SHOWS should start. At last she had
left him in Snowbird's hands, and Bill
had driven her back to the settlements
in his fathers car. The die was now
cast as to whether or not Dan and
the remainder Of the family should
winter in the mountain. The snow
clouds deepened every day, the frost
was ever heavier in the dawns, and
the road would surely remain open
only a few days more.
Once more the three seemingly had
the Divide all to themselves. Bert
Cranston had evidently deserted his
cabin and was working trap-line on
the Umpqua side. The rangers left
the little station, all danger of fire
past and went down to their offices
in the federal building Of one Of the
little cities below. Because he was
worse than useless in the deep SHOWS
that were sure to come, one of the
ranch hands that had driven up with
Bill rode away to the valleys the last
Of the live stock-the horse that DaI
had ridden to Snowbird's defense.
Nothing had been heard Of Landy
Hildreth, who used to live on thu
trail to the marsh, and both Lennoz
and his daughter wondered why. There
we're also certain officials who hat
begun to be curious. AS yet, Dar
had told no one of the grim find ht
had made on his return from hunting
And he would have found it an ex
tremely difficult fact to explain.
It all went back to those innel
springs Of motive that few men cal
see clearly enough within themselve.
tc recognize. Even the first day, wher
he lay burning from his wounds, HI
worked out his own explanation in re
gard to the murder mystery. HI
hadn't the slightest doubt but tina
Cranston had killed Hildreth to pre-
vent his testimony from reaching tn
courts below. OF course, any othe
member of the arson ring Of hillmel
might have been the murderer; ye
Dan was inclined to believe that Gran
stcn, the leader Of the gang, usual!
preferred to do s1ch dangerous Eorl
as this himself. Il it were true. some