The Belding banner-news., 1921-04-13
BOOK THREE
The Payment.
cHAPT Err I.

OF the Umpqua Divide, looked rather
like an emergency hospital for the first
few days after Dams fight with Whis-
rerfoot. Its old sounds of laughter
and talk were almost entirely lacking.
Two injured men and girl recovering
from nervous collapse do not tend
toward cheer.
But the natural sturdiness of all
three quickly came 10 their aid. Or
course Lenuox had been severely In
iured by the falling log. and many
weeks would pass before he would be
able 10 walk again. He could sit up
for short periods. however; had the
partial use of one arm and could pro-
pei himSelf-after the first few weeks
at snail'S pace through the rooms
i'm rude wheel chair that Bill's inge-
nuity had contrived. The great livid
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 i'm bed for three days;
then she had hoped out one bright
afternoon. swearing never 10 90 back
into II again. Evidently the crisp, fall
air of the mountains had been nerve
tonic for them all.
OF course there had been medical
attention. A doctor and nurse had
motored up the day after the accident;
the physician had set the bones and
departed, and the nurse remained for
a week To see the grizZled mountain
eer well ON the way of convalescence.
But IL 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 Snowhrd'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 i'm 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 10 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
i'm the federal building OF one OF the
little cities below. Because he was
worse than useless in the deep SHOWS
that were sure 10 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 Dan
had ridden 10 Snowbird's defense.
Nothing had been heard Of Landy
Hildreth. who used to live on the
trail TO the marsh. and both Lennox
and his daughter wondered why There
were also certain officials who had
begun 70 be curious. As yet. Dan
had told no one Of the grim find he
had made on his return from hunting.
And he would have found II an eX-
tremely difficult fact TO explain.
1t all went back 10 those inner
springs of motive that few men can
see clearly enough within themselves
to recognize. Even the first day. when
he lay burning from his wounds, he
worked ont his own explanation in re-
gard To the murder mystery. He
hadn't the slightest doubt but that
Cranston had killed Hildreth TO pre-
vent his testimony from reaching the
courts below. OF course, any other
member of the arson ring of hillmen
might have been the murderer; yet
Dan was inclined TO believe that Gran
stcn, the leader of the gang. usually
preferred TO do such dangerous work
as this himself. If it were true, some
where on that tree-clad ridge clues
would be left Moreover, II was wholly
possible that the written testimony
Hildreth must have gathered had new
or been found or destroyed. Dan
didn't want the aid of the courts TO
find these clues. He wanted to work
out the case himself. II resolved IT.
self into n simple matter Of vengeance:
Dan had his debt TO pay, and he want
ed 10 bring Cranston to ruin by his
own hand alone.
Nhlle III was true that he TOOK ra-
ther more than the casual interest
that most citizens feel in the destruc-
tion of the forest by wanton fire, and
had an actual sense Of duty TO do all
that he could TO stop the activities OF
the arson ring, his motives, strippe}
and bare, were really not utilitarian.
He had no particular interest in Hill
dreth's case. He remembered him sim
ply as one OF Cranston's disreputable
gang, n poacher and fire bug him
self. When all Is said and done, Il
remained really a personal issue be-
tween Dan and Crsnston. And per-
sonal issues are frowned upon by law
\