The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-01-13


place. and was entirely exhausted
from it. 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. Lennox knew 1t, but he SIM
ply didn't care. He had passed the
point where anything seemed to mat
ter.
''Tell me where it is" Cranston or
dered him. Again he pointed his rifle
at Lennox's wasted breast.
"Tell you where what is? Ny
money!"
You know what 1 want-and 1t
Failing found on the ridge. I'm
through fooling, Lennox. Dan learned
that long ago. and it's time you learned
1t now
Dan learned it 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 1 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
where they're hidden"
"And I give you," Lennox replied.
'one second less than that-to go to
h-llY
Both of them breathed hard In the
quiet room. Cranston was trembling
now, shivering 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 acci-
dent than any man can give me while
yet live, no matter what he does. II
you want to get on me and hammer
me in the approved Cranston way, 1
can't defend myself-but you won't
get civil answer out of me. I'm used
to pain, and 1 can stand it. I'm not
used to fawning to coyote like you.
and l 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 poison in his nerves
and a madness in his blood, and 1t 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 little more polite If it
was Snowbird-and Dan-that would
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 a
pistol, Snowbird's match for you"
'Dld you think that was what
meantT Cranston scorned. II know a
way to destroy those letters. and I'll
do tin the four seconds that I said,
unless you tell. I'm not even sure I'm
goin' to give you a chance to tell now !;
it's too good a scheme. There won't
be any witnesses then to yell around
in the courts What If l choose to set
fire to this house?"
"It 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 II They are
somewhere In the house, and they'd be
burned to ashes. But that isn't 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 dinky pistol. And you can't walk
at all. 1t would be a nice pickle.
wouldn't lit Wouldn't you have a fat
chance of getting down to civiliza-
tion?"
The voice no longer held steady. 1t
trembled with passion This was no
idle threat. The brain had already
seized upon the scheme with every in
tention of carrying II 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.
Il have only one hope" Lennox re-
| piled. Il hope, unknown to me, that
Dan has already dispatched those let
ters. The arm of the law is long.
Cranston. It's easy to forget that fact
up here. 1t will reach you in the
end"
Cranston turned through the door.
into the kitchen. He was gone long
time. Lennox heard him at work !;
the crinkle of paper and then a pour
ing sound around the walls. Then he
heard the sharp crack of match. An
instant later the first wisp of smoke
came curling. pungent with burning
oil. through the corridor