American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-05-06

Tell you where what ISL My
money!"
"You know what | want-and II
isn't money. / mean those letters that
Failing found on the ridge. I'm
through fooling, Lennox. Dan learned
that long ago. and it's time you learned
IL now
"Dan learned IL 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 l came to get.
| They're hidden somewhere around this
house. I've watched, and he's had no
chance to take them into town. III
give you-just five seconds to tell me
where they're hidden"
"And / give you," Lennox replied,
"one second less than that-to go to
hill"
Both of them breathed hard in the
quiet room. Cranston was trembling
now, shiyering just a little In his arms
and shoulders. Don't get me wrong,
Lennox," he warned.
"And don't have any decisions In re
gard TO me either" Lennox replied.
"Pve stood worse pain from this acci-
dent than any man al give me while
/ yet live, no matter what he does. III
you want to get on me and hammer
me in the approved Cranston way, l
can't defend myself-but you won't
get a civil answer out of me. I'm used
to pain, and l can stand 1t. I'm not
used to fawning to a 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 alt the scene about him.
Ii was instilling a poison In his nerves
and a madness In his blood, and II 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 II u
was Snowbird-and Dan-that would
have to pay"
Perhaps the color faded slightly In
Lennox's face; but his voice did not
change.
"rhey'l see your footprints before
they come In and be ready" Lennox
replied evenly. "They always come In
by the back way. And even with O
pistol. Snowbird's a match for YOU"
"Did you think that was what
meant?" Cranston scorned. II know Q
way to destroy those letters, and III
do Tin the four seconds that said
unless you tell. Pm not even sure Tn
goin' to give you n chance to tell now
It's too good n scheme. There won
be any witnesses then to yell arount
.It wouldn't surprise me a grea
aeal It's your own trade" Lenno
J. shuddered once on his place on IN
: floor.
X "I wouldn't have to worry abot
e those letters then, would II They al
u somewhere In the house, and they'd
= burned to ashes. But that lsht .
u that would be burned. You could ma
be crawl out, but you couldn't car,
0. the guns. and you couldn't carry U
ID nontrv full Of food. You're a
eighty miles up here from the neare
n occunied house, with two pair
nj en~owshoes for the three OF you a
ct one dinky pistol, And you can't WI
AT all. 1t would be a nice PICK
ns wouldn't II? Wouldn't you have a
re chance Of getting down to ciViil
!" tionT'
The voice no longer held steady
Ter ,ramhled with passion. This was
idle threat. The brain had alrei
seized upon the scheme with every
tention of carrying 1t out. The
" derness lay stark and bare, stripped
all delusion-not only in the 81
world outside but In the hearts
these two men, it's sons.
"I have only one hope" Lennox
niied. 81 hope, unknown to me-
an. Dan has already dispatched those
ters The arm OF the law IL
.uer Cranston. It's easy to forget that
hes nm here. II will reach you In
end"
Ieee' turned through the {
into the kitchen. He was gone a
, time. DeTlOA ntuiN NM
= =, the crinkle of paper and then a !
ing sound around the walls Inc
'ucl. heard the sharp crack OF q match
your instant later the first wisp OF 81
49, came curling. pungent with Dui
W. oil. through the corridor.
VI" you crawled from your coue
reach that gun" Cranston told
when he came in. Lets see you
out now"
% oh Lemons answer was a curse
tne last. dread %outpouring OF an D
Wus viii. He didn't look again at I'M
, wv terlng eyes. He scarcely wa
" up. Cranston's further preparations
oil poured on the rugs n furnls
W. the klndling placed at the base
S"S curtains. Cranston was trained
~ work. He was taking no chah'
urn the fire being extinguished. An,
i 1llF - .-gnFH tauraFH the n