Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1921-05-12

from H. lie had succeeded in getting
down from The couch. though wrackcd
10y agony. hut had been unable to lift
himself up in reach of the gun.
CrauStun read his intention in ON"
glance. Lennon knew il. hut he sim
ply didn't care. lie had PASSED the
point where anything seemed to mat
ter.
Tell me where il IS" Cranst"n or
drrrd him. Again he pointed. his rifle
AT Lemons wasted breast.
Tell You where what is? My
money!"
You know what want-and il
isn't money. ! mean those letters that
Failing found on the ridge. I'm
through fooling. Lennon. Dan learned
that long age. and its time you learned
I II now
"pan 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; hut
| I'm not going 10 let that stand i'm the
way of getting what | came Ia 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 I give you" Lennon replied.
zone second less than that-to 20 tn
! h-Il"
Both Of them breatheL hard i'm the
| quiet room. CranSton was trembling
now, shivering just a little in his arms
and shoulders. Don't get me wrong.
Lennon" he warned
And don't have any dcluSions I'm re-
/ gard to me. either" LcnnoX replied.
! I've stood worse pain from this acct
dent than any man can give me while
/ yet live, no matter what he does. If
you want To get on me and hammer
me in the approved CranSton way, |
can't defend mySelf-but you won't
| get civil answer out of me. I'm used
TO pain. and | can stand it. I'm not
used Ia fawning Ia a coyote like you.
and | cant stand it,"
But Cranston hardly heard An idea
had famed in his mind and east Il red
| glamOr over all the scene about him.
II was Installing a poison in his nerves
! and a madness in his blood. and il was
soaring him, like fire, in his dark
brain. Nothing seemed real. lie sud
! denly bent forward tense
That's all right about you" he said.
But you'd be n little more polite if it
was SnOwbird-and Dan-that would
have tn pay"
Perhaps the color faded slightly in
I.ennox's face; but his voice did not
change.
They'll see your footprints before
they come i'm and be ready" Lennox
replied evenly. They always come in
by the back way. And even with
pistol. Snowbrd's a match for YOU"
did you think that was what
meant?" Cranston scorned. Il know a
way 10 destroy those letters. and I'll
do tin the four seconds that | said.
unless you tell. I'm not even sure I'm
Goin' TO give you chance to tell now;
it's too good scheme. There won't
he any witnesses then to yell around
I'm the courts. What if | choose TO set
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.
Il wouldn't have 10 worry about
those letters then. would I? They are
/ somewhere i'm the house and they'd he
burned To ashes. But that isn't all
that would he 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. Ii would be nice pickle,
wouldn't il? Wouldn't you have fat
chance of getting down To civiliza-
tion?"
The voice no longer held steady. 1t
trcmbled with passion. This was no
idle threat. The brain had already
seized upon the scheme with every in
tention of carrying il out. The will
derness lay stark and bare, stripped of
all delusion-nOt only I'm 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
Cranston. It's easy to forget that fact
up here. Ii will reach you In the
end"
CranSton turned through the door.
into the kitchen. He was gone a long
time LennOX heard him at work I;
the crinkle of paper and then a pour
ing sound around the walls. Then he
heard the sharp crack of a match. An
instant later the first wisp of smoke
came curling, pungent with burning
oil, through the corridor.
You crawled from your couch To
rracl: that gum" CranstOn told him
when he came in. Lets see you crawl
out now"
LennuX's answer was a curse-the
last. dread OutpOuring of an unbrOken
will. He didn't look again at the gilt
tering eyes. He scarcely watched
Cranston's further preparations: the
oil poured on the rugs and furnishings.
the kindling placed at the base of the
curtains CranSton was trained in this
work He WAS taking no chances on
the fire being eXtinguiShcd. And Len
noN began Ia crawl toward the door.
He managed Ia grasp the corner of