The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1922-11-30
CONTINUED from last weekly

ne gIn was speaking slowly now,
evidently watching the effect of her
ROrds on her listener. He was bent
I0rward, and his breath came In queer,
whispering gusts. "Go on" he or
Gsred savagely. "Tell me the rest.
Why do you keep me waitingf'
The girl smiled again-like a sor-
Daress. "Folger's wife was from the
plains country" she told him slowly.
II she had been Of the mountains she
night have remained to do some kill
ngf on her own account. Like old Eli
mira herself remained to do-killing
On her own account! But she was
from cities, just as you are, but she
snliks you-had no mountain blood in
her She wasn't used to death, and
Herhaps she didn't know how to hate.
Che only knew how to be afraid.
They say that she went almost in
sans at the sight of that strong, brave
nan Of hers lying still in the pine
aosdles. She hadn't even known he
was out Of the house. He had gone
suti On some secret business-late at
Nsht She had only one thing left
her baby boy and her little foster
aauxhter-little Linda Ross, who Is
before you now. Her only thought
was to get those children out Of that
ireadful land Of bloodshed and to
hide them SO that they could never
some back And she didn't even want
them to know their true parentage.
She seemed to realize that If they had
Known, both Of them would return
some time-to collect their debts.
sooner or later, that boy with the Fol-
ger blood in him and that girl with
the Ross blood would return, to at
tempt to regain their ancient holdings,
and to make the clan pay
"Aii that was left were few old
women with hate In their hearts and
strange tradition to take the place
az hope. They said that some time. II
death spared them, they would see
Folger's SON come back again. and
assert his rights. They said that a
new champion would arise and right
their wrongs But mostly death didn't
mare them. Only old Elmira is left.
"What became Of the secret agree
ment do not know. / haven't any
hope that you do, either. The deed
was carried down to the courts by
sharp, one Of the witnesses who man
aged to get past the guard, and put
On die soon after 1t was written. The
rsss is short Simon and his clan took
up the land, swearing that Matthew
TulGer had decided II to them the day
he had procured it. They had deed
to show for it--a forgery. And the
one thing that they feared, the one
weak chain, was that this secret
szreement between Felger and my
father would be found.
"You see what that would mean. 1t
would show that he had no right to
deed away the land, as he was simply
holding 1t in trust for me- Old Elmira
explained the matter to me-if / get
MIXED up on the legal end OF it, ex-
cuse 1t. II that document could be
found. their forged deed would be OBJ
viously invalid. And 1t angered them
that they could not find 1t.
"Of course they never filed their
forged deed-afratd that the forgery
would be discoyered-but they kept
Il to show to any one that was In
tsrested But they wanted to make
themselves still safer.
There had been two witnesses to
the agreement. One OF them, man
named Sharp. died--or was killed
shortly after The other. an old trap
per named Hudson, was Indifferent to
the whole matter--he, was just pass
Ing through and was at Folger's house
for dinner the night Ross came. He Is
sill living In these mountains, and he
might be Df value to Us yet.
"Of course the clan did not feel at
all secure. They suspected the secret
agreegzsnt had been mailec to some