The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-12-28

dered savagely. TELL me the rest.
Why do you keep me waitingf"
The girl smiled again-like a sor-
ceress. 'Folger's wife was from the
plains country" she told him slowly.
IF she had been Of the mountains she
might have remained to do some kill
ing on her W account Like old FL
mira herself remained to do-killing
on her own account! But she was
from cities, just as you are. but She
unlike you-had no mountain blood in
her. She wasn't used to death, and
perhaps she didn't know how to hate.
She only knew how to be afraid.
"They say that she went almost in
sane at the sight of that strong, brave
man of hers lying still In the pine
needles. She hadn't even known he
was out OF the house. He had gone
out on some secret business-iate at
night. She had only one thing left
her baby boy and her little foster
daughter-little Linda Ross, who Is
before you now. Her only thought
was TO get those children out Of that
dreadful land OF bloodshed and to
hide them so hat they could never
come back. And she didn't even want
them to know their true parentage.
She seemed to realize that IL 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 payi
"All that was left were a few old
women with hate In their hearts and
of hope. They said that some time. IL
death spared them, they would see
Folger's son come back again. and
assert his rights. They said that a
sew champion would arise and right
their wrongs. But mostly death didn't
spare them. Only old Elmira Is left.
"What became Of the secret agree
ment ! do not know. I 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 file soon after IL was written. The
rest Is short. Simon and his clan took
up the land. swearing that Matthew
Folger had decided II TO them the day
he had procured II. They had a deed
TO show for it-a forgery. And the
one thing that they feared, the one
weak chain, was that this secret
agreement between Folger 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 II In trust for me. Old EImira
explained the matter 10 me-if I get
mixed up on the legal end Of it, ex
cuse 1t. If that document could be
found, their forged deed would be OBJ
ylously invalid. And II angered them
that they could not find 1t.
'Of course they never filed their
forged deed-afraid that the forgery
would be discovered-but they kept
II to show to any one that was In
terested. But they wanted to make
themselves still SAFER.
"fiicre had been two witnesses to
the agreement. One of them, a 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 mt Folger's house
for dinner the night Ross came. He Is
still living in these mountains, and he
might be OF value to US yet.
"Of curse the clan did not feel at
all ecure They suspected the secret
agreement had been mailed to some
one to take care OF, and they were
afraid that It would be brought to light
when the time was ripe. They knew
perfectly that their forged deed would
never stand the test, SO one OF the
things to do was TO prevent their claim
ever being contested. That meant to
keep Folger's son In ignorance Of the
whole matter.
II hope | can make that clear. The
deed from my father to Folger was on
record, Folger was dead, and FoIger's
son would have every right and OPP
p%ortunity to contest the clans claim to
the land. If he could get the matter
into court, he would surely win.
"The second thing to do was to win
me over. ] was just a child. and it
looked the easiest course OF all. That's
why | was stolen from the orphanage
by n of Simon's brothers. The idea
was simply that when the time came
1 would marry n OF the clan and es-
tablish their claim to the land forever.
Cup to a few weeks ago Ii seemed
to me that sooner or later I would win
out. Bruce, you can't dream what it
meant i thought that some time I
could drive them out and make them
pay, a little. for all they have done.
But they've tricked me. after all. I
thought that | would get word to Fol-
gers son. who by inheritance would
have a clear title to the Land. and be,
with the aid Of the courts. could drive
these usurpers put. But Just recently
I've found out that vsn this chance
Is all but gone.
He put his arms about her