The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1922-12-28

"EverythInp 10 Tolerable Clear to Us
Already" Simon Said, "Except
Your Sentence"
ly. the words rang clear. But the an
tsswer Of the e~vil-hearted man before
him was only "a laugh. "
"And there's one thing more / want
tosmake clear" Bruce went on In the
strong voice Of a man who had con-
uuered his terror. And 1t was not be-
cause he did not realize his danger.
He was In the hands of the Turner's.
and he knew that Simon had spoken
certain words that, If for~no other
reason than his reputation with his
followers, he would have to make good
Bruce knew that no moment of his life
was ever fraught with greater peril.
But the fact itself that there We're no
doors of escape open to him. and he
was face to facs with his destiny,
steadied him all the more.
The boy that had been Weakened In
his bed at home by the ring Of the
phone bell had wholly vanished now.
A man Of the wild places had come
instead, stern and courageous and un-
f~inching.
Everything is tolerable clear to us
!. already Simon said, Except your
sentence"
II want you to know that I refuse
to be impressed with this judicial att.
tude Of you and your BLACKBOARD fol-
lowers" Bruce. went on. "This gath
ering Of the group Of you doesn't
make n evil that you do any less
wrong, or the payment you'll have to
make any less sure. It lies wholly in
your power to kill me while I'm sitting
here, and / haven't much hope but
that you'll do 1t. But let me tell you
this. A reign Of bloodshed' and crime
can go o N only SO long. You've been
kings up here, and you think the law
can't reach you. But 1t will-believe
! me, 1t WILL" 81
T. "And this was the man who was go
ing to renew the blood-feud-already
holIering about the law" Simon said
to his followers. He turned to Bruce.
tits plain that Dave isn't going to
come. I'll have to be the chief witness
myself, after ALL However, Dave told
me all that T. needed to know. The
/ first question I have to ask of you, Fol-
ger, is the whereabouts Of that agree
ment between your late lamented faith
err and the late lamented Matthew
Ross, according to what the trapper
Hudson told you a few days ago."
Bruce was strong enough to laugh
in his bonds. up to this time I have
given you and your murderous crowd
credit for at least natural intelligence"
he replied, 'but / see I vas mistaken
10 you wouldn't expect an answer
to that question"
do you mean you don't know its
w~hereabouts?"
II won't give you the satisfaction
Of knowing whether I know or not. I
just refuse to answer"
II trust the ropes are tight enough
about your wrists"
"Plenty tight, thank you. They are
cutting the flesh so 1t bleeds."
"How would you like Them some
tighter",
"Pull them till they cut my arms
OF, and you won't get a civil answer
out of me. In fact" and the mans
eyes blazed-.Tm tired of talking to
this outlaw crowd. And the sooner
you do what you're going to do, the
better 1t win suit me-"
"We'lt come to that shortly enough.
Disregarding that for a moment-we
understand that you want to open up
the blood-feud again. Is that true 2"
Bruce made no answer. only gazed
without fiincking into his aQuestioner's
face.
'That was what my brother Dave
led me to understand" Simon went
en-, $50 we've decided to let you have
your way. It's open-it's been open
since you came here. You d~isregarded
the warning / gave-and men don't
disregard my warnings twice. You
threatened Dave with your rifle. This
is a different land than you're used
to, Bruce, and we do things u own
way. You've hunted for trouble and
now you've found 1t. Your father be-
fore you thought he could stand
against us-but he's been lying still a
long time. The Rosses thought SO.
too. And II. Is part Of our code never
to take back a threat-but always to
make 1t good" $3.50
Bruce still sat with lowered head,
seemingly not listening. The Eclansmen
gazed at him. and a new, more deadly
spirit was In the room. None Of them
smiled now: the whole circle of faces