The Adair County news., 1922-11-28

an teOil liiCIn at lHClE
home. 1t wasn't the Turner way to
wage open warfare They were the
wolves that struck from ambush. the
rattlesnakes that lunSed with poisoned
fangs from beneath the rocks. There
was some security for her in the FOlger
home, but none whatever here. There
she had strong man to fight for her.
loaded rifle, and un'ler ordinary con.
ditiOns the Turner's could not hope to
batter down the Oaken door and over
whelm them without at least some loss
of life. For all they knew, Bruce had
large stock of rifles and ammunition
and the Turner's did not look for
ward with pleasure to casualties in
their ranks. The much simpler way
was to watch the trail.
They had known that sooner or
later one of them would attempt to
ride down after either supplies or aid
Linda was mountain girl and she
knew the mountain methods of DrOce-
dure; and she knew quite well whar
she would have had to expect if she
had not discovered the ambush in time.
Sne didn't think that the sentry would
actually fire on her; he would merely
shoot the horse from beneath her. 1t
would be simple feat by the least
of the Turners-fOr these gaunt men
were marksmen. if nothing else 1t
wouldn't be in accord with SimOn'S
plan or desire to leave her body lying
still on the trail. But the horse killed.
flight would be impossible, and what
would transpire thereafter she did not
dare to think. She had not forgotten
SimOn's threat in regard to any attempt
to go down into the settlements. She
knew that it still held good.
OF course, if Bruce made the excur-
sion, the sentry's target would he
somewhat different. He would shoot
him down as remOrselessly as he would
shatter lynx from a tree top.
The truth was that Linda had
guessed just right. Its the easiest
way" Simon had said. They'll he
trying to get out in a very few days.
If the man-shOot straight and to kill
If Linda, plug the horse and bring her
here behind the saddle"
Linda turned softly, then started
back. She did not even give a Sec
Ond's thought to the folly of trying to
break through. She watched the SEN
tinel over her shoulder and saw him
turn about. Far distant though he
was, she could tell by the movement
he made that he had discovered her.
She was almost four hundred yards
away by then, and she lashed her
horse into a gallOp. The man cried
to her to halt, sound that came dim
and strange through the burn, and
then bullet sent up cloud of ashes
a few feet to one Sde. But the range
was too far even for the Turner's, and
she only urged her horse to a faster
pace.
She flew down the narrow trail,
turned into the main trail, and gal
loped wildly toward home But the
sentry did not follow her. He valued
his precious life too much for that
He had no intention Of offering him
self as a target to Bruce's rifle as he
neared the house. He headed back to
report to Simon.
Young Bill-for such had been the
identity of the sentry-fOund his chief
in the large field not far distant from
where Bruce had been confined. The
man was supervising the harvest of the
fall growth of alfalfa. The two men
walked slowly away from the workers,
toward the fringe of woods.
" 1T looks as if we'll have to adopt
rough measures, after ALL" Young Bill
began.
. Simon turned with flushing face.
"DO you mean you let him get past
yOu-and missed him? Young Bill, If
you've done that"
Won't you wait till I've told you
how it happened? 1t wasn't Bruce; it
was Linda. For some reason 1 can't
dope out, she went up in the big burn
back of me and saw me-when was
too far off to shoot her horse. Then
she rode back like Il witch. They'll
not take that trail again"
at means one Of two things" Simon
Sdiu dIleE pause. One OF them Is
to starye 'em out. 1t won't take long
Their supplies won't last forever. The
other is to call the clan and attack
tonight"
And that means loss of life"
mot necessarily. l don't know how
many guns they've got. If any of you
were worth your salt, you'd find out
those things. wish Dave was here"
And Simon spoke the truth for once
in his life; he did miss Dave. And it
was not that there had been any love
lost between them. But the truth was
although Simon never would have
admitted 1.-THE weaker mans cunning
had been Of the greatest aid to his
chief. Simon needed it sOrely now.
'And we can't wait till tomorrow
Mght-because we've got the moon
then" Young Bill added. "Just new
moon, but it will prevent surprise
attack. suppose you still have hopes
Of Dave coming back"
Il don't see why not. I'll venture
to say now he's off on some good piece
of busineSs-dOing something none of
fhp rpSf of won hayo tbnuobt of HarI