The Adair County news., 1922-10-24
CHAPTER XII


Let me refresh my memory about
few of those little things you told
me" Bruce requested. 'First-On
what date does the twenty-year. pc,
riod-of the Turner's possession of the
land eXpire?"
year"
Not very long, is it? Now you ur
derstand that on that date they will
have had twenty years of undisputed
possession of the land; they will have
paid taxes on it that long; and unless
their title is proven false between nov
and that date we can't ever drive
them out"
That's just right
"And the fall term of court doesn't
begin until the fifth of the following
MONTH"
"Yes, we're beaten. That's all there
is to it. Simon told me so the last
time he talked to me-"
"It would be to his interest to have
you think so. But Linda-we mustn't
give up yet. We must try as long as
one day remains. 1t seems to me that
the first thing to do is to find the trap
per, Hudssn-the >one witness that is
still alive. He might be able to
prove to the court that as my fa-
ther never owned the land in reality,
he couldn't possibly have decided 1t
TO the Turner'S. DO you know where
this Hudson isT'
81 asked old Elmira last night She
thinks she knows. A man told her he
had his trap line on the upper Ump-
qua, and his main headquarters-y
know that trappers have string of
camps-waS at the mouth of Little
river, that flows into the Umpqua.
But it is "a long way from here"
Bruce was still a moment. "HOw
farT' he asked
1.-TWO full days tramp at the least
barring Y out accidents. But II you
think it is best-yOu can start out to-
day"
Bruce was a man who made deci-
siOns quickly. 'Then I'll starlight
away. Can you tell me how to find
the trail?"
"I can only tell you to go straight
north"
Then the thing to do is to get ready
at once. And then try to bring Hud-
son back with me-dOwn the valley.
After we get there we can see what
can be dOne"
Linda smiled rather sadly. "Tm not
very hopeful. But it's our last chance
There is no hope that the secret
agreement will show up in these few
weeks that remain. Well get your
things together at once"
They breakfasted, and after the
simple meal was finished, Bruce
packed for the journey. The two
women walked with him, out under
the pine.
Bruce shook old Elmira's scrawny
hand; then she turned back at once
into the house. The man felt singu-
larly grateful. He began to credit
the old woman with a great deal of
intuition, or else memories from her
own girlhood of long and long ago. He
did want a word alone with this
strange girl of the pines. But when
Elmira had gone in and the coast was
clear, it wouldn't come to his lips.
''It seems strange" he said, ito
come here only last highland then
to be leaving again"
1t seemed to his aStOniShed gaze
that her lips trembled ever so slightly.
"We have been waiting for each other
long time, BwovabOo," she replied.
She spoke rather low, not looking
straight at him. "And 1 hate to have
you go away so sOOn."
But I'll be back-in few days."
You don't know. No one ever
knows when they start out in these
mountains. Promise me, Bruce-to
keep watch every minute. Remember
there's nothing -nothing-that Simon
won't stoop to do. He's like wolf.
He has no rules of fighting. He'd just
as soon strike from ambush. How do
know that you'll ever come back
again?"
| . DuI Will. r. ne SInlleu at ner, dnU
his eyes dropped from hers to her lips
He reached out and took her hand
"Good-by, Linda he said, smiling
She smiled in reply, and her old
cheer seemed to return to her. "Good.
| by, BwovabOo. Be careful"
"Pll be careful. And this reminds
me of something"
"What2"
"That for all the time I've been
| away-and for all the time I'm going
to be away now-I haven't done any.
thing more-weIl, more intimate
| than shake your hand"
Her answer was to pout out her lips
in the most natural way in the world
Bruce was usually deliberate in his
| notions but all at once his delibera
ton fell away from him. There
seemed to be mo interlude of time be
tween one position and another His
arms went about her, and he kissed
her gently on the lips.
But it was not at all as they expect
ed. Because Linda had not knewr
many kisses, this little caress beneath