Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-08-31
cHAprER u

0eIOre the gray dawn came over the
land Bruce Duncan had started west
ward. He had no advancement at
the lightning decision. He was only
strangely and deeply exultant.
The reasons why went too deep
within him to be easily seen. In the
first place, It was adventure-and
Bruce's life had not been very adven-
turous heretofore. Then there was
sense Of Unreasonable relief at his
sudden and unexpected freedom from
the financial problems his father had
left. He would have no more consul.
tations with impatient creditors, no
more would he strive to gather to-;
gether the ruins Of the business, and
attempt to salvage the small remain
ing fragments Of his fathers fortune.
He had no plans, he didn't know which
way to turn. ALI at once, through the
message that Barney had brought him,
he had seen a clear trail ahead. It
was something to do, something at
last that mattered.
Finally there remained the eminent
fact that this was an answer to his
dream. He was going toward Linda,
at last. The girl had been the one
living creature in his memory that he
had cared for and who cared for him
the one person whose interest In him
was real. Linda, the little "spitare"
OF his boyhood, had suddenly become
the one reality In his world, and as he
thought Of her, his memory reviewed
the few Impressions he had retained
Of his childhood. 35s
First was the Square house the:
orphanage-whe the Woman had
turned him over to the nurse In
charge. Sometimes, when tobacco
smoke was heavy upon him, Bruce
could catch very dim and fieeting
glimpse Of the Woman's face: It was
only glimpse, only the faintest blur
& In half-tone, and then quite gone. Yet
he never gave up trying.
The few times that her memory
picture did come to him, 1t brought
a number Of things with It. One Of
them was a great and overwhelming
realization Of some terrible tragedy
and terror the nature Of which he
could not even guess.
"Shess been through fire." the nurse
told the doctor when he came In and
the door had closed behind the Woman.
Bruce did remember these words, be-
cause many years elapsed before he
completely puzzled them out. The
4 nurse hadn't meant such fires as swept
through the far-spread evergreen
forests Of the Northwest. It was some
other, dread fire that scared the spirit
and burned the bloom out Of the face
and all the gentle lights out Of the
eyes. 1t did, however, leave certain
lights, but they were such that their
remembrance brought no pleasure to
Bruce. They were just wild glare,
a fixed, strange brightness as Of great
fear or insanity. 3iss .f1 :.
The Woman had kissed him and
gone quickly and he had been too
Z young to remember Il she had carried
any sort of bundle close to her breast
4 Yet, the man consid ered, there must
have been such a bund therwtse
he couldn't possibly account for Linda
And there were no doubts about her
i ct all. .s. IN y
OF course he had no memories Of
her that FIRST day, nor Tor; the first
! years. But all later memories Of the
Square house always included her
4 She must have been nearly four years
4 younger than himself; thus when he
las taken to the house she was only
an infant. But thereafter, the nurse.
i put them together often and wher
Linda was able, to talk, she called hin
something that sounded like Bwova
boo. She called him that 30 often tina
] for q long time he couldn't be- sur,
that wasn't hiA real name. Now, Il
manhood, he interpreted. ss.
\ Brother Bruce, Of course. Linds
was of course a sister. 4 ssss3 4.
| Linda had been homely;; even !,
small boy could notice that. Beside1
Linda was nearly six when Bruce bas
4 left for. good: and ewas then at al
i age In which Impressions begin 81
be lasting. Her hair was quite blon.
then, and her features rather irregular
But there had been a light In her eyes
4 BY his word. there had been! VI
She had been angry at him times II
4 plenty over some childish gam ant
he remembered how that light ha,
], grown and bright ned.. She had dnnl
| at him too. He laughed NJ thu
memory Of her sud- den, explosive feroc
ity-the way her hands had smacke,
n on 4, ~ l,as. nI,nniyo M sfnryoh ~ fiftI