Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1922-10-27


I your hands,"
\ you don't seem to be- Simon an
a swered with reddening eyes. "Yol
nre"
| Il have no intention of saying In
: sorry | didn't heed the threats yol
/. gave me beforehand as to those Iv'
heard tonight-they'r not going to d.
you any good, either. 1t Is true thai
you found me In the house you occu
by In the dead of night--but 1t isn't
your house to start with. What a man
seizes by murder isn't his"
"What a man holds with hard fist
and his rlhe-in these mountains-fs
his" Simon contradicted him.
Besides you got me here with a
trick" Bruce went on without heed
ing him. 80 don't pretend that any
wickedness you do tonight was justi-
fed by my coming. You'll have to an
swer for 1t just the same"
Simon leaned forward In his chair.
His dark eyes glowed in the lamp
light. I've heard such talk as that
before" he said ~ expect your own
father talked like that few times
himself"
The words seemed to strike straight
home to the gathered Turner's. The
moment was GREATNESS, weighted with
suspense. All of them seemed strain
ing in their chairs
Bruce's head bowed, but the veins
stood out beneath the short hair on
his temples and his lips trembled
when he answered. THAT was great
err wickedness than anything you can
do tonight. And you'll have to answer
for it all the more"
He spoke the last sentence with a
calm assurance. Though spoken soft
ly, the words rang clear. But the an
swer of the eyil-hearted man before
him was only laugh.
"And there's one thing more I want
to make clear" Bruce went on in the
strong voice of a man who had con-
quered his terror And it was not be-
cause he did not realize his danger.
He was in the hands of the Turner's,
md he knew that Simon had spoken
certain words that. if for no other
'eason than his reputation with his
followers, he would have to make good.
Bruce knew that no moment of his life
vas ever fraught with greater peril.
But the fact itself that there were no
loors of escape open to him, and he I
vas face TO face with his destiny,
tea0ipd him all tho nnora c
The boy that had been wakened In t
rs bed at home by the ring of the f
phone bell had wholly vanished now. Y
! man of the wild places had come =
lstead, stern and courageous and I'M A
inching. II
Everything is tolerable clear to us c
ready Simon said, except your
n
Il want you to know that I refuse G
be impressed with this judicial atti- h
lde Of you and your blackguard fol- ii
wers,' Bruce went on. This gath h
ing Of the group of you doesn't
axe any evil that you do any less T
rong, or the payment you'll have to b,
AXE any less sure. 1t lies wholly In te
ur power to kill me while Pm sitting BIZ
re, and | haven't much hope but hi
at you'll do it. But let me tell YOU w
is. reign of bloodshed and crime in
n go on only so long. You've been tn
lgs up here, and you think the law ia
at reach you. But it will-believe tn
!, it WILL" an
AND this was the man who was 90 di.
TO renew the blood-feud-already oh
Iiering about the law" Simon said sh
his followers. He turned to Bruce he
s plain that Dave isn't going to pa
ne. III have to be the chief witness wa
self, after all. However, Dave told an,
all that l needed to know. The rer
t question l have to ask of you. Fol abe
, is the whereabouts of that agree. tina
Mt between your late lamented faith. the
and the late lamented Matthew doy
49, according to what the trapper fire..
lsoh told you few days ago." and
ruce was strong enough TO laupb r
lis bonds. up to this time | have full
IN you and your murderous crowd had
lit for at least natural intelligence of
ep'eu' out l see was mistaken had
you wouldn't expect an answer and
hat question" nor
10 you mean you don't know its men
thor
W." give you the satisfaction Bru
moving whether I know or not. for
refuse to answer" loan
trust the ropes are tight enough were
It your wrists" rood
'lenty tight, thank you. They are lear,
ng the flesh so it bleeds." Hud
low would you like them some were
err" 'o'"e "eie
uil them Til they cut my arms from
ma you won't get civil answer Bruc
u me- in fact" and the mans TIL
IN tired OF talking TO both
outlaw crowd. And the sooner Simo
10 what you're going to do. The the 8
II VIII suit me-"
~ come 10 thar shortly enough -