The Adair County news., 1922-10-31

now"
simon looked at his brothers face
with some wonder. More crafty and
cunning, Dave was like the coyote in
that he didn't yield so quickly to fury
as that gray wolf, his brother. But
when it did come, it scared him. 1t
had come now Simon couldn't mis-
take the fact; he saw it plain in the
glowing eyes, the clenched hands, the
drawn lips. Dave was remembering
the pain of the blow Bruce had given
him and the smart of the words that
had preceded it.
''YOu and he must have had little
session down there by the creek"
Simon suggested slowly, "when your
gun was jammed. OF course, he took
the gun. What's the use of trying to
lie. to me?"1
He did. What could dor
"And now you want him potted-
from ambush"
Whats the use of waiting? Who'd
known The two men stood face TO
face in the quiet and deepening dusk
of the barn; and there was growing
determination on each face. Every
day our chance is less and less," Dave
went on. with this land behind him,
he'd be in position to pay old debts,
I'm telling you. We should have met
him on the trail and let the buzzards
talk to him.
yes" Simon echoed in a strange
half-whisper. Let the buzzards talk
to him.
Dave took fresh heart at the sound
of that voice. ''NO one w9uld have ever
knOwed it." he went ON. mo one
would ever know it now. They'd find
his bones, some time, maybe, but
there'd be no one to point to. They'd
never get anything against us. l tell
yOu-it's all the way, or no way at ALL
Tell me to wait for him on the trail"
wait. Wait a minute. How long
before he will come?"
"Any time now. And don't postpone
this matter any more. We're men,
not babies. He's not fool or a cow
ard, either. And he's a shot-I saw
that plain enough-and, how'd you
like to have him shoot through your
windows some time? Old Elmira and
Linda have set him on, and he's hot
for it, ..
81 wish you'd got that old heifer
when you got her son" Simon said
He still spoke calmly; but it was
plain enough that Dawes words were
having the desired effect. $50 he's
taken up the blOOd-feud, has he? /
thought l gave his father some lessons
in that long time since. Well, sup
pose we must let him have his way!''
And remember, tOO," Dave urged
what you told him when you met him
In the store. You said you wOuldn't
warn him twice"
81 remember" The two men wert
silent, but Dave stood no longer mo
tiOnless. He was shivering all over
with malice and fury.
Then you've given the wOrd?" he
asked
1--WE given the word, but I'll do it
my own way. Listen, Dave" Simon
stood, head bent, deep in thought.
Gould you arrange to have Linda
and the old hag out of the house whep
Bruce gets back?"
Yes"
We've got to work this thing right.
We can't operate in the open like we
used to. This man has taken up the
blood-feud-but the thing to do-is to
let him come to U.S."
But he won't do it. He'll go to the
courts first"
SimOn's face. grew stern. 81 don't
want any more Interruptions, Dave. 1
mean we will want to give the impress
sion that he attacked US first-on his
own free will. What If he comes into
our hOuse-a man unknown IN these
parts-and something happens to him
therein the dead of night? 1t
wouldn't look so bad then, would lit?
Besides-if we got him heretofore
the elan. we might be able to find out
where that document is. First, how
can you tell when the's going to
cOmeT. .s
"He ought to be here very soon.
The moons bright and can get up
on the ridge and see his shadow
through your field glasses when he
crosses the big south pasture. That
will give me full half-hour before he
comes"
"It's enough. I'm ready to give you
your orders now. They are-just to
use your head. and on some pretext
get those two women out of the house
so that Bruce can't find them when he
returns Don't let them come back
for an hour, if you can help it. If it
works-all right. If it doesn't, we'll
use more direct measures. I'll tend to
the rest.''
He strode, TO the wall and took
down a saddle from the hook. Quick
ly he threw it over the back of one of
the COW ponies, the animal that he had
punished. HeNput the bride in Dawes
hand. "Stop at the house for the
glasses, then ride to the ridge at
once - hp ordered sGThen kaen watch