The Adair County news., 1922-11-28

tween.
Simon spoke then-a single, terrible
oath of hatred and jealousy. But in
second more he saw his triumph.
Bruce swayed. reeled and fell in Lin
da's arms, and he saw her half-drag
him into the house.
He stood shivering, but not from
/ the cold that the storm had brought.
Come on he ordered Young Bill.
Il think we've dOwned him for good,
but we've got to get that paper"
But Simon did not see all things
| clearly. He had little real knowledge
of the little drama that had followed
his shot from ambush.
Human nature is full of odd quirks
| and twists, and among other things,
| symptoms are misleading. There is
an accepted way for men to act when
| they are struck with a rifle bullet.
They are expected to reel, to throw
| their arms wide, and usually to cry
out. The only trouble with these ac-
tions, as men who have been in bat
tlefields know very we'll, is that they
| do not usually happen in real life.
| Bruce, with Linda's eyes upon him,
took one rather long, troubled breath.
And he did look somewhat puzzled.
Then he looked down at his shoulder.
''Tm hit, Linda" he said in quiet
way. 81 think just a scratch"
The tremendous shock of any kind
| of wound from d thirty-fOrty Caliber
bullet had not seemingly affected him
outwardly at all. Some hours were
to pass before he completely under
stood. The truth was that the shock
| Of that rife bullet, ordinarily striking
blow of a half-ton, had cost him for
the moment an ability to make any
logical Interpretation of events. The
girl moved swiftly, yet without giving
an impression of leaplng, and stood
very close and in front of him. In
one lightning movement she had made
of her own body a shield for his, in
case the assassin in the covert should
shoot again.
Her arms went about and seized
his shoulders: "Stagger," she whis-
pered quickly. Pretend to fall. It's
the one chance to save you"
| He dispelled the mists in his own
brain and Obeyed her. He swayed and
her arms went about him. Then he
fell forward.
Her strong arms encircled his waist
and with all her magnificent young
strength she dragged him to the door.
1t was noticeable, however-to all
eyes except Bruce's-that she kept
her own body as much as she could
between him and the ambush. In an
instant they were in the darkened
room. Bruce stood up, once more
wholly master of himself
You're not hurt bad?' she asked
quickly.
mo. Just a deep scratch in the
arm muscle near the shoulder. Bullet
just must have grazed me. But it's
bleeding pretty bad"
"Then there's no time to be lost"
Her hands in her eagernesS went
again to his shoulder. Don't you
see-he'l be here in a minute. Well
steal out the back door and try to
|
can overtake US"
In one instant he had grasped the
idea; and he laughed softly in the
gloom. 81 know. I'll snatch two
blankets and the food. You get the
horse"
She sprang out the kitchen door
and he hurried into the bedrooms
He snatched two of the warmest
blankets from the beds and hurled
them over his shoulder. He hooked
the camp ak on his belt, then hastened
into the little kitchen. He took up
the little sack containing few pounds
of jerked venison, spilled out few
pieces for Elmira, and carried it
with a few pounds of fiour-out to
meet Linda. The horse still stood
saddled, and with deft hands they
tied on their supplies and fastened
the blankets in a long roll In front Of
the saddle.
"Get on" she whispered. an get
up behind you"
She spoke in the utter darkness
he felt her breath against his cheek.
Then the lightning came dimly and
showed him her face.
mo, Linda" he replied quietly
"YOu are going alone"
She cut him off with a despairing
cry. ooh, please, Bruce-I won't !
I'll stay here, then"
r ! Don't you seeT' he demanded
3 ,"You can make it out without me
D I'm wounded and bleeding, and can
tell how long can keep up. View
: only got one horse, and without m
Y to weigh him down you can get dow
2 to the courts"
t "And leave you here to be mul
: dered? oh, don't waste the preciOu
. seconds any more. 1 won't go will
i out you. mean it. If you stay her
|. 1 do, too. Believe me if you ever b'
$ lieved anything"
Once more the lightning reveale
i her face, and on it the determinatio
# of a zealot. He knew that she spOB
tha truth He cIinnhod with some diff