Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-11-30

mountains. There q nothing. %
thoroughly unreliable a. the mountain
autumn. It may linger In enhancing
Colds and browns month after month,
until It IL almost time Tor spring to
come again; and again 1t may make
one short bow and usher In the winter.
To Bruce and Linda, In the old Fol-
ger home In Trails End, these fall
: days offered the last hope Of success
in their war against the Turner's.
The adventure in the pasture with
the Killer had handicapped them to
an, unlooked-for degree. Bruce's
muscles had been severely strained
by the bonds; several days had
elapsed before he regained their full
use. Linda was q mountain girl,
hardy as a deer, yet her nerves had
suffered greater shock by the ex-
pertence than either Of them had
guessed. The wild ride, the fear and
the stress, and most Of all the base
blow that Simon had dealt her had
been too much even for her strong
constitution; and she had been obliged
to 60 to bed for a few days Of rest.
Old Elmira worked about the house
the same az ever. but strange, new
Lights were In her eyes. For reasons
that went down to the roots Of things
neither Bruce nor Linda questioned
her as to her scene with Dave Turner
in the coverts; and what thoughts
dwelt in her aged mind neither Of
them could guess.
The truth vas that In these short
weeks Of trial and danger whatever
dreadful events had come to pass In
that meeting were worth neither
thought nor words. Both Bruce and
Linda were down to essentials. It 10
a descent that most human beings
some time In their lives-And they are
able to make; and there was no room
for senttmentality or hysteria In this
grim household The ideas, the soft.
nesses, the laws Of the valleys were
far away from them; they were face
to face with realities. Their code had
become the basic code Of life: to XIII
for selfprotection without mercy or
remorse
They did not know when the Turner's
would attack. It was the dark Of the
moon, and the men would be able to
approach the house without present.
ing themselves a. targets for Bruce's
rifle The danger was not thing on
which to conjecture and forget; It
was an ever-present reality. Never
they stepped out Of the door, never
they crossed lighted window, never
pane ratified in the wind but that
the wings Of Death might have been
lowering over them. The days were
passing, the date when the chance for
victory would utterly vanish was II.
most at hand, and they were haunted
by the ghastly fact that their whole
defense lay In a single thirty.thirty
rifle and i've cartridges. Bruce's own
gun had been taken from him In ST.
mons house; Linda had emptied her
pistol at the Killer.
We've got to get more Shells"
Bruce told Linda. 'The Turner's won't
be such fools as to wait until we have
the moon again, to attack. can't
understand why they haven't already
come. OF course, they don't know
the condition Of our ammunition sup
ply, but It doesn't seem to me that
that alone would have held them Oh.
They are sure to come soon, and you
know what we could do with five cart
ridges, don't you?" =
n know" She looked up into his
earnest face I'VE could die-that's
all.r
"Yes-like rabbits. without hurting
them at all. I wouldn't mind dying
90 much, II I did plenty Of damage
first. It's death for me. anyway, II
suppose no one but fool can
see It otherwise. There are simply
too many against US. But do want
to make some payment frst."
Her hand fumbled and CROPPED foe
his! Her eyes pleaded to him-more
than any words. "And you mean
you've given up hope!" she asked.
He smiled down at her-a grave,
strange little smile that moved her
in secret ways "Not given up hope,
Linda" he said gently. They were
standing at the door and the sunllg ht
-coming low from the south-was on |
his face. Tive never had any hope
to give up-just realisation Of what
lay ahead Of US. I'm locking It III |
In the face now. Just a. I did at first.
"And what yop see-makes you
afraidf i
Yet che need not have asked that
question. His face gave an unmistak-
able answer: that this man had con.
Quered fear IN the terrible night with
the Killer. "Not afraid. Linda" he
explained. "only seeing things a. they |
!, 4