, 1922-09-20
cHApTlER XVI

81
Dave Turner Travelled hard and late.
and he reached Simon's door lust he.
fore shutdown of the second dav
Bruce was still a full two hours dis.
tant. But Dave did not stay to knock
II was chore-time, and he thought no
would find Simon in his barn, super.
vising the feeding and care of the
live stock. He had guessed right. and
he two men had a moments talk in
the dusky passage behind the stalls.
1've brought news" Dave said.
Simon made no answer at first. The
saddle pony in the stall Immediately
In front of them, frightened at Dawes
unfamiliar figure, had crowded, trem.
bling. against his manager. Slmon's
red ayes watched him; her he ut.
tered a short oath. He took two
strides into the stall and seized the
halter rope In his huge, muscular
hand. Three times he jerked 1t with
a peculiar. quartering pull, a curbIng
that might have been ineffective by a
man of ordinary strength, but with
the incomprehensible might of tho
great forearm behind 1t was really
terrible punishment. Dave thought
for a moment his brother would break
the animals neck; the whites began
TO show about the soft. dark pupils
of its eyes. The strap over the head
broke with the fourth phil; then tina
horse recoiled, plunging and terrified,
into the opposite corner of the stall,
Simon leaped with SCATTERING power
at the creatures shoulders. his huge
arms enclrcled its neck. his shoulders
heaved, and4he half-threw 1t to the
floor. Then, as II staggeret to rise,
his heavy fist Hailed against its neck.
Again and again ne struck, and In the
half-darkness of the stable It was a
dreadful thing to behold. The mans
fury, always quickly aroused, was
upon him: his brawny form moved
with the agility of a panther. Even
Dave. whose shallow eyes were usually
won to feast on cruelty. viewed the
scene with some alarm. 1t wasn't that
he was moved by the agony of the
horse. But he did remember that
horses cost money, and Simon seemed
determined to kill the animal before
his passion was spent.
The horse covered. and in a mo-
ment more 1t was hard to remember
he Sas a member of a noble, high
spirited breed-a swift rune brainy
as a dog, a servant faithful and
worthy. He stood quiet at last, his
head hanging low, knees bent, eyes
curiously sorrowful and dark. Simon
fastened the broken strap about his
neck. gave 1t one more jerk that al.
most knocked the animal of his feet,
then turned back to Dave Except for
a higher color in his cheeks. durker
perceptible q%uickenlng OF his breath
ing. 1t did not seem us II he had
moved.
You're always bringing news" he
said. IF it's as important as some OF
the other news you've brought don't
take my time"
"All right" the other replied sui
lenly. 'You don't have to hear It. But
I'm telling you it's of real importance
this time-and some time you'll find
out" He scowled into the dark face.
But suit yourself
Dave walked clear to the door. then
turned. Don't be a fool. Simon" he
urged. Listen to what l have to tell
you. Bruce Folger knows where that
secret agreement Is"
For once in his life Dave got a
response of sufficient emphasis 10
satisfy him. His brother whirled, his
whole expression undergoing an i'm
mediate and startling change. If
there was one emotion hat Dave had
never seen on Simon's face It was
fear-and he didn't know for certain
that he saw II now. But there was
Observation-Disclosures surprise,
too.
what do you meant" he demanded.
"Out with itr' His tone was really
urgent now, not insolent as usual.
Good Lord, man, don't you know
that If Bruce gets that down TO the
settlements before the thlrtieth OF
next morth we're lost-and nothing
in this world can save us? We cant
drive him off, like we drove tie
ROSES. There's too much law down
in the valleys. If he's got that paper
there's only one thing to do. Help
me saddle n horse"
wait a minute. l didn't say he had
it. / only said he knew where It was
He's still an hour or two walk from
here. toward Little river, and II we
have to wait for him on the trail.
we've got plenty of time. And OF
course / amt quite sure he does kno"
where 1t Is"