The Snowflake herald., 1922-11-17

threats. 1t present seem to be in
your hands,"
-.Tou don't seem to be-" Simon an
swered with :eddening eyes. "You
are"
II have no intention of saying I'm
sorry I didn't heed the threats you
gave me before-and as to those I've
heard tonight-they're not going to do
you any good, either. 1t is true that
you found me in the house you occu-
py in the dead of night-but it isn't
your house to start with. What a man
seizes by murder isn't his"
what man holds with hard fist
and his rifie-in these mountains-is
his" Simon cOntradicted him.
Besides, you got me here with
trick" Bruce went on without heed
ing him. $50 don't pretend that any
wickedness you do tonight was justi-
fed by my coming. You'll have to an
swer for it just the same"
Simon leaned forward in his chair.
His dark eyes glowed in the lamp
light. "Pve heard such talk as that
before" he said. ~ expect your own
father talked like that a few times
himself"
The words seemed to strike straight
home to the gathered Turner's. The
moment was breathless, 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
er wickedness than anything you can
do tonight. And you'll have to answer
for it all the more"
He spoke the last sentence with
calm assurance. Though spoken soft
ly, the words rang clear. But the an
swer of the evil-hearted man before
him was only laugh.
"And there's one thing more 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,
and he knew that Simon had spoken
certain words that, if for no other
reason than his reputation with his
followers, he would have to make good.
Bruce knew that no moment of his life
was ever fraught with greater peril.
But the fact itself that there were no
doors of escape open to him, and he
was face to face with his destiny,
steadied him all the more.
The boy that had been wakened in
his bed at home by the ring of the
phone bell had wholly vanished now.
A man of the wild places had come
f1inching
Everything is tolerable clear to us
already" Simon said, except your
sentence"
Il want you to know that 1 refuse
to be impressed with this judicial atti-
tude of you and your blackguard fol-
lowers" Bruce went on. "This gath
ering Of the group of you doesn't
make any evil that you do any less
wrong, or the payment you'll have to
make any less sure. 1t lies wholly in
your power to kill me while I'm sitting
here, and haven't much hope but
that you'll do it. But let me tell you
this. A reign Of blOodshed and crime
can go on only so long. You've been
kings up here, and you think the law
can't reach you. But it will-believe
me, it WILL
"And this was the man who was go
ing to renew the blOOd-feud-already
hollering about the law" Simon said
to his followers. He turned to Bruce.
''It's plain that Dave isn't going to
come. I'll have to be the chief witness
myself, after all. However, Dave told
me all that 1 needed to know. The
first question have to ask of you, Fol-
ger, is the whereabouts of that agree
ment between your late lamented faith
er and the late lamented Matthew
Ross, according to what the trapper
Hudson told you a few days ago."
Bruce was strong enough to laugh
in his bonds. up to this time / have
given you and your murderous crowd
credit for at least natural intelli gence,"
he replied, "but l see / was mistaken
Or you wouldn't expect an answer
to that question"
"Do you mean you don't know it's
whereaboutS?"
81 won't give you the satisfaction
of knowing whether I know or not. 1
just refuse to answer"
Il trust the ropes are tight enough
about your wrists"
'Plenty tight, thank you. They are
cutting the flesh so it bleeds."
'How would you like them some
tighter?"
''Pull them till they cut my arms
off, and you won't get civil answer
out of me. In fact" and the mans
eyes blazed-"Tm tired of talking to
this outlaw crowd. And the sooner
you do what you're going to do, the
better it will suit me-"
We'll come to that shortly enough.
DiSregarding that for a mOment-we