Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1922-09-29
SYNOPSIS

CHAPTER I.-At the death of his foster
father, Bruce Duncan, in an eastern city,
receives a mysterious message, sent by a
Mrs. Ross, summoning him peremptorlly
to southern Oregon-to meet LINDA
CHAPTER H.-Bruce has vivid but baf-
:iing recollections Of his childhood in an
orphanage. before his adoption by New
ton Duncan. with the girl Linda.
CHAPTER III.-At his destination,
Trails End, news that message has
marked dispieasure by a man introduced
to the reader as Simon
Bruce is astonished at his apparent fa-
miliarity with the surroundings, though
to his knowledge he has never been there
CHAPTER V.-obedient to the message
Bruce makes his way to Martins cross
roads store. for direction as to reaching
Mrs. Ross cabin.
CHAPTER VI.-On the way, Simon"
sternly warns him to give up his quest
and return East. Bruce refuses.
CHAPTER vII.--Mrs. Ross, aged and
inf1rm, welcomes him with emotion. She
hastens him on his way-the end of Pine
Needle Trail"
CHAPTER VIII-Through a country
puZzlingly familiar. Bruce journeys, and
finds his childhood playmate, Linda,
CHAPTER K.-The girl tells him of
wrongs committed by an enemy clan on
her family, the Rosses. Lands occupied
An1 aunt 's Elmira lh mrs. S' Ross5 9 and herself
wiped out by assassination. Bruces IA.
ther, Matthew Folger, was one OF the
victims. His mother had fed with Bruce
and Linda. The girl, while small had
been kidnapped from the orphanage and
h,NA1I 1Ifrx1A 90 kIoY 11N1IT1f Inc
had decided his lands to Matthew t'oIger
but the agreement, which would confute
the enemy's claims to the property, has
been lost
CHAPTER X.-Bruce's mountain blood
responds to the call Of the blood-reud
CHAPTER XI.-A giant tree. the Sen
tinei Pine, in front Of Anda's cabin,
seems to Bruce's excited imagination TO
be endeavoring to convey message.
CHAPTER XII.-Bruce seta out in
search of trapper named HUDSON!
witness to the agreement between LAhoa
father and Matthew Folger.
''On the thirtieth of October of this
year"
''Not very long, Is 1t? Now you un-
derstand that on that date they will
have had twenty years of undisputed
paid taxes on it that long; and unless
their title Is proven false between now
and that date, we can't ever drive
them out"
That's Just right"
And the fall term of court doesn't
begin until the fifth of the following
month";
Yes, we're beaten. That's all there
is to 1t. Simon told me 80 the last
time he talked to me-
''It would be to his interest to have
you think so. But Linda-we mustn't
give up yet We must try as long as
one day remains. 1t seems to me that
the first thing to do is to find the trap
per- Hudson-the one witness that Is
still alive. He might be able to
prove to the court that as my IA
ther never owned the land in reality,
he couldn't possibly have decided 1t
to the Turner's. Do you know where
this Hudson isl"
II asked old Elmira last night She
thinks she knows. A man told her he
had his trap line on the upper Ump-
qua, and his main headquarters-yO
know that trappers have string Of
camps-was at the mouth Of Little
river, that flows into the Umpqua
But It is long way from here
Bruce was still a moment. How
farr' he asked.
"Two full days tramp at the least
hQV ~fyNy re nv
think 1t is best-you can start out to-
day."
Bruce was a man who made ded-
sions quickly "Then I'll starlight
away. Can you tell me how to find
the trail?"
II can only tell you to 90 straight
north"
"Then the thing to do is to get ready
at once And then try to bring Hud-
son back with me-down the valley.
After we get there we can see what
can be done"
Linda smiled rather sadly I'm not
very hopeful. But it's our last chance
and we might as well make a try.
There is no hope that the secret
agreement will show up in these few
weeks that remain. Wen get your
things together at once"
They breakfasted, and after the
simple meal was finished, Bruce
packed for the journey. The two
women walked with him, out undsr
the pine.
Bruce shook old Elmira's scrawny
hand; then she turned back at once
into the house. The man felt singu-
larly grateful. He began to credit
the old woman with great deal Of
intuition, or else memories from her
own girlhood Of long and long ago. he
did want a word alone with this
strange girl of the pines. But whsn
Elmira had gone In and the coast was
clear, 1t wouldn't come to his lips.
"It seems strange" he said, ~
come here only last night--AnA Sh1A
TO be leaving aGain." --.-.