The Adair County news., 1922-11-14

strain, not to be afraid of, but to cling
toto stand upright and honorable
and manly, and make woman strong
Just to see 1t in the,ma she loves"
He listened gravely. Her cheeks
blazed 1t was a strange scene-the
silent room, the implacable foes, the
breathless suspense, the prophecy and
inspiration in her tones.
'Perhaps ! should have been more
forgotten-for little while-this surg
ing, irresistible impulse in my muscles
and tried just to WOO you, gently
and humbly. But it's too late now
I'm not a fool l can't expect you TO
begin at the beginning. l can only go
on in my own way-my hard, remOrse-
ess, ruthless way.
'It isn't every man who is brave
enough to see what he wants and
knock away all obstacles to get it, he
went on. "Put that bravery to my
credit. To pay no attention to meth
DDS, only to look forward to the result.
That has been my creed. 1t is my
creed now. Many less brave men
would fear your hatred-but l don't
fear it as long as possess what I go
after and hope that can get you
over it. Many of my own brothers
hate me, but yet 1 don't care as long
as they do my will. No matter how
much you scorn it, this bravery has
always got me what wanted, and it
will get me what want now"
The high color died in her face. She
wondered if the final emergency had
come at last.
"Pve come to make a bargain. You
can take it or you can refuse. On one
side is the end of all this conflict, to be
my wife, to have what you want
bought by the rich return from my
thousands of acres. And 1 love you,
Linda. You know that" ~
The man spoke the truth. His ter
rible, dark love was all over him-in
his glowing eyes, in his drawn, deeply
lined face.
"In time, when yoV come around to
my way of thinking, you'll love me.
If you refuse-this last time-Tve got
to take other ways. On that side. is
defeat for yOu-as sure as day. The
time is almost up when the title to
those lands Is secure. Bruce is In
our hands"
She got up, whitefaced. Bruce
"Yes Did you think he could stand
against us? I'll show him to you in
the morning Tonight he's paying the
price for ever daring to oppose my
will"
She turned imploring eyes. He saw
them, and perhaps-far distant-he
saw the light of triumph, too. A grim
smile came to his lips.
Simon" she cried. "Have mercy
The word surprised him. 1t was the
first time she had ever asked this mar
for mercy. "Then you surrender-T
"Simon, listen to me-" she begged
"Let him go-and won't even try II
fight you any more. I'll let you keel
those lands and never try any more tt
make you give them up. You anC
your brothers can keep them forever,
and we won't try to get revenge on
you, either. He and will go away
He gazed at her In deepening won
derment. For the moment, his mind
refused to accept the truth. He had
known perfectly the call of the blood
in her. He had understood her hatred
Of the Turner'S; he could hate in the
same way himself. He realized her
love for her fathers home and how
she had dreamed of eXpelling its usurp-
ers. Yet she was willing to renOunce
it all. The power that had come to
her was one that he, man whose code
of life was/no less cruel and remorse-
less than that of the Killer himself
could not understand.
But why?" he demanded. "Why
are you willing to do all this for
him?"
"Why?" she echoed. Once more the
luster was in her dark eyes. Il sup
pose it is because-I love him."
He looked at her with slowly dark.
ening face. Passion xelled within him
An oath dropped from his lips, bias
phemous, more savage than any wilder.
ness voice. Then he raised his arm
and struck her tender flesh.
He struck her breast. The brutal.
ity of the man stood forth at last. Nc
picture that all the dreadful dramas
of the wild could portray was more
TERRIBLE than this. The girl cried out
reeled and fell fainting from the pain
and with smoldering eyes he gazed al
her unmoved. Then he turned out OF
the door.
But the curtain of this drama in the
mountain home had not yet rung down
Half-uncOnscious, she listened to his
steps. He was out in the moonlight
vanishing among the trees. Strange
fancies swept her, all in the smallest
fraction of an instant, and voice
spoke clearly. With all the strength
Of her win she dispelled the mists OF
dawning Inconsistencies that the pair
had wrought and crept swiftly to the