Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-11-02

CHAPTER Xxx

CHAPTER Xxx
As Bruce waited, his eyes slowly be-
came accustomed to the darkness. He
began to see the dim outlines of his
fellow occupants of the room-fully
seven brawny men seated in chairs
about the walls. Lets hear you drop
your rifle" one Of them said.
Bruce recognized the grim voice as
Simon's-heard on one occasion before.
He let his rifle fall from his hands He
knew that only death would be the
answer to any resistance to these men.
Then Simon scratched match, and
without looking at him. bent to touch |
it to the wick Of the lamp.
The tiny fame sputtered and flick
cred. filling the room with dancing
shadows. Bruce looked about him.
Simon sat beside the fireplace, the
lamp at his elbow. AS the wick |
caught, the light frightened and stead
led, and Bruce could see plainly. on
each side Of him, in chairs about the
walls, sat Simon's brothers and his |
blood relationssthat shared the estate
with him. They were huge, gaunt
men, most Of them dark-bearded and
sallow-skinned, and all q them regard,
ed him with the same gaze Of specula-
tive interest.
Bruce did not finch before their
gaze. He stood erect as he could, In
stinctively defiant. -.....s. -.
sour guest is rather early" Simon
began. "Dave hasn't come yet, and
Dave Is the principal Witness"
A bearded man across the room an
swered him. .But I guess we amt
goin' to let the prisoner go for lack
Of evidence"
The circle laughed then-a harsh
sound, that was not greatly different
from the laughter Of the coyotes on
| the -sagebrush hills. But they sobered
when they saw that Simon hadn't
laughed. His dark eyes were glowing.
"You. by no chance, met him on the
way home, did your" he asked.
s"I wish had" Bruce replied. "But
didn't"
81 don't understand your engerness.
You didn't seem overly eager to meet
u.s."
Bruce smiled wanly. These wilder.
ness men regarded him with fresh in
terest. Somehow, they hadn't counted
on his smiling. It was almost as>if he
were of the wilderness breed himself,
instead of the son of cities. "I'm here,
am not?" he said ut isn't as If you
came to my house first
i Eyes, you're here" Simon confirmed.
".And I'm wondering If you remember
what told you just AS you left Mar.
tins store that day-that gave no
man two warnings"
81 remember that" Bruce replied.
81 saw no reason for listening to you.
don't see any reason now, and
wouldn'tsif 1t wasn't for that row of
guns
Simon studied his pale face. .Per.
haps you'll be sorry you didn't listen,
before this night is over. And there
are many hours yet init. Bruce-you
came up here to these mountains to
open old wounds"
"Sfmon, / came up here to right
wrongs-nnd you know it. II old
wounds are opened, can't help It"
"AnG tonight" Simon went on as II
he had not been answered, "you have
come unbidden into our house. Il
would be NIL the evidence the courts
would need, Brucethat you crept In
to our house in the dead Of night II
anything happened to you here, no
word could be raised against us. You
were brave man, Bruce"
$50 can suppose you left the
note r
! The circle laughed again, but Simon
silenced them with a gesture. you're
very KEEN" he said.
then where is Linda?" Bruce's
eyes hardened. II am more interested
in her whereabouts than in this talk
with you.'
The last seen Of her, she was going
up q hill with Dave. When Dave re-
turns you can ask him"
a Tho bearded man opposite from
Simon uttered snort syllable Of I
lAneh And It don't look like he's 70.
I Ing . rvturn. !" he said. The knowfna
lock q his face was deeply abhorrent
to Bruce. Curiously, Simon's face
flushed, and he whiried in his chair.
-Ds you mean anything n partieu
hl. Old BillY hs demanded.
Ii looks t. me- NE mazda naaRl