The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-12-15

and posture that she had never seen
before. 1t was as II she were walking
I'm her sleep, she came with such a
strange heaviness and languor, her
cane creeping through the pine needles
of the trail In front. She did not
seem to be aware Of Linda's approach
until the girl was only ten feet dis
tant. Then she looked up, and Linda
saw the moonlight on her face.
She saw something else too, but she
didn't know what It was. Her own
eyes widened. The thin lips were
dropping, the eyes looked as II she
were asleep. The face was strange
net Of wrinkles in the soft light. Ter
rible emotions had but recently died
and left their ashes upon 1t. But Linda
knew that this was no time to stop
and wonder and ask questions.
"Give me the horse" she command
ed Pm going to help Bruce"
"You can have It." Elmira answered
In an unfamiliar voice. "It,s the horse
that-that Dave Turner rode here
and he won't want him any more"
Linda took the rein, passed it over
the horses head, and started to swing
into the saddle. Then she turned with
gasp as the woman slipped some
thing into her hand.
Linda looked down and saw IT was
the hilt Of the knife that Elmira had
carried with her when the two women
had gone with Dave into the woods.
The blade glittered: but Linda was
afraid TO look at 1t closely. "You
might need that, too," the old woman
said. TT may be welt can't remem-
Der. But take 1t, anyway"
Linda hardly heard. She thrust the
blade into the leather Of the saddle,
then swung on the horse.
She rode swiftly until she began to
fear Simon might hear the hOof beat
Of her mount; then she drew up to
walk. And when she had crested
the hill and had followed down its
long slope into the glen, the moon
went under the clouds for the first
time
She lost sight of Simon at once.
Seemingly ler effort to save Bruce had
come to nothing, after all. But she
didn't turn back. There were light
patches in the sky, and the moon
might shine forth again.
She followed down the trail toward
the cleared lands that the Turner'S Gull
tivated. She went to their very edge
It was a rather high point, so she
waited here for the moon TO emerge
again. Never, it seemed to her, had 1t
moved so slowly. But all at once its
light flowed forth over the land.
Her eyes searched the distant
spaces, but she could catch no glimpse
of Simon between the trees. Evil
IDENTIFY he no longer walked in the
direction of the house. Then she looked
out over the titled lands.
Almost a quarter of a mile away
she saw the flicker of a miniature
shadow. Only the vivid quality of the
moonlight, against which any shadow
was clear-cut and sharp, enabled her to
discern ii at all. 1t was Simon, and
evidently his business had taken him
y.
was on the right track at last, she
urged her. horse forward again, keep
ing to the shadow Of the timber at
first.
Simon walked almost parallel to the
dark fringe for nearly mile; then
turned off into the TILED lands. She
rode opposite him and refined in the
horse to watch.
When the distance had almost OBJ
scured him, she saw him stop. He
waited long time then turned back.
The moon went in and out of the
clouds. Then, trusting to the distance
to conceal her, Linda rode slowly out
into the clearing.
Simon re-entered the timber, his in
spection seemingly done, and Linda
still rode in the general direction he
had gone. A curious sense Of i'm
pending events came over her as she
headed on toward the distant wall of
forest beyond.
Then, the clos slowly dimming I'M
der the mon, the light grew with al
-
first it was only bright enough to
show her own dim shadow on the
grass. The utter gloom that was over
the fields lessened and drew away like
receding curtains; her vision reached
ever farther, the shadows grew more
clearly outlined and distinct. Then
the moon rolled forth into a wholly
open patch of sky-a white sphere
with a sprinkling of vivid stars around
it-and the silver radiance poured
down.
1t was like the breaking Of dawn.
tances about her. The forest beyond
emerged in distinct outline; she could
see every irregularity In the plain.
And in one instant's glance she knew
that she had found Bruce.
His situation went home to her in
not alone. Even now a great, tower
ing figure was creeping toward him
from the forest. Linda cried out,
and with the long strap of her rein
dashed her horse into the fastest pace
1t knew.
Bruce did not hear her come. He
lay in the soft grass. waiting for
death. A great calm had come upon
him; strange, quiet strength that the
pines themselves might have lent to
him; and he made no cry. In this
dreadful last moment of despair the
worst Of his terror had gone and left
his thoughts singulariy clear. And
but one desire was left to him: that
the Killer might be merciful and end
his existence with one blow.
L