American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1922-08-17
CHAPTER II

ward. He had no self-amazement at
the lightning decision. He was only
strangely and deeply exultant.
The reasons why went too deep
within him to be easily seen. In the
first place, it was adventure-sand
Bruce's life had not been very adven-
turous heretofore. Then there was a
n of unreasonable relief at his
sudden and unexpected freedom from
the financial problems his father had
left. He would have no more consul
tations with impatient creditors, no
more would he strive to gather to-
gether the ruins of the business, and
attempt to salvage the small remain
ing fragments of his fathers fortune.
He had no plans, he didn't know which
way to turn. All at once, through the
message that Barney had brought him,
he had seer a clear trail ahead. 1t
was something to do, something at
last that mattered.
Finally there remained the eminent
fact hat this was an answer to his
dream, He was going toward Linda,
at last. The girl had been the N
living creature in his memory thai he
had cared for and who cared for him
the ms person whose interest in him
was real. Linda, the little "spitfre"
of his boyhood, had suddenly become
the one reality in his world, and as he
thought of her, his memory reviewed
the few Impressions he mad retained
of his childhood.
First was the Square house-the
orphanage-where the Woman had
turned him over to the nurse in
charge. Sometimes, when tobacco
smoke was heavy upon him, Bruce
could catch a very dim and fleeing
glimpse of the Woman's face. 1t was
only a glimpse, only the faintest blur
in h%alf-tone, and then quite gone. Yet
he never gave up trying.
The few times that her memory
picture did come to him, 1t brought
a number of things with 1t. One Of
them was a great and overwhelming
realization of some terrible tragedy
and terror the nature of which I've
could mot even guess.
"She's been Through fire. the nurse
told the doctor when ne came in and
the door had closed behind the Woman.
Bruce did remember these words, he
cause many years elapsed before he
completely puzzled them out. THE
nurse hadn't meant such fires as swept
through the far-spread evergreen
forests of the Northwest. 1t was some
either, dread fire that scared the spirit
and burned the bloom out of the face
and all the gentle lights out Of the
eyes. 1t did, however, leave certain
Lights, but they We're such that their
remembrance brought no pleasure to
Bruce. They were just a wild glare,
a fixed, strange brightness as of great
fear or insanity.
The Woman had kissed him and
gone quickly; n he had been too
young to remember If she had carried
any soEt of bundle close to her breast
Yet, the mar considered, there must
have been such a bundle-otherwise
he couldn't possibly account for Linda
And theme were no doubts about her
at all.
or course he had no memories OF
her that first day, nor for the first
years. But all later memories OF the
Square house always included her
She must have been nearly four years
younger than himself, thus when he
was taken TO the house she was only
an infant. But thereafter, the nurses
put them together often; and when
Linda was able to talk, she called him
something that sounded like Bwova.
boo. She called him that so often that
for q long time he couldn't be sure
that wasn't his real name. Now, il
manhood, he interpreted.
Brother Bruce, of course. Linda
VAS Of eOurse a sister"
Linda bad been homely; ever &
mall boy could notice that. Besides
linda was nearly six when Bruce haC
eft for good ana he was then at al
tge in which impressions begin Il
he lasting. Her hair vas quite blonC
hen, and her features rather irregular
But there had been a light in her eyes
BY his word, there had been
She had been angry at him times il
plenty-oyer some childish game-anC
ne remembered how that light hat
grown and Frightened. She had fiunl
at him too. He laughed at the
memory of her sudden, explosive feroc
ity-the way her hands had smackeC
against his cheeks, and her sharp LITTLE
nails had scratched him Little Spit
fire." he sometimes called her; bu'
no one else could call her anything
! but Linda. For Bruce had been al
able little fighter, even in those days
he was fond of drawing pictures
r This was nothing in itself many lit
tie boys are fond of drawing pictures
: Nor were his unusually good. Thei
strangeness lay in his subjects. HI
3 liked to draw animals in particular
the animals he read about in schoo
! and in such books as were brough