Williams news., 1922-12-01
CHAPTER XII

CHAPTER XII
 Bruce and Linda had a long talk while the sun climbed up over the great ridges to the east and old El- mira cooked their breakfast. There was no passion in their words this morning. They had got down to basis of cold planning.
 Let me refresh my memory about few of those little things you told me-" Bruce requested. "F1rst-on what date does the twenty-year pc riod-of the Turner's possession of the lnnd-expire7"
 "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 possession of the land; they will have 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 so 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. It 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 fa- ther never owned the land in reality, he couldn't possibly have deeded 1t to the Turner's. Do you know where this Hudson is7''
 ,"I 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-you know that trappers have a string of camps-was at the mouth of Little river, that flows into the UmpQua. But it is a long way from here"
 Bruce was still a moment. How far?'' he asked.
 Two full days tramp at the least barring out accidents. But if you think 1t is best-you can start out to- day"
 Bruce was a man who made deci- sions quickly. .sThen I'll start-rght away. Can you tell me how to ind the trail7"
 ..T can only tell you to go straight north"
 linen the thing to do is te 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 we'll make try. There Is no hope that the secret agreement will show up in these few weeks that remain. We'll 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 under the pine.
 Bruce shook old Elmira's scrawny hand; then she turned back Tt once into the house. The man felt singu- larly grateful. He began to credit the old woman with a great deal of intuition, or else memories from her own girlhood of long and long ago. He did want word alone with this strange girl of the pines. But when Elmira had gone in and the coast was clear, 1t wouldn't come to his lips. "It seems strange" he said, "to come here only last highland then | to be leaving again" It seemed to his astonished gaze | that her lips trembled ever so slightly. "We have been waiting for each other a long time, Bwovaboo," she replied. 1 She spoke rather low, not looking l straight at him. "And I hate to have | you go away so soon-" "But I'll be back-in few days" "You don't know. No -one ever knows when they start out in these mountains. Promise me, Bruce-to | keep watch every minute. Remember l there's nothing -nothing-that Simon | won't stoop to do- He's like a wolf. 1 He has no rules of fighting. He'd just | as soon strike from ambush How do I know that you'll ever come back again?'
 | ''But I will.' He smiled at her. and his eyes dropped from hers to her lips. He reached out and took her hand | "Good-by, Linda,'' he said, smiling. | She smiled in reply, and her old cheer seemed to return to her. Good l by, Bwovaboo. Be careful"
 "I'll be careful. And this reminds me of something" s.Whatf''