, 1922-09-20
CHAPTER xiv

D.
Simon Turner had given Dave very
definite instructions concerning his
embassy to Hudson. 1.-THE first thing
this Bruce will do" Simon had said,
sis to hunt up Hudson-the one living
man that witnessed that agreement
between Ross and old Folger. One
reason is that he'll want TO verify
Linda's story. The next is to per-
suade the old man to go down to the
courts with him as his witness. And
what you have to do is line him up
for our side first"
"You think" Dawes eyes wan.
dered about the room, you think
that's the best way?'
81 wouldn't be tellin' you to do 1t
If 1 didn't think so.' Simon laughed
a sudden, grim syllable. "Dave, you're
a bloodthirsty devil. I see what you're
thinking of-of a safer way to keep
him from telling. But you know the
word l sent out. &c easyl' That's
the wisest course to follow at present.
The valley people pay more attention
to such things than they used to; the
fewer the killings, the wiser we will
be. If he'll keep quiet for the hum
dred let him have 1t in peace"
Dave hadn't forgotten. But his fea-
lures were sharper and, more ratlike
than ever when he came in sight OF
Hudson's camp, just after the fall of
darkness of the second day out. The
trapper was cooking his simple meal
a blue grouse frying in his skillet,
coffee boiling, and fiapjack batter
ready for the momen the grouse was
done. Dawes thoughts returned to
the hundred dollars in his pocket--a
good sun in the hills. A brass rifle
cartridge, such as he could fire in
the thirty-thirty that he carried in the
hollow of his arm, cost only about six
cents. The net gain would be-the
figures flew quickly through his mind
ninetysrine dollars N ninety-four
cents; quite a good piece of business
for Dave. But the trouble was that
Simon might find out. The word had
gone out, for the present at least, to
Ego easy" Such little games as oc-
CURED to Dave now-as he watched
the trapper in the freight with one
hundred dollars of the clans none
in his own potket-had been prohibit
ed until further notice.
The thing looked so simple that
Dave squirmed all over with annoy
ance. 1t hurt him to think that the
hundred dollars that he carried was
to be passed oyer, without a wink of
an eye, to this bearded trapper; and
the only eturn for it was to be a
promise that Hudson would not tes-
tify in Bruce's behalf. And a hundred
dollars was real money Just n little
matter of a single glance down his
rifle barrel at the figure in the silhou-
cite of the fire glow-and a half-ounce
of pressure on the hair trigger. Half
Testing with himself, he dropped on
one knee and raised the weapon The
trapper did not guess his presence.
The blood leaped in Dawes veins.
But he caught himself with q
wrench. He realized that Simon had
spoken true when he said that the old
days were gone. that the arm of the
law reached farther than formerly,
and II might wen stretch to this far
place. He remembered Simon's in
structions. 1.-The quleter we can do
these things, the better" the clan
leader had said. "If we can get
through to October thlrtieth with no
killings, the safer it is for us. Go
easy. Dave. Sound this Hudson out.
II he'll keep stil for a hundred, let
him nave II, in peace"
Dave slipped his rifle into the hol-
low of his arm and continued on dowB,
the trail. He didn't try to stalk. In
a moment Hudson heard his step and
looked up. They met 10 a circle Of
:irelisht.