The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1922-10-25

struck bis vision was stralghtsr aud
more faf.raching than ever IA hls llfs
hefore bul noav his muscles weakened,
toe he spang towarl the glrl and
snatched ,be F.ae fesu her hagd SHE
fought for Il, aud he held her with a
strong aun
"Nalt~wali. Linda" be said gently
You've wasted three cartridges now
There are only two left And We mny
need them some other time
he held her from hin with his arm
and il VAS as II his strength flowed
Into her Her blazing eyes sought
his aud for long second their Nnls
haiilei And then deep wonder
seemed 10 come over her
what is itf she hreaihed -What
have you foand outF'
She spoke IN strange aud distant
voice Slowly the FIRE died In her eyes.
the drawn features relaxed. her hands
fell nj her side lie drew her away
from the lighted doorway. oW % The
range of any 81 the Turner's that
should turn 10 answer the ride fire
The wind roared over the house and
swept by In clamorlne fury, the elee.
trlc storm dimmed and lessensd as Il
loameyed on,
These two knew thar II death SPACED
them Ia an the lons passage Of iheir
years. they could never forget thar mo
meni. The grl watched hin breath
iessly. obliyious to all things else lie
seemed wholly unaware of her now.
There was something aloof. lmnasslve
infinitely calm about him. and great
farmachlng understanding WAS ln his
eyes Her own eyes suddenly flled
with tears.
Linda, there's something come 10
me--and | don't know that can make
you understand. can only call u
strength--a new strength and great.
er strength than ever had before.
It's something thar The pine that
great tree that We iust saw split open
has been trying 70 tell ms for Isag
time, on. can't yon see. Lndai There
II stood. hundreds u years-so great.
so tall. - wlse--in moment broken
ike a reed II takes away my AFRO
gance. Linda. Il makes me see myself
AS | really am. And that means
Power"
His eyes blazed and he esugh, her
hands Ia his
1T was = symbol Linda. not only
of the wilderness. bu; Of powers higher
and greater than The wilderness.
Powers that can look down, and not
he swept away by passion. and not
try TO tear TO pieces those who In their
folly harm them. There's no room for
such things as Vengeance In this new
strength. There's Bo room for mur.
der and malice. aud hatred. and blood.
shed"
Linda understood She knew that this
new-found strength dld not mean re
nunclation of her cause. II did not mean
that he would give over his attempt
TO reinstnte her AS the owner of her
fathers estates. II only meant that the
Impulse of personal vengeance WINS
dead within him lie knew now--the
same as eyer-that the duty ~ the
men that dwell upon the earth Is to do
their allotted tasks, and without hatre,
aHd without passion 10 overcome the
difficulties that stand IN the way She
realized that II one of the Turner'S
should leap through the door and at.
tack her, Bruce would XIII him without
mercy or regret Sne knew that he
would make every effort to bring the
offenders to the law. But the ability
to shoot fleeing enemy in the hack.
because Of wrongs done long ago. was
past
Bruce's vision had come TO him. Ne
knew hat II vengeance Ind been the
creed of the powers 'ha, ruled the
world the sphere would have been de.
stroyed with fire long since. To ssani
firm aud straight and undinchine not
to l1dsp. not TO condemn not 10 ~
rent. tbs was true strength.
- know the girl said her thoughts
wandering afar. perhaps the name
for Il all is-tolerance
Perhaps" he nodded. "And pos
sibly It IS only--worship
The Turner's had gone. The DIM
ming lightning revealed the entire ar
iacking party half mile distant and
ont Of rifle range on the ridge aud
Bruce aud Linda stole together ont
into The siorm
The green foliage u the tree had
already burned away. bui some Of the
upper branches stlll ylowrd against
the dark sky 4 fallen branch sinol-
dered on the ground kissing IN Tie
rain. and It lighted their way.
Aved aud mystited. Bruce halted
before the ruin II The greal tree lie
had almost forgotten the stress Of the
moment inst passed. II did not even
occur to him that some of his enemies.
unseen before, might still be lurking
In the shadow. watching for chance
to harm They stood moment in
silence. Then Bruce uttered one little
gasp and stretched his arm into the
hollow that the cleft IN the trunk had
: REVEALED
Ito be Contirued)