The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-01-26


would transpire thereafter she did not
dare to think. She had not forgotten
Simon's threat In regard to any attempt
to 60 down into the settlements. She
knew that 1t still held good.
OF course, If Bruce made the excur.
sion, the sentry's target would be
somewhat different. He would shoot
him down as remorselessly as he would
shatter a lynx from tree top.
The truth was that Linda had
guessed Just right. "It's the easiest
way" Simon had said. They'll he
trying to get out In very few days.
II the man-shoot straight and to kill
II Linda, plug the horse and bring her
here behind the saddle"
Linda turned softly. then started
back. She did not even give sec
ond's thought to the folly of trying to
break through. She watched the sem
tinel over her shoulder and saw him
turn about. Far distant though he
was, she could tell by the movement
he made that he had discovered her.
She was almost four hundred yards
away w ththp anu ohO iaohSu ASA
horse into gallop. The man cried
to her to halt, sound that came dim
and strange through the burn, and
then a bullet sent up a cloud of ashes
n few feet to one sde. But the range
was too far even for the Turner's, and
she only urged sher horse to a faster
pace.
hn Antxy VlaF rnxu raI
turned into the main trail, and gal
loped wildly toward homo. But the
sentry did not follow her. He valued
his precious life too much for that.
He had no intention Of Offering him.
self as target to Bruce's rifle as he
neared the house. He headed back to
report to Simon.
Young Bill-for such had been the
identity of the sentry-found his chief
in the large field not far distant from
where Bruce had been confined. The
man was supervising the harvest of thu
fall growth OF alfalfa. The two men
walked slowly away from the workers,
| toward the fringe of woods.
'It looks as IL Wen have to adopt
| iOuSu ultCE uby LOdh6 ASAAA
| began.
] Simon turned with flushing face.
do you mean you let him get past
| you-and missed himf Young Bill, II
| you've done that"
"Won't you wait till I've told you
how 1t happened2 II wasn't Bruce; 1t
was Linda. For some reason / can't
dope out, she went up In the big burn
back of me and saw me-when ] was
too far Off to shoot her horse. Then
she rode back like witch. They'll
not take that trail again"
"It means one of two things" Simon
| said after a pause. "One Of them Ia
to starve 'em out. 1t won't take long.
| Their supplies won't last forever. The
| other is to call the clan and attack
| tonight"
| "And that means loss of life"
"Not necessarily. don't know how
many guns they've got. II any of you
were worth your salt, you'd find out
those things. wish Dave was here"
And Simon spoke the truth for once
In his life; he did miss Dave. And It
was not that there had been any love
lost between them. But the truth was
although Simon never would have
admitted it-the weaker mans cunning
had been Of the greatest aid to his
chief. Simon needed 1t sorely now.
And we can't walt till tomorrow
night-because we've got the moon
then" Young Bill added. "Just a new
moon, but 1t will prevent a surprise
attack. suppose you still have hopes
Of Dave coming back?"
| II don't see why not. I'll venture
to say now he's of on some good piece
| of business-doing something none of
the rest Of you have thought of. He'll
with something actually accomplished.
see no reason for thinking that he's
dead. Bruce hasn't had any chance
!, at him that know Of. But II thought
he was-there'd be no more waiting.
We'd tear down that nest tonight"
Simon spoke In his usual voice
with the same emphasis, the same un-
dertones Of passion. The truth was
that he had slowly become aware that
Young Bill was not giving him his full
attention, but rather was gazing or
unfamiliar speculation In his eyes
toward the forests beyond.
Simon's impulse was to follow the
gaze; yet he would not yield to II.
"Well?" he demanded. I'm not talk
Ing to amuse myself
The younger man seemed to start.
His eyes were half-closed; and there
was a strange look Of lntentness about
his facial lines when he turned back
to Simon. "You haven't m,ssed any
stock7" he asked abruptly.
Simon's eyes widened. "No. whyfs
Look there--over the forest =
Young Bill pointed. Simon shielded
his eyes from the sunset glare and
studied the blue-gree skyline above
the fringe Of pines. There were many
grotesque, black birds wheeling on
slow wings above the spot. Now and
then they dropped down. out Of sight
behind the trees.
'Buzzards r. Simon exclaimed.
.Yes," Young Bill answered quietly.
sYou see. II isn't much ovar 4 rniIs