The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-01-12
CHAPTER XXI

.
When Linda returned home the
events Of the night partook even of a
greater mystery. The front door was
open, and she found plenty Of evidence
Shat Bruce had returned from his
journey. In the center of the room lay
his pack. rifle slanting across It.
At first she did not notice the gun In
particular. She supposed 1t was
Bruce's weapon and that he had come
in, dropped his luggage, and was at
present somewhere In the house. It
was true that one chair was upset, but
except for an instant's start she gave
no thought to 1t. She thought that he
would probably go. to the kitchen first
for bit to eat. He was not in this
room, however, nor had the lamp been
lighted.
Her next idea was that Bruce, tired
out, had gone to bed. She went back
softly to the front room, intending not
to disturb him. Once more she noticed
the upset chair. The longer she re-
garded It, the more Of puzzle It be-
came. She moved over toward the
pack and looked casually at the rifle.
In an instant more 1t was In her hands.
She saw at once that 1t was not
Bruce's gun. The action, make and
caliber were different. Besides, It had
certain peculiar notches on the stock
that the gun Elmira had furnished
Bruce did not have.
She stood a moment In thought. The
problem offered no ray Of light. She
considered what Bruce's first action
would have been, on returning to the
house to find her absent. Possibly he
had gone In search of her. She turned
and went to the door of his bedroom.
She knocked on 1t softly. "Are you
there, Bruce" she called.
No answer returned to her. The
rooms. In fact, were deeply silent. She
tried the door and found It unlocked.
The room had not been occupied.
Thoroughly alarmed, she went back
into the front room and tried to de-
cipher the mystery Of the strange
weapon. She couldn't conceive Of any
possibility whereby Bruce would ex.
change his fathers trusted gun for
this Possibly 1t was an extra weapon
that he had procured on his journey
And since no possible gain would come
of her going out into the forests to
seek him, she sat down to wait for his
return.
The moments dragged by and her
apprehension grew. She took the rife
IN her hands and. slipping the lever
part way back, looked to see II there
were a cartridge in the barrel. She
saw a glitter of brass. and 1t gave her
q measure Of assurance. She had a
pistol In her own room-a weapon that
Elmira had procured, years before
from a passing sportsman-and for q
moment she considered getting 1t also
She understood its action better and
would probably be more efficient with
1t II the need arose. but for certain
never-tobe-forgotten reasons she
wished to keep this weapon until the
moment Of utmost need.
Her whole stock of pistol cartridges
consisted of six-completely filing the
magazine of the pistol. Closel,
watched by the Turner's, she had beer
unable to procure more. Many {
dreadful night these six little cylinder!
Of brass had been tremendous con
ISOLATION to her. They had been he
sole defense, and she knew that in tn,
final emergency she could use them t.
deadly effect.
Linda was q girl who had alwayl
looked her situations in the face ,Sh,
was not one to finch from the truti
and with false optimism dIsbelieve II
She knew these mountain realms; bet
ter still she understood the dark pas
sions Of Simon and his followers, ant
this little half-pound Of steel ant
wood with Its brass shells might mean
In the dreadful last moment Of despair
deliverance from them. 1t might meal
escape for herself when all other way
were cut of. In this wild land. fal
from the reaches Of law and withou
allies except for q decrepit old wo
man. the pistol and its deadly load
had been her greatest solace.
The hours passed, and the clouds
were starting up from the horizon
when she thought she saw Bruce re
turning. A tall form came swinging
toward her. over the little trafl tina
led between the tree trunks. Sh'
peered intently. And IN one instan
more she knew that the approaching
figure was not Bruce. but the man sh,
most feared Of anyone on earth. SimoI
Turner.
Her thoughts came clear and true
| It was obvious that his was no mis-
sion Of stealth. He was coming boldly
! freely, not furtively; and ne must hav
| known that ne presented 4 psrfec
rife target from the windows. Neves
| theless. It II wen to be prepared 70
emergencies. II life IN the mountain
teaches anything II teaches that sh