The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-01-18


moved toward her, hands reaching. She
backed away. Then she half-tripped
owe an outstretched root.
The next instant she was In his
arms, struggling against their steel.
She didn't waste words In pleading. A
sob caught at her throat, and she
fought with all her strength against
the drawn, nearing face. She had for
gotten Elmira; in this dreadful mo-
ment OF terror and danger the old wo-
mans broken strength seemed too little
to he of aid. And Dave thought her as
helpless to oppose him as the tall
pines that watched from above them.
His wild laughter obscured the single
sound that she made, a strange cry
that seemed lacking in all human quail
ity. Rather II was such a sound as a
puma utters rs IL leaps upon It's prey.
Ii was the articulation of a whole life
of hatred hat had come to a crisis at
last-of deadly and terrible triumph
| after a whole decade of waiting. II
Dave had diScerned that cry In time he
would have hurled Linda from his arms
to leap into a position Of defense. The
desire for women In men goes down to
the roots of the world, but self-preser-
walton is a deeper instinct sti'l.
But he didn't hear ii in time. Ell
mira had not struck with her knife.
The distance was too far for that. But
she swung her cane with all her force.
The blow caught the man at the EN-
pie, his arms fell away from the girls
body, he staggered grotesquely In the
carpet of pin needles. Then he fell
face downward.
His belt. quick" the woman cried.
No longer was her voice that of de-
crepit age. The girl struggled with
herself, wrenched back her self-con-
troll, and leaped to obey her aunt. They
Snatched the mans belt from about his
waist, and the women locked 1t swiftly
about his ankles. With strong, hard
hands they drew his wrists back Of
him and tied them tight with the long
handanna handkerchief he wore about
his neck. They worked almost In ST.
lence, with incredible rapidity and
dizziness.
The man was waking now, stirring
in his Inconsistencies, and swiftly the
old woman cut the buckskin thongs
from his tall logging boots. These also
she twisted about the wrists, knotting
them again and again, and pulling them
so tight they were almost buried in
the lean flesh. Then they turned him
face upward to the moon.
The two women stood an instant,
breathing hard. "What nowf" Linda
asked. And "A shiver of awe went over
her at the sight of the woman's face.
Nothing more, Linda" she an
swered, in Il distant voice. Leave
Dave Turner to me-"
1t was a strange picture. Woman
hOOd--the sOftness and tenderness
which men have learned to associate
with the name-Seemed fallen away
from Linda and Elmiras. They were
only avengers-like the she-bear that
fights for her cubs or the she-wOlf that
guards the lair. There was no more
mercy in them than In the females Of
the lower species.
Dave awakened. They saw him stir.
They watched him try to draw his
arms from behind him. 1t was just a
faint, MISUNDERSTANDING pull at first.
Then he wrenched and tugged with all
his strength, topping strangely In the
dirt. The effort increased until IL was
some way suggestive Of an animal In
the death struggle-a fur bearer dying
in the trap.
Terror was upon him. II was In his
wild eyes and his mooniit face it was
in the desperation and frenzy Of his
struggles. And the two women saw
II and smiled into each others eyes.
Slowly his efforts ceased. He lay
still in the pine needles. He turned
his head, first toward Linda, then to
the %inscrutable. dark face of the old
woman. As understanding came TO
him. the cold drops emerged upon his
swarthy skin.
Good Cdr" he asked. "What are
you going to do?"
"rm going back" Linda answered.
You had some other purpose in bring
ing me out hcre-or you wouldn't have
brought Elmira, too. I'm going back
to wait for Bruce"
"And you and | will linger here"
Elmira told him. 1--WE have many
things TO say to each other. We have
many things TO do. About my Abner
there are many things you'll want to
hear of him.
=, The last yeStige Of the mans spirit
broke beneath the words. Abner had
been old Elmira's soma youth who
had laughed often, and the n hope
Of the Old woman's declining years.
And lie had fallen before Dawes am
bush In a half-fOrgotten fight Of long
years before.
The man shivered In his bonds. Lin
ia turned to go. The silence Of the
wilderness d%eepened about them. ooh,
Linda, Linda" the man called. "Don't
leave me. Don't leave me here with
herl" he pleaded. "~Please-please
don't leave me In this devils power.
Make her let me 60"
But Linds. didn't seemed to hear.
The brush cracked and rustled; and
tba tyyo-thiq dark hpartpd man and