The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-02-02

between him and the ambush. In an
instant they were In the darkened
room. Bruce stood up, once more
wholly master OF himself.
you're not hurt badT she asked
quickly.
mo. Just deep scratch in the
arm muscle near the shoulder. Bullet
Just must have grazed me. But It's
bleeding pretty bad"
'"Then there's no time to be lost"
Her hands In her eagerness went
again to his shoulder. 'Don't you
see-he'll be here In a minute. Wen
steal out the back , or and try to
ride down to the courts before they
can 0vertake US"
In one instant he had grasped the
Idea; and he laughed softly In the
gloom. II know. I'll snatch two
blankets and the food. You get the
horse"
She sprang out the kitchen door
and he hurried into the bedrooms.
He snatched two Of the warmest
blankets from the beds and hurled
them over his shoulder. He hooked
the camp ak on his belt. then hastened
into the little kitchen. He took up
the little sack containing a few pounds
Of jerked venison, spilled out few
pieces for Elmira. and carried it
with a few pounds of fiour-out to
meet Linda. The horse still stood
saddled, and with deft hands they
tied on their supplies and fastened
the blankets In long roll in front Of
the saddle.
"Get on" she whispered. "Pll get
up behind you."
She spoke In the utter darkness;
he felt her breath against his cheek.
Then the lightning came dimIy and
showed him her face.
"No, Linda" he replied quietly
you are going alone"
She cut him off with a. despairing
cry. "Oh. please, Bruce-I won'tI
I'll stay here, then"
Don't you see" he demanded.
you can make 1t out without me.
I'm wounded and bleeding. and can't
tell how long / can keep up. We've
only got one horse, and without me
to weigh him down you can get down
to the courts"
"And leave you here to be MUIR
dered2 Oh, don't waste the precious
seconds any more. ] won't go with
out you. mean H.. II you stay here,
do, too. Believe me If you ever be-
lleved anything"
1tfyh
her face, and on 1t the determination
of a zealot. He knew that she spoke
the truth. He climbed with some diff.
Guilty into the saddle. A moment
more and she swung up behind him.
The entire operation had taken an
astonlshingly short period Of time.
Bruce had worked like mad, wholly
dlsregarding his injured arm. Just
beyond, Simon with ready rifle was
creeping toward the house.
"Which way?" Bruce asked.
"The out-trail-around the noun
tain," she whispered. "Simon will
overtake us on the other-he's got q
magnificent horse. On the mountain
trail Wen have better chance to
keep out Oh Ills SlBHL.
She spoke hurriedly. yet conveyed
her message with entire clearness.
They knew what they had to face,
these two. Simon and whoever of the
clan was with him would lose no time
in springing in pursuit. They each
had strong horse, they knew the
trails. they carried long-range rifles
and would open fire at the first glimpse
Of the fugitives. Bruce was wounded;
slight as the injury was, 1t would seri-
ously handicap them In such test as
this. Their one chance was to keep
to the remote trails, to lurk) unseen In
the thickets, and try to break through
to safety. And they knew that only by
the doubtful mercy of the forest gods
could they ever su .ceed.
Linda took the ieins and pulled out
Of the trail, then encircled a heavy
wall of brush. She did not wish TO
take the risk of Simon seeing their
forms in the dimmlng lightning and
opening fire so soon. Then she turned
back into the tra1 and headed into
the storm.
Simon had clear enough memory Of
the rifle fire that Linda had opened
upon the clan to wish to approach
the house with care. It would be
wholly typical Of the girl to lay hee
lover on his bed, then 60 back to the
window to wait for sight Of his
assassin. She could look straight
along rifle Darrel A few moments
were lost as Young Bill and himself
encircled the thlckets. keeping out of
the CLEAN Of the smoldering tree. It's
light was almost gone; 1t hissed and
glowed In the wet snow. M
They crept up from the shadow,
and holding their rifles ready, opened
the door. They were somewhat sur
prised to find It unlocked. The truth
was II had been left thus by design;
Linda did not wish them to encircle
the house to the rear door and dis
cover Bruce and herself In the act Of
departure. The room was In dark
ness. and the two intruders rather
expected to find Bruce's body ON thu
threshold.
tro BIZ CONTINUED,