The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-01-05
cHAprER Xxx


came accustomed to the darkness. He
began to see the dim outlines of his
fellow occupants of the room-fully
seven brawny men seated In chairs
about the walls. Lets hear you drop
your rifle" one Of them said.
Bruce recognized the grim voice as
Simon's-heard on one occasion before.
He let his rifle fall from his hands He
knew that only death would be the
answer to any resistance to these men.
Then Simon scratched a match, and
without looking at him, bent to touch
1t to the wick Of the lamp.
The tiny flame sputtered and flick
cred, filling the room with dancing
shadows. Bruce looked about him.
Simon sat beside the fireplace, the
lamp at his elbow. AS the wick
caught, the light frightened and stead
led, and Bruce could see plainly. On
each side Of him, In chairs about the
walls, sat Simon's brothers and his
blood relations that shared the estate
with him. They were huge, gaunt
men, most of them dark-bearded and
sallow-skinned, and all of them regard
ed him with the same gaze of specula-
tive interest.
Bruce did not finch before their
gaze. He stood erect as he could, in
stinctively defiant.
"Our guest is rather early" Simon
began. Dave hasn't come yet, and
Dave is the principal witness"
A bearded man across the room an
goin' to let the prisoner 60 for lack
Of evidence"
The circle laughed then-a harsh
sound that was not greatly different
from the laughter of the coyotes on
the sagebrush hills. But they sobered
when they saw that Simon hadn't
laughed. His dark eyes were glowing.
"You, by no chance, met him on the
way home, did your" he asked.
II wish had" Bruce replied. "But
1 didn't"
II don't understand your eagerness
You didn't seem overly eager to meet
u.s."
Bruce smiled wanly These wilder
ness men regarded him with fresh in
terest. Somehow, they hadn't counted
on his smiling. 1t was almost as If he
were of the wilderness breed himself,
instead of the son Of cities. "Tm here,
am not?" he said. at isn't as II you
came to my house first"
"Yes, you're here" Simon confirmed.
"And I'm wondering If you remember
what told you just as you left Mar
tins store that day-that gave no
man two warnings"
II remember that" Bruce replied.
.I saw no reason for listening to you.
I don't see any reason now, and I
wouldn't IL II wasn't for that row of
guns"
Simon studied his pale face. "Per-
haps you'll be sorry you didn't listen.
before this night is over. And there
are many hours yet In 1t. Bruce-you
came up here to these mountains to
open old wounds"
"Simon, 1 came up here to right
wrongs-and you know 1t. II old
wounds are opened, can't help It."
"And tonight" Simon went on as II
he had not been answered, "you have
come unbidden into our house. 1t
would be all the evidence the courts
would need. Bruce-that you crept In
| to our house in the dead Of night. II
anything happened to you here, no
word could be raised against us. You
were brave man, Bruce"
$50 1 can suppose you left the
I noteT
The circle laughed again, but Simon
silenced them with a gesture. you're
very keen," he said.
"Then where is Lindar Bruce's
eyes hardened. II am more interested
In her whereabouts than In this talk
with you"
"The last seen of her, she was going
up hill with Dave. When Dave re-
turns you can ask him."
The bearded man opposite from
Simon uttered short syllable Of a
laugh. "And 1t don't look like he's go
ing to return" he said. The knowing
look on his face was deeply abhorrent
to Bruce. Curiously, Simon's face
flushed, and he whirled In his chair.
do you mean anything in particu-
lar, Old BillT he demanded.
"It looks to me like maybe Dawes
forgot q lot of things you told him,
and he and Linda are havin' little
sparxin' time together out In the
| brush"
The idea seemed to please the clan.
But Simon's eyes glowed, and Bruce
himself felt the beginnings Of blind
rage that might. unless he held hard
upon 1t, hurl him against their re-
morseless weapons. II don't want any
more such talk out Of you, Old BiIl,"
Simon reproved him, 'and we've talked
enough, anyway" His keen eyes stud
| led Bruce's flushed face. zone of you
give our guest chair and. nx him up
| in Il with thong. We don't want
him flying OF the coop and getting
shot until we're done talking to him."
One Of the clansmen pushed chair
forward with sudden force, striking
Bruce In the knees and almost knock
ing him over. The circle leered, and
| he nat down In II with an much ease