The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-02-01
CHAPTER XXI

When Linda returned home the
events Of the night part0ok even of n
greater mystery. The front door was
open, and she found plenty Of evidence
that Bruce had returned from his
journey. In the center of the room lay
his pack. a rifle slanting across 1t.
AT first she did not notice the in
particular. She supposed il was
Bruce's weapon and that he had come
in, dropped his luggage, and was at
present somewhere In the house. 1t
was true that one chair was upset. but
except for an instant's start she gave
no thought to ii. She thought that he
would probably go 10 the kitchen first
for a hit TO eat. He was not In this
room, however, nor had the lamp been
lighted.
Her next idea vas that Bruce, tired
out, had o n TO bed. She wen back
softly to the front room, Intending not
TO disturb him. Once more she noticed
the upset chair. The longer she re-
gnrded II, the mor of n puzzle II be-
dilif 'tlN h'NtN " IVA Ni'
pack and looked casually at the rifle.
In an instant more 1t was in her hands.
She saw at once that ii was not
Bruce's gun. The action, make and
caliber were different. Besides, II had
certain peculiar notches OF the stock
hat 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 10 find her absent. Possibly he
had gone in search of her. She turned
and went to the door of his bedroom.
She knocked on II 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 vent back
into the front room and tried 10 de-
cipher the mystery of the strange
Weapon. She couldn't conceive OF any
possibility whereby Bruce would *
change his fathers trusted gun for
this. Possibly II was an extra weapon
that he had procured on his journey.
And since no possible gain would come
seek him, she sat down to wait for his
return.
The moments dragged by and her
apprehension grew. She took the rifle
in her hands and, slipping the lever
part way back, looked TO see II there
were a cartridge In the barrel. She
saw q glitter of brass. and IL gave her
a measure Of assurance. She had a
pistol in her W room-a weapon that
Elmira hGL procured, years before.
from a passing sportsman-and for a
moment she considered getting ii also.
She understood its action better and
would probably be more efficient with
Ii If the need arose, but for certain
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS reasons she
wished to keep this weapon until the
moment of utmost need.
Her whole stock Of pistol cartridges
consisted of six-completely filling the
magazine of the pistol. Closely
watched by the Turner's, she had been
unable to procure more. Many a
dreadful night these six little cylinders
Of brass had been a tremendous cor
ISOLATION to her. They had been her
sole defense, and she knew that in the
final emergency she could use them to
deadly effect.
Linda was a girl who had always
looked her situations In the face. She
was o one to finch from the truth
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. and
this little half-pound Of steel and
wood with Its brass shells might mean
in the dreadful last moment Of despair
deiiverance from them. II might near
escape for herself when all other ways
were cut off. In this wild land. fan
from the reaches OF la and without
allies except for a decrepit old wO
man. the pistol and Its deadly loads
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 trail tbaI
led between the tree trunks. Sht
peered intently. And IN u instant
more she knew that the approaching
figure was moi Bruce. hut the man she
most feared Of anyone on earth, Simon
Turner.
Her thoughts came clear and true
II was obvious that his was no mis-
sion of stealth. lie was coming bodily
freely, not furfiveIy and he misi have
known that he presented n perfec
rifle target from the windows. Never
theless. u is well 70 he prepared 20
emergencies. If life In the mountains
teaches anything. II teaches that. Sh'
took the ride and laid 1t behind a littl'