The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-01-25
CHAPTER Xxx

ieIloW or the r~OOln--luliy
seven brawny men seated in chairs
about the walls. Lets hear you drop
your rife" one of them said.
Bruce recognized the grim voice as
Simon's-heard on n occasion before.
He let his ritle.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
ii To he 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
walls, sat Simon's brothers and his
blood relations hat shared the estate
with him. They were huge, gaunt
men, most of them k-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 DON an
swered him. But | guess we amt
gOin' to let the prisoner go for lack
of evidence"
The circle laughed then-a harsh
sound that was not greatly different
from the laughter of the coyotes on
the s%agebrush hills. But they sobered
when they saw hat Simon hadn't
laughed. His dark eyes were glowing.
You, by no chance, met him on the
way home, did you?" he asked.
81 wish | had" Bruce replied. But
I didn't"
II don't understand your e~agcrness.
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. cit was almost as If he
were of the wilderness breed himself,
instead Of the o OF. cities. I'm here.
am ! not?" he said. at isn't as If 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
tin's store that day-that | gave no
man two warnings"
81 remember that" Bruce replied,
II saw nc reason for listening to you.
| don't see any reason now. and |
wouldn't If it wasn't for hat row of
guns"
Simon studied his pale face. per
hal,s you'll be sorry you didn't listen.
before this night is over. And there
are many hours yet in ii. Bruce-you
came up here to these mountains to
open old wounds"
"Simon, | came up here to right
wrongs-and you know II. If Old
wounds are opened, | can't help It,"
"And tonight" Simon went on as If
he had not been answered, you have
come uDbidden into our house. II
would be all the evidence the courts
would need, Bruce-that you crept in.
to our house in the dead of night. If
anything happened to you here, no
word could be raised against u.s.. You
were a brave man, Bruce"
$50 l can suppose you left the
note?'
The circle laughed again, but Simon
silenced them with a gesture. you're
very keen" he said.
"Then where Is Linda" Bruce's
eyes hardened. II am more interested
In her whereabouts than I'm this talk
with you"
1.-THE last seen of her, she was going
up a hill with Dave. When Dave re.
turns you can ask him"
The bearded man opposite from
Simon uttered a short syllable Of q
laugh. "And 1t don't look like he's go
ing TO return he said. TIE knowing
look on his face was deeply abhorrent
to Bruce. Curiously, Simon's face
flushed, ard he whirled in his chair.
"Do you mean anything in particu
lar, Old Bill?" he demanded.
ut looks to me like maybe Dawes
forgot a lot of things you told him
and he and Linda are haviD' a little
sparkin' 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 a blind
rage that might. unless he held har
upon 1t, burl him against their re
morseless weapons. II don't want any
more such talk out Of you, Old BILL
Simon reproved him. ''and we've talked
enough, anyway" His keen eyes stud
led Bruce's flushed face. Lone OF you
give our guest a chair and fix him uf
in IL with a thong. We don't want
him flying off the 0 and geffins
shot until we're done talking to him
One Of the clansmen pushed a chail
forward with sudden force. strikinc
Bruce In the knees and almost knock
ing him over. The circle leered am
he sat down In II with as much ease
as possible. Then n Of the nnei
topped his arms 10 the arms Of The
chair with thongs of bnckskin. Anoih
er thong vas tied about his ankles
Then the clunsmen went hack to theiI
chairs.