d f riday, Sept, 1,1^ 1 HE TILLAMOOK HEADLIGHT The Strength of the Pines NO’ I I of BO< > in g hel of Sta of o’c det Bai j By Edison Marshall I £ in I sai ap an wl ah Author of “The Voice of the Pack" Illustrations by Irwin Myers 8YNOPSIS of CHAPTER I.—At the death of hl* foster father, Bruce Duncan, in an eastern city, re- elves a mysterious message sent by a Mrs. Rose, summoning him peremptorily to southern Oregon—to meet “Linda.” of tr CHAPTER II.—Bruce has vivid but baf- ainv recollections of his childhood V1 an orphanage, before his adoption by New­ ton Duncan, with the girl Linda. oi et a« it d ti li d f I t B 1 t (TH APT ER III.—At his destination, Trail's End, news that a message has been sent to Bruce la received with marked displeasure by a man Introduced to the reader as “Simon.” CHAPTER IV.—-Leaving the train, Bruce is astonished at his apparent fa­ miliarity with the surroundings, though to hia knowledge he lias never been there. CHAPTER V.—Obedient to the message, Bruce makes his way to Martin’s < ross- roads store, for direction as to reaching Mrs. Ross' cabin. CHATTER VI—On the way, “‘Simon*’ sternly warns him to give up his quest and return East. Brui« refuses. CH A ter VII.—Mrs. Ross, aged and Infirm, welcomes him with emotion. She hastens him on his way—the end of •‘Pine- Needle Trail.” BOOK TWO t t THE BLOOD ATONEMENT » CHAPTER XI < “Men own the day, but the night I r ours," Is an old saying among the wild folk that Inhabit the forests of Trail's End. The saying originated long and long ago when the world was quite young. Before that time, likely enough., JJ1’’ bop sts owned both the TnTi^?• - . - «Iffv and tin- nliflit, iiiffi J'llU cTTTTIinag'- iarly grateful. H h began to credit “ ^ot very long, Is it? Now you un ­ Ine them denying man's superiority the old woman with a great deal of derstand that on that date they will Just as long ns possible. , have had twenty years of unrtlspiAed Intuition, or else memories from her Of course the saying is ridiculous if possession of the land; they will have own girlhood of long and long ago. He applied to cities or perhaps even to [Mild taxes on it that long; and did want a w«>gl alone with this the level, cleared lands of the Middle their title Is proven false between now strange girl of the pines. But when West. The reason is simply that the and that date, we can’t ever drive Elmira had gope tn and the coast wus wild life Is practlcully gone from them clear, it wouldn’t come to his lips. out.” these places. But a few places remain "It sbems strapge.” he said, “to “That’s Just right.” ’ In America where the reign of the "And the fall term of court doesn't come here onl4 last night—and then wild creatures, during the night hours bygln until the fifth of the following to be leaving again.” at least, is still supreme. And Trail's month.” It seemed to his astonished gaze End Is one of them. "Yes. we’re beaten. That's all there that her lips trembled ever so slightly. Bruce dressed slowly. Fie wouldn’t Is to ft. Simon told me so the last “We have been waiting for each other waken the two women that slept In time he talked to me.” a long time. Bwovaboo." she replied, tin- next room, he thought. He crept "It would be to his interest to have She spoke rather 'low, not looking slowly out into the gray dawn. He you think so. But Linda—we mustn't straight at him. “And I hate to have made straight for the great pine that ghe up yet. We must try as long as yo« go away g soon." stood a short distance from the house. one «lay remains. It seems to me that “But I’ll be back—In n few days.” For reasons unknown to him, the pine rhe first thing.to do is to find the trap­ “You don’t know. No one ever had come often Into his dreams. He per, Hudson—the one witness that It knows when thev start out tn these hud thought thut its limbs rubbed to­ still alive. He might be able tc mountains. Promise me, Bruce—to gether and made words—but of the prove to the court thut as my f» keep watch every minute. Remember words themselves he had hardly there’s nothing—nothing-^liat Simon caught the meaning. There was some ther never owned the land in reality, won't stoop to do. lie's like a wolf. he couldn ’ t possibly huve deeded It high message In them, however; and He has no rules of fighting. He’d just the dream had left him with a vague to the Turners. Do you know where as soon strike from ambush. How do this Hudson is? ” curiosity, an unexplainable desire to “I asked old Elmira latf night. She I know that you’ll ever come hack see the forest monarch In the day­ thinks she knows. A man told her he again?” light. “But I will.” He smiled at her. and He found to his delight that the had his trap line on the upper Ump­ his eyes dropped from hers to her lips. tree was even more impressive in the qua, and his main headquarters—you He reached out and took her hand. vivid morning light than It had been know that trappers have a string of "Good-by, Linda,’’ he said, smiling. at night, lie was constantly awed camps—was at the mouth of Little She smiled In reply, and her old river, that flows into the Umpqua. by the size of It. He guessed Its dr cheer seemed to return to her. “Good- But It Is a long way from here. ” cumference as about twenty-five feet Bruce was still a moment. "How by, Bwovaboo. Be careful.” The great lower limbs were them ‘Til be careful. And this reminds * selves like massive tree trunks. Its far?” he asked. me of something." “ Two full days ’ tramp at thejeast — top suriinssed by fifty feet any pirn “What?" barring out accidents. But If you In the vicinity. “That for all the time I've been think It is best—you can start out to- lie felt stilled and calnu-d. Such day." away—and for all the time I'm going wus Its Influence. And he turned with Bruce was a man who made ded- to bo away now—I .haven’t done any­ a start when he saw Linda in the door slops quickly, “Then I'll start—right thing more—well, more Intimate— way. away, Can you tell me how to find than shake your hand.’’ "I’ve been talking to the pine—all the trail?' i" Iler answer was to pout out her lips the morning," he told her. “I can only tell you to go straight in the most natural way In the world. “But It won’t talk to you,” she an north.” Bruce was usually deliberate in his swered. “It talks only to the stars ’ “Then the thing to do Is to get ready motions; but all at once his delibera­ at once. And then try to bring Hud­ tion fell uwa.v from him. There CHAPTER XII son back with me—down the valley. seemed to be no Interlude of tlm> be­ After we get there we can see what tween one nosltlon and nnother. His arms went about her, and he kissed Bruce nnd Linda had a long talk can be done." her gently on the Ups. while the sun climbed up over the Linda smiled rather sadly. “I’m not great ridges'to the east and old El­ very hopeful. But it's our last chance But it was not at all as they expect­ mira conked their breakfast. There ed. Because Linda hud not known — and we might as well make a try. was no passion In their words this Is no hope that the secret many kisses, this little caress beneath morning. They had- got down to a There agreement will show up in these few the pine went very straight home in­ basts of cold planning. weeks that remain. We'll get your deed to them both. They fell apart, both of them suddenly sobered. The "Let me refresh my memory about things together at once.” a few of those little things you told They breakfasted, and after the girl’s eyes were tender and lustrous, me," Bruce requested. "First—on simple meal was finished, Bruce but startled too. what «late does the twenty-year pe­ packed for the journey, The two "Good-by, Linda," he told her. “Good-by, Bwovaboo,” she answered. riod—of the Turners’ possession of the women walked with him, out under Innd—expire?" He turned up the trail past the pine. the pine. He did not know that she stood “On the thirtieth of October, of this Bruce shook old Elmira’s scrawny year." hnn«l_:_ then she turned _hack_at once watching him ft long time, her hands clasped over hgr. breast. GUERNSEYS AT AUCTION t SEPTEMBER 14th TILLAMOOK COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS, 1 o’clock X 15 head of choice stock consisting of I 3-YEAR OLD COW. 2-YEAR old cow . 4 HEIFERS I BULL. 4 HEIFER CALVES. BULL CALVES. I 4 7 Col. 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