THE TILLAMuOK HEADLIGHT Friday, September 15, 1922 * T th e’k t’!< -ntell was Fear It self. He knew the ways of men only too well. Too many times he had 8 seen members of bis herd fall stricken K at a word from the glittering sticks I they carried In their hands. He ut I S tered a far-ringing snort. V I It was a distinctive sound, begln- nlng rnther high < n the scale as a V $ w loud whistle and descending Into a I Killer knew V deep b; ss b.i’.' l- And tl V hat sound meant. It V perfectly ,-wlit was a simple iy of saying that the s /«A W’oul d progress no farther down $ Í elk that trail, The bear leaped In wild ÿ By Edison Marshall s fury. ■/ Ì Tim bull seemefl to leap straight up. Author of ÿ Ills muscles had been set at his first ••The Voice of the Pack“ I alarm from Turner's sn’-ll on the wind, and they drove forth the pow V V limbs ns If by n powder explo V I erful riustrations by Irwin Myers sion. He was full In the air when the V L. forepaws battered down where he lia«1 fee* Copyright by Little. Brown & Co. been. Then he darted away Into the «■overt». SYNOPSIS The grizzly knew better than to try to overtake him. Almost rabid with CHAPTER I.—At tiie death of his foster wrath he turn«»«! back to Ids ambush. The Strength f the Pines father, Bruce Duncan, in an eastern city, re elves a mysterious message, sent by a Mrs Ross, summoning him peremptorily to southern Oregon—to meet "Linda." CHAPTER II.—Bruce has vivid but baf fling recollections of his childhood kt an orphanage, before his adoption by New ton Duncan, with the girl Linda. CHAPTER IIL—At his destination, Trad's End, news that a message has beer, sent to Bruce Is 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- mll: irlty with the surroundings, though to h'.s knowledge he has never been there. CHAPTER V.—Obedient to the message, Bruce makes his way to Martin's *" ‘ cross- roads store, for direction as to reaching Mrs. Ross’ cabin. ’ CHAPTER Vl.-On the way, "Simon _ sternly warns him to give up his quest and return East Bruce refuses. CHAPTER VII.—Mrs. Ross, aged and Infimi. welcomes him with emigion. She hastens him on bls way—the end of "Pine- Needle Trail." CHAPTER VIII.—Through a country puzzhngly tamlllar. Bruce journeys, and finds his childhood playmate, Linda. CHAPTER IX.—The girl tells him of wrongs committed by an enemy clan on her family, the Rosses. Lands occupied by the clan were stolen from the Rosses, and the family with the exception of Aunt Elmira (Mrs. Ross) and herself, wiped out by assassination. Bruce’s fa ther, Matthew Folger, wa$ one of the victims. His mother had fled with Bruce *n 1 Linda. The girl, while small, had been kidnaped from the orphanage and brought to the mountains. Linda’s father had deeded his lands to Matthew Folger, Iger, _____ , which _____ would ___ confute iute bit the agreement, the enemy’s claims ’ ' to the property, " has been lost CHAPTER X.—Bruce's mountain blood responds to the call of the blood-feud. CHAPTER XI.—A giant tree, the Sen tlnel Pine, in front rront of or Linda umms ’s cabin. caum, seems to Bruce’s excited Imagination to be endeavoring to convey a message. CHAPTER XII.—Bruce sets out In search of a trapper named Hudson, a witness to the agreement between Linda’s father and Matthew Folger. CHAPTER XIII.—A gigantic grUzly. known as the Killer, Is the terror of the vicinity, because of his size and ferocity. CHAPTER XIV.—Dave Turner, sent by Simon, bribes Hudson to swear falsely concerning the agreement. It brought to light, he knowing Its whereabouts. was cross; and he didn’t care who knew It. He was hungry too; but hunger is an emotion for the beasts of prey to keep carefully to them selves. • The Killer moved quite softly. One would have marveled how silently his great feet fell upon the dry earth and with what slight sound his heavy form moved through the thickets. He moved slowly, cautiously—all the time mounting farther up the little hill that rose from the hanks of the stream, lb- cr.m? to an opening in the thicket, a little brown pathway that vanished H'llckly into the shadows of the cov- erts. The Killer slipped softly into the heavy brush just at Its mouth. It was his ambush. Soon, he knew, some of the creatures that had bowers in the heart of the thicket would be coming along that trail onto the feeding grounds on the ridge, He had only to wait. The night wind, rising somewhere In the region of the snow banks on the* highest mountains, blew down Into the Killer’s face and brought meson era that no human being may ever receive. Tlmn his sharp ears heard th<* «ottnd of brush cracked softly as some one of the larger forest creatures came up the trail toward him. The steps drew nearer Killer recognlze«l them. They were plainly the soft footfall of some mem- her of the deer tribe, yet they were too pr< «nounced to be the step of any of the lesser deer. The bull elk had left hl « bed. The red exes of the grizzly seemed to glow as he waited, Great though the stag wns. only one little 1 'low of the massive forearm be needed; The huge fangs w l ave to close down but once. ¡■ear did not move a single tell- .uscle. He scarcely byealbed. ¡:1 wav almost within striking now. The wicked red ey«-s already discern the dimmest ’■ «>f his outline through the Rut all at «»nee he stopped, Iftlng. The Killer kne«v that the I neither deteete«! his odor n- i him. and he had made n<? move- rlmt the sham «■’■«■« could de- Yct the bull was evidently *■! He stood immobile, one foot nostrils open, head raise«L The the wind flowing true, the grtz- tly iders’oofl. A uneent smell reached him from bel- —evidently the smell of >» living cr. tnre that followed the trull along ’he «trram thst flinrisl through th« d«n He recognized It In nn Instant He had fletertefl ft many time« p«r- icn!«r|y when he went Into th« r|esrw« t0 k1)1 It wnf jn»n an «flor almost unknown In this tlen. Dave Turner, brother nt mon, walking doom the «treaw ^»rd Hudson’s amp. CHAPTER XIV Simon Turner had given Dave very definite Instructions concerning his embassy to Hudson, “The Jlrst thing this Bruce will do,” Simon had said. i “Is to hunt up IludsoiP-the one living man that witnessed that agreement between Ross and old Folger. One reason is that lie’ll wunt to verify Linda's story. The next 1? to per suade the old man to go down to the courts wtth him ns Ills witness, And wlint you have to do is line him up for our side first.” “You think—" Dove’s eyes wnn- flared about the room, "you thlnk that's the best way?" “I wouldn’t be fellin’ you to do It if I didn’t think so.” Simon laughed— a sudd«'n, grim syllable. "Dave, you’re a bloodthirsty devil. I see what you’re thinking of—of a safer way to keep him from telling. But you know the word I sent out. ‘Go easy I’ That’s the wisest course to follow at present. The valley people pay more attention to such things than they used to; the fewer the killings, the wiser we will be. If he’ll keep quiet for the hun dred let him have It In pence." Dave hadn’t forgotten. But Ills fea tures were sharper and more ratlike than ever when he came In sight of Hudson’3 camp, just after the fall of darkness of the second day out. The trapper was cooking his simple meal— a blue grouse frying In his skillet, coffee boiling, and flapjack batter ready for the moment the grouse was done. Dave’s thoughts returned to the hundred dollars In his pocket—a good sum In the hills. A brass rifle cartridge, such as be could fire In the thirty-thirty that he carried In the hollow of his arm, cost only about six cents. The net gain would be—the figures flew quickly through his mind— ninety-nine dollars and ninety-four cents; quite a good piece of business for Dave. But the trouble was that Simon might find out. The word had gone out, for the present at least, to "go easy." Such little games as oc curred to Dave now—as he watched the trapper In the firelight with one hundred dollars of the clan's money In his own pocket—had been prohibit ed until further not.ee. The thing looked so simple that Dave squirmed all over with annoy ance. It hurt him to think that the hundred dollars that he carried was to be passed over, without a wink of an eye, to this bearded trapper; nnd the only return for It was to be a promise that Hudson would not tes tify in Bruce’s behalf. And a hundred dollars was real money! Just a little matter of a single glance d««wn his rifle barrel at the figure In the silhou ette of the fire glow—and a half-ounce of pressure on the hnlr triirger. Half 't ■ * .-ij0- Dave Helper Himself to tne Food of the Man That, a Moment Before, He Would Have Slain. Jesting with himself, he dropped on one kflee and raise«! the weapon. The trapper did not guess hts presence. The blood leaped In Dave's veins. But ho ennght himself with a wrench. He realized that Simon bad spoken true when he sold that the old days wore gone, that the arm of the Inw reached farther than formerly, «nd It might even stretch to this far place. He remembered Simon's In structtons. “The quieter we can do t?«eae tb’ng«. the better," the clan Tender had said. “If can through to October thirtieth with nt ki;i;rg», '.ha aufar it la for us _Gc He dropped to bls kuee the very sec- on«I tlmt the gun leaped to Ids shoul der. He seemed to know that from a lower p« -ill.«a the targ< t would be more dearly revealed. The finger pressed buck against the trigger. The dl«ti«nce was far; Bru«‘e was not a practiced rifle shot, and it bor- ilereil on the miraculous that Ids lead went anywhere near tile bear's body. And it was true that th« bullet «lid not reacli a vital place, it stung like a wasp at the Killer's flank, however, cuttlug «1 shallow flesh wound. But it was enough to take bls dreadful atten tion from the mortally wounded trap per in the pine needles. He whirled ubout, growling furious ly «mil biting at tiie wound. Then lie stood still, turning ills gaze first to the pale face of Dave Turner thirty feet above him In the pine. Tiie eyes glowed In fury and hatred, lie hml found men out at last; they died oven more easily than the fawn, He started to turn back to the fallen, and the rille spoke again. It was a complete miss, this time; yet the bear leaped In fear when the bullet thwacked into the dust beside him. 11c did not wait for a third, ills caution suddenly returning to him. and perhaps his 'inger somewhat sati ated by the blow he had dealt Hudson, lie crashed into the security of the thicket. Bruce waited a single Instant, hop ing for another gllmpso of the crea ture; then ran down to aid Hudson. But In driving the bear from the trap per's helpless body he had already given all the aid that he could. Un derstanding came quickly. He had arrived only tn time for the Depar ture—just a glimpse of a light as It faded. The blow had been more than any human being could survive; even now Hudson was entering up«»n that strange calm which often, so merci fully, Immediately precedes death. He, opened hts eyes ami looked with s«mie wonder Into Bruce's rati —a fury that ppnv. Dir» first living crea- If hf'll kc him have I ♦und he Dave »It 1 chas fai low of bls all. ’ the trull re mon t try to sii In ,t‘ till r P a moment iudson heard his s : I In wolf n looked up. They met In a cirt' of >w It V||g u firelight. if t ti y I h nve It Is not the mountain way to frater Wil 8 nize quickly, nor are the mountain quarry In « h< ther tlje Uhl tl men quick to »how astonishment. true tit at tl ne— Hudson had not seen another human pleasure of t 111 and being since his last visit to the settle the ecstatic the bite to r ments. Yet bls voice Indicated no In tills case : surprise at this visitation. part of the work for him. It was just "Ilowdy," he grunted "Howdy," Dave replied. “How about a simple matter of driving the crea ture away from his deml. grub?” But at that Instant fate ttiok a hand "Help yourself. Supper just ready.” Dave helped himself to the food of In the merry little chase. To the the man that, a moment before, he fawn. It was nothing but a sharp clang would have slain; and In the light of of metal behind him and an answering the high fire that followed the meal, ♦shriek of pain—sounds that hi Its he got down to the real business of terror It heard hut dimly. But It was an unlooked-for and tragic reality to the visit. “I suppose you’ve forgotten that the wolf. His leap was suddenly ar little deed you witnessed between old rested In midstlr, and he was hurled Mat Folger and Ross—twenty years to the ground with stunning force. ago," Dnve begun easily, his pipe be Cruel metal teeth had seized Ills leg. and a strong chain held him when he tween his teeth. Hudson turned with a cunning glit tried to escape. He fought It with ter In hla eyes. • Dave saw It nnd desperate savagery. The fawn leaped grew bolder. "Who wants me to for on to safety. But tliure was no need of the grizzly get It?" Hudson demanded. "I ain't said that anybody wants continuing its pursuit, Everything had you to,” Dave responded. “I asked turned out quite well for him. after all. A wolf is ever so much more till- you If you had." Hudson was still a moment, strok- Ing than any kind of seasonal fawn; Ing absently his beard. "If you want and the old gray pack leader was lm- to know," he said, “I ain’t forgotten. prisoned and helpless in one of llud- But there wasn’t Just a deed. There son’s trnps. • • • • • • • * • was an agreement, too.” “I know all about that agreement,” In the first gray of morning, Dave Dave confessed. Turner started back toward bls home. “You do, eh? So do I. I ain't likely "I’ll go with you to the forks In the to forget.” trail," Hodson told him. “I want to Dave studied him closely. "What take a look at some of my traps, any good is It going to do you to remem how." ber?" he demanded. At the same hour—us soon as It was "I ain’t saying that It’s going to do light enough to see—Bruce was finish me any good. At present I ain’t got ing bls breakfast In preparation for nothing against the Turners. They’ve the last lap of Ills journey. He had always been all right to me. What's passed the night by a spring on a long between them and the Rosses Is past ridge almost In eye range of Hudson's and done—although I know just In camp. Now he was preparing to dtp what way Folger held that land and down Into the Killer’s glen. no transfer from him to you was le Turner nnd Hudson followed up the gal. But that’s all part of the flhsL little creek. As long as the Turners continue to be The first of Hudson’s sets proved my friends I don't see why anything empty. The second was about a turn should be said about It.” In the creek, and a wall of brush made Dave speculated. It was wholly It Impossible for him to tell at n dis plain that the old man had not yet tance whether or not he had made a heard of Bruce’s return, There was catch. But when still a quarter of a no need to mention him. “We’re glad mile distant, Hudson heard n sound you are our friend," Dave went on. that he thought he recognized. It was “But we don’t expect no one to stay a high, sharp, agonized bnrk that friends with us unless they benefit to ! I dimmed into a low whine, “I believe some small extent by It. How many I’ve got a coyote or a wolf up there,” furs do you hope to take this year?" he said. They hastened their steps. “Not enough to pay to pack out. The whole picture loomed suddenly Maybe two hundred dollars In bount . before their eyes. There was no wolf ies before New Year—coyotes and In the trap. The steel had sprung, wolves." certainly, but only a hideous fragment “Then maybe fifty or seventy-five of a foot remained between the Jaws. dollars, without bothering to set the The bone had been broken sharply traps, wouldn’t come In so bad." off, as a man might break a match In "It wouldn’t come In bad, but it his fingers. There was no living wolf. doesn’t buy much these days. A hun Life had gone out of the gray body dred would be better.” many minutes before. The two men “A hundred It is,” Dave told him saw all these things as a background with finality. only—dim details about the central The eyes above the dark beard figure. But the thing that froze them shone In the firelight. The mbney In their tracks with terror was the He Opened hie Eyes and Looked With changed hands. They sat a long time, great, gray form of the Killer, not Some Wonder Into Bruce’s Face. deep In their own thoughts. twenty feet distant, beside the man "All we ask,” Dnve said, "Is that gled body of the wolf. light In them wns dimming, fndlng like you don’t take sides against us." The events that followed thereafter n twilight, yet there was Indication of “I’ll remember. Of course you- want came in such quick succession a» to neither confusion n««r delirium. There wns, however, some Indication rqf. In case I'm ever subpoenaed, to re seem simultaneous. For one fraction call signing the deed Itself.” ol' an Instant all three figures stood of perplexity nt the peculiar turn af “Yes, we'd want you to testify to motionless, the two men staring, the fairs had taken. "You’re not Dave that." grzzly half-leaning ««ver bls prey, his Turner,” he said wonderlngly. Dim though the voice was, there "Of course." head turned, his little red eye» full of They chuckled together In the dark- hatred. He uttered one hoarse, sav- was considerable emphasis In the tone. ness. Then they turned to the blnn- age note, a sound in which all his Hudson seemed quite sure of this kets. hatred nnd his fury and his savage point, whether or not he knew any "I'll show you another trail out to- power were made manifest, whirled thing concerning the dark gates he was about to enter. He wouldn’t nave morrow." Hudson told him. “It comes with Incredible speed, and charged. into the glen that you passed to Hudson did not even have time to spoken greatly different If he had night—the canyon that the Killer has turn. There wus no defense; his gun been sitting In perfect lunlth before been using lately for a hunting was strapped on his back, and even his own camp fire and the shadow was ground.” , if it had been in his hands, its bullet now already so deep his eye» could would not have mattered the sting of scarcely penetrate It. "No," Bruce answered. "Dave Tur CHAPTER XV a bee in honey-robbing. The only possible chancq of breaking that dead ner Is up n tree. He didn’t even wait The Killer had had an unsuccessful ly charge lay In the thirty-thirty deer to shoot.” night. He had waited the long hours rifle In Dave’s arms; but the craven “Of course he wouldn’t." Hudson through at the mouth of the trail, but who held It did not even fire. He was spoke with assurance. The words only the Little People—such as the standing just below the outstretched dimmed at the end, i«n«l he half-closed rabbits and similar folk that hardly limb of a tree, and the weapon fell Ills eyes as If he were too sleepy to constituted a single bite in his great from his-hand» as lie swung up into stay awake longer. Then Bruce saw Jaws—had dime his way. Now it was tiie limb. Tiie foct that Hudson stood a strange thing. He saw, unmistak morning and It looked ns if he would weaponless, ten feet away in the clear able as the sun In the xky, the signs have to go hungry, He started to ing. did not deter him In the least. of a curious struggle In the uiiin'» stretch bls great muscles, intending to No human flesh could stand against face. leave his ambush. But all at once that charge. The vast paw fell with The trapper—a moment before «Ink he froze again into a lifeless fray resistless force; and no need arose for ing Into-the calm of dentil—was light patch in the thickets. There were a second blow. The trapper's body ing desperately for a f«?w moment - of on the trail. Again they was struck down as if felled by a respite. There could be no other ex fps of deer—but not of the meteor, and the power of the Impact planation. And he won it at fast,— forced it deep Into the carpet of pine an interlude of half a dozen breati^ needles. The savage creature turned, "Who are you?" he whispered. Bruce bowed his head until bla ear the white fangs caught the light in the open mouth. The head lunged toward was close to the lips. “Bruce Folger," lm ¡.ti ««red,—for the first In his the man's shoulder. No man ma say what agony Hud- knowledge speaking Ills full name. son would hnvf endured In the last “Son of Matthew Folger who lived at few • ■• bla life If the Killer Trail's End long ago.” The man still struggle«!. "I knew had been given time and opportunity, i the Klib His tignai way wax to linger long, it," he said. “I «aw it—In your face. I gply tak he pr «■losing again and again see—everything now. Listen—can you wolf—t mouth g likeness whi destroyed. hear me?" had just "Teo." male that rhe hire u 1st was tqxm him; there “jtsucces« «een no mercy to the dy- , ”1 Just did ■ wrong—there's a through the thicket» in search of a lag «real re in the pine needles, Yet hundred dollars In my pocket that I lair, arid be came out on the trail not It tran-i ed that P"* «n's fl« sb wns Jti’t got for doing It. I mad» a prom fifty feet distant, halfway between the not to low thoM rending fangs a ise—to lie to you. Take the money— it ought to be yours, anyway—ana bear and the fawn. The one wns al- second t tn« st ns «nn«rl«e<l as the other. The to her»; nnd use It t«>war«l fighting the On tb< I.lllxi fawn turned with a frightened bleat this lan<! ha«! droppwt to In wrong. It will go a little way." •’Yes.” Bruce looked him full In the and darted away; the wolf swung into the shrubbery, bls rifl«.- II eyes. "No matter about the money. pursuit. level of ills eyes. It was What did you promise Turner?" The bear lunged forward with a had come In time to see "That I'd lie to you. Grip my arm» howl of rage He leaped Into the trail through n rift tn the tre»s mouth, then ran a« fast as he cool«! The bear on Hudson, and the with your hand«—till It hurt». I've In pursuit of the running wolf, He man had g<«ne down, before Bruce only got <«ne breath more. Your fa was too enraged to stop to think ‘ that even Interpreted him. Then It was ther held those l«n«U only In trust—the a grizzly bear has never yet been able Just a gra) patch, a full three hundred Turner»’ deed 1» forged. And the to overtake a wolf, once the trim leg» yards away. Hi» Instinct was to throw secret agreement that I witnessed Is got well Into into action. At first be the fun to hla aboulder and Are with hidden—" The breath seemed to go out of the couldn't think about anything; be had <>ut aiming; yet he conquered It with been cheated too many times. His an iron will. But be did move quickly. tuan. Bruce sb«x>k Mm by the shout- I first impulse was one of tremendous page 3, ders. Dave, st to hear the re» “It's hidde words were no uud wbut folios to hoar lu vain Ing. The abut i und the Uds lit« A traveler had Bruce got u| in his eyes. slowly Turner wus ell six st tree. Bruce seized bis rifle. Tiie effect o He clung fust lie thought a claws—could 1 Bruce iuld the gun behind him. then stood waiting with his own weapon resting In his arms, “Come down, Dave," he cominnuded. “The bear 1» goue." Dave crept down the trunk and halted at its buse. He studied tiie cold face before hliu. "Better not try nothing," he advised hoarsely, I “Why not?" Bruce i asked. “Do you think I’m afraid of u i eownpl?" The man started nt the words; his head bobbed backward a» if Bruce hud .«truck him beneath tiie jaw with his fisL “l’liiple don't cull the Turners cow- ards and walk off with It." the man told him. "Oil, the lowest coward I" Bruce said between set teeth. "The yellow est. mongrel coward! Your own con federate—and you had to drop your gun and run up t tree. You might have stopped the beay’s charge." Dave's face twisted In a scowl "You’re brave enough now. Walt to see wbut happens later. Give me my gun. I'm going to go." “You cun go, but you don't get your gun. I'll fill you full of lead If try to touch It." Dave looked up with siane care, wanted to know for certain if tenderfoot meant what he said. man was blind in some things, vision was twisted and dark, but lie made no mistake about the look on the cold, set face before him. Bruce’s Unger was curled ubout the trigger, uud It looked to Dave us if It itched to exert further pressure. I don’t see why I gpare you, any- y," Bruce went on. Ills tone was self-reproachful. “God knows I hudu't ought to—remembering w'lio uud wlmt you are. If you’d only give me one little bit of provocation—’’ Duve saw lurid lights growing lu the man's eyes; and all nt once a con clusion ciuue to him. l^e decided he u make no further effort to regain tne Ills life wus rather precious to strangely, and It was wholly plain that a dread and terrible passion wus slowly creeping over his enemy. He could see It In the darkening face, the tight grip of the hands on the rifle stock. His own sharp features grew more cunning. "You ought to be glad I didn't stop the bear with my rifle,” he said hurriedly. "I had Hudson bribed—you wouldn’t have found out something that you did tlnd out if he hadn't lain here dying, You wouldn’t have learned—" But the sentence died In the middle. Bruce made answer to It, a straight- out blow with his fist, with all his strength behind it. in the very center of ills enemy’s face. CHAPTER XVW Dave Turner traveled hard and late, and he reached Simon's door just be- for«» sundown of the seeon«|_ «lay. Bruce was still a full two hours dis tant. But Dave did not stay to knock. It was chore-time, und he thought he would tln«l Simon In his burn, super vising the feeding ami cure of the live stock. He hud guesse«! right, and the two men tmd u moment's talk in the dusky passage behind the stalls. "I've brought news." Dave said. Simon made no answer at first. The saddle pony in tile stall Immediately In front of them, frightened at Dave's unfamiliar figure, had crowded, trem bling, against Ills manger. Simon's red eyes watched him; then he ut tered a short oath. He took two strides Into the stull an«l seized the halter rope in his huge, muscular hand. Three times he jerked It with a peculiar, quartering pull, a curbing that might liave been Ineffective by u man of ordinary strength, but with the the Incomprehensible might of < great forearm behind It was 1 really terrible punishment. Dave thought for a in mment hlw brother Would break ; the whites began the animal's unlmal’s neck r to show about tile soft, dark pupils of Its eyes. The strap over the head broke with the fourth pull; then the horse recoiled, plunging end terrified, Into the op|H)«lte corner of the stall. Simon leaped wlrti shutter at th s creatures shoulders, b arms encircled Its neck, his st he«i vi <1, and he half-threw It floor, Then, as It staggered his «envy fist flullwl against II in nnd again he struck, an« '■darkness of the stable It ulfui thing to behold. Th« r, always quickly ar«m»si a him; Ills brawny form with the agility of u panther. Dave, wiioee shallow eyes were wont to feast on cruelty, vlev scene with some iliirm. It wnsi he was moved by the agony horse. But tie did rememb« horses coat money. un«l Simon determine«! to kill the anltunl hts passion was spent. The horse cowered, and la a luo- meat more It was hard »<> remember he wns a memlter of a noble, high spirit««! breed— a swtft runner, brainy ■s a dog. n servant faithful und worthy. He stood quiet et luat, hie bead banging low. knees bent, eyes curiously f irrowfu) and dnrlr 81 mon Caatened the broken strap about bla It on r veeks, lights in hjs n perceptible « Ing. ft did if moved. “You’re «I u'ws," he said. “If It'« » us Imp s xorrni >t the other m lews yon girt don't take my time "AU right." the other replied sul lenly. ".You don’t have to hear it. But I’m telling you It’s of real Importance thi» flint'—anil some time you'll find out." He scowled Into tiie dark face. ’Tint salt yourself." Dave walked clear to the d«M>r. then turned. “Don't be u fool. Simon," lie urged. “Listen to what I have to tell you. Bruce Folger know» where that secret agreement is.” For once In his life Dave got a response of sufficient emphasis to satisfy him. Ills brother whirled, his whole expression undergoln«. un kn mediate and startling cluing», it there Was one emotion that Dave had never seen on Simon's face It was fear—ami he didn't know for certain that he saw it now. But there was alarm—unmistakable—and surprise, too. "What do you mean?" he demanded. "Out with it I" Ills tone was really “What Do You M»an7 Out With Iti" urgent now, not Insolent us usual. “Good Lord, man, don’t you know that If Bruce gets that down to the settlements before the thirtieth of next month we’re lost—and nothing in this world can save us? We enn’t drive him off, like we drove the Rosses. There’s too much law down in tiie valleys. If he’s got that paper, there's only one thing to do. Help me snddle a horse." “Walt a minute. I didn’t say lie had it. I only said he knew where It was. He's still an hour or two walk from here, toward Little river, and If we have to wait for him on the trull. we've got plenty of time, And of course I ain't quite sure he does know where it Is." "The Simon smiled mirthlessly. news is beginning to soun«l like the rest of yours. “Old Hudson is deud,” Dave went on. “And don't look at me—I didn’t do It. I wish I had, though, first off. For once my judgment wus better than yours. The Killer got him.' "Yes. . .Go on.” “I was with him wlun it happened, My gun got jammed so I couldn't shoot." “Where Is it now?" Dave «crumbled in vuln for a story to explain the loss of his weapon to Bruce, and the one that came out at last didn’t do him particular credit, "I—I threw the d—n tiling away, Wish I hadn’t now, but It mude me so mail by Jamming—it was a fool trick. Maybe I cun go back after It and find It." Simon smiled again. "Very go<wl so fur,” he commented. i Dave I flushed. "Bruce was there, too— ■fact fact Is, creased the bear—and the last minute before he died Hudson told him where the agreement was hidden. 1 couldn't hear all he said— I wus too far away—but I heard enough to think that he told Bruce th«* hiding p luce.” “An«l why dhtn’t you g«et that Infor- matfi>n nwuj fr<>m Bruc «■ with your gun?" "Didn’t I tell you th.p thing was Januned? If It hadn't of t >e«>n for that. I’d done sotm»thing more 1than find out where it Is. I’d stoppicd this non- sense «me* atid tor nil, al p.l let a hole through that tenderfoot b lg enough to Hue through. Then there'd never ba any more troiuhle. It's tire thing to do Simon looked at tils brother'» fac« with some wonder, More crafty und cunning, Dave wus like the coyote in that be didn’t yield so quickly to turf as. that gray wolf, bl» brother. But when it did come, It scared hliu. It tia«l com« now, 31m«>n couidn’t nil» take the fact; he *nw It plain In the glowing eyes, the clenched bends, the drawn Bps Dave was remembering the pain of the blow Bruce had gi en him and the smart of tiie word« that had preceded it. "You und be must have had a little ««.«Ion down there by the creek," Sinton suggested slow ly, ‘wl.en y «r gun w us jammed. Of course, he ( the gun. What's th* n«e of lie to me?" "He «JM. What could I «Je F "And now you