Page Six i Strength of the Finest S »;• I j By Edison Marshall $ Author of "The Voice of the Pack’ Illustrations by Irwin Myers »»»»»I«»»»»»». Copyriffbl by UuU, Brown A Co. SYNOPSIS CHAPTER I—At th* death of hl* footer father, Bruce Duncan, In an eastern city, receive* a myiterlou* me«*ags. sent by a Mr* Roan, aummonlug him peremptorily to «outhern Oregon—to meet "Linda." CHAPTER II.—Bruce has vivid but baf fling recollection* ot hl* childhood In an orphanage, before bl* adoption by New ton Duncan, with the girl Linda. CHAPTER IIL—At hi* destination, Trail • End, new* that a message ho* been lent to Bruce I* received with marked displeasure by a man Introduced to the reader as "8lmon." CHAPTER IV.—Leaving the train, Bruc» 1* astonished at hl* apparent fa- glllarlty with the surroundings, though hl* knowledge he ha* never been there. CHAPTER V.—Obedient to the menage, Bruce make* hl* way to Martin's . rou»- ro»d* store, for direction a* to reaching Mr*. Ross' cabin. looked liar "sThTutlons In Th? Tu?e. She was not one to flinch from the truth and with false optimism disbelieve it. She knew these mountain realms; bet- rer still she understood the dark pas- •Ions of Slrnon uml hls followers, and this little half-pound of steel and I wood with Its brass shells might mean, In the dreadful lH«t moment of despair, (deliverance from them. It might mean escape for herself when ull other ways were cut rilf. In tills wild land, far from the reaches of law and without allies except for a decrepit old wo- mun. the pistol a bud bi-en 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 that led between the tree trunks. She peered intently. And In one Instant more she knew that the approaching figure was not Bruce, but the mun she most feared of anyone on earth. Simon Turner. Her thoughts came «iear and true. It was obvious that hl» was no mis sion of stealth. He was coming boldly, freely, not furtively; and he must have known that he presented a perfect rifle target from the windows. Never theless, It Is well to be prepared for emergencies. If life In the mountains tenches anything, It teaches that She took the rifle and laid It behind a little desk, out of sight, Then she went to the door. “I want to come In, Linda,” HI mon told her. "I told you long ugo you couldn't come to this house, " Linda answered CHAPTER VI—On the way. "Simon" sternly warns him to give up his quest and return East. Bruce refuses. CHAPTER VII.-Mr». R om , aged and firm, welcomes him with emotion. She «tens him on bl* way—the uni of "Pine- eedls Trail " CHA1TEH VIII.—Through a “ountry piiizllngly fnmlllor, Ilruce urr • vs. and find* hie - hlldhood playmate, iji.la. CHAPTER rX.-Tha girl telle him of wrong* committed by an enemy clan n her family, the R. >*«>.* I..m l.i • ■ .,h <l by the elan were stolon from the it - a end the family wlm the ix(.|>(l.m Aunt Elmira (Sirs Floss) nri I h. rsilf, wiped out by assassination. Hru n’s fa ttier, Matthew lodger, was one of the victims IBs mother find fled with Bru.-e and IJnd«. The girl, while small, I ad been kidnaped from tile orphanage uud brought to the mountain*. Linda’« father h»d deeded hl* land* to Matthew Folgcr. (/Illuni, which WHI1 I* wo WUUIU but tn* agreement, Id VVIIIUW • ■ Um enemy's claims claim* to the th* property, han has been lost CHAPTER X.—Bruce’s mountain blood rff>ponds to th* call of the blood-feud. CH A ITER XI.—A ginnt tre«, th« Ben front or of umm IJndH'H b raoin, cabin, line! Fine, in rront Kirns to hruce’ff excited Inuiglnatlon to endeuvorlntf to convey a CHAPTER X J ¡.»Bruce eete out •earch of a trapper named Hudnon. wltnene to the iikh eiuent U*twuen IslnJa'e Either and Mattrew CHAPTER XTTT.—A eUrnnflr erijxty, known hh the Killer, I n tho terror or the vicinity, because of hi» m»o and ferocity. CHAPTER XIV.—Dave Turner, sent by Rlmon, bribes Hudson to «wear falsely concerning the agreement. If brought to light, he knowing It« whereabouts C1IA1TEH XV Hudson and Dave vlelt the former’« trap« A wolf, caught In one, In din-overed *»v the Killer. l>|N(nrbed at hi« feaet, the brute strike« down Hudson Bruce, on hfn way to Hudeon. «hoot« aid wound« the Killer, driving him from hl« victim. Hu«l«on, learning Bruce’« Iden tlty, tri»« tn t»’l! him th»' hiding place of the agreement, but death Hummona him. CHAPTER XVI Hlnmn. believing Bru . knows where th. document 1« concealed, ¡ay« plaiif’ to trap him. CHAPTER XVII -Dave decoy« IJnda and Aunt Klmlrn from their home The man Insult« Idnda and 1« «truck down by the aged woman. Elmira'« son has hem murdered by Dave, an I at her com mand, after Securely binding the des perado, Linda leave« them alone. XVIII --------------- Returning, ” Bruce CHAITER --------- from linda, , tell- finds a note, prvsumnbly _________ -- ...-------- Ing him »he has been kidnaped by the Turn«rs. CHAPTER XIX.-Bruce falls Into HI mon'« trap, and is made prisoner. CHAPTER XX.-Charging Bruce with attempting to reopen the blood feud, the clan, after a mock trial, decides to leave him. bound In n pasture on the spot where the Killer had s'.ain and half eaten a calf the night befora. They look for the return of the gristly and the probable •laying of Bruce l»y the uni ma I CHAPTER XXI - Bruce, helnless. awaits arrival of the Killer any death. CHAPTER XXII-Rlmon makes IJnda an offer of marriage The girl refuse«, telling him «hr lows Bruce Enrage’ the man brutally strikes her. and I The girl la confident he will go to Bruce, and she follow« him. Thoroughly aloniM-«!, 1i!ii“1f««nF*l>ack Into the front room and tried to de cipher the mystery of the strange weapon. She couldn't («oocelve of uny possibility whereby Bruce would ex change hls father's trusted gun for thia Poealbly It was an extra weapon that he had procured on hl* journey. And since no jmsslble gain would come of her going out Into the forest* to seek him. she sat down to wait for hls return. The moment« dragged by and her apprehension grew She took the rifle In her bund* and. slipping the lever part way back, looked to «ee If there were a cartridge In the barrel She MW a glitter of brass, and It gave her a ineusurv of aaaurunce. She hml a pistol In her own room—« wvwpon that Elmira Imd procunsl. years before, from a passing *|H<rt«nmn—«nd for a moment sin* cotiHhleivd getting It nlno. Sin- understood Its action better and would probably l>e more effict.'ht with It tf the need arose, but for certain nvver-t<>h<«-forgoit>'U reason* she Wished to kiH>p thl* wea|M>u until the moment of utmost need. Her whole »tock of pistol cartridge» eonaisfed of six completely Alling the maintain.* of the pl»t<>l t’loseljr watched by th« Turners alic had !•<» i unitblc to procure more. Many » dreadful lilglit tl esc six little cylinder* of bra»* had been a tremendous eon eolation to tier. They had been her pole defense, and aha knew that in l^e Ann I emergency »he could n»e them to deadly effect. Linda wns a girl who had always "I Told You Long Ago You Couldn’t Come to This House," Lind* An swered Through the Panel*. through the panels. “I want you to go away." Hlmon luiiglo-d softly, “You’d bet- ter let me In, I've brought word of the child you took to raise. You know who I mean." Yes, Linda knew. “Do you mean Bruce?" she asked, “I let Dave In tonight on the Mine pretext. Don't expect me to be caught twice by the same He." "Dave? Where Is Dave?" The fact wa* that the whereabouts of his broth er hud suddenly become considerable of a mystery to Sltnon. He had thought about him and Linda out In the darkness together, and his heart had si-etued to smolder and burn with Jealousy In his breast. It had been a great relief to him to find her in the house. "I wonder«—where he is by now," Linda answered In a strange voice. "No one In tills world cun answer that question, Simon. Tell me what you want.” She opened the door. She couldn't t«ear to »how four of this man. And she knew that an appearance of cour age. at least, was the wisest count«'. “No matter about him now. I want to talk to you on business. If I meant rough measures. I wouldn't liave come alone.“ "No,” Linda scorned. “Y’ou would have brought your whole tuurdortng band with you. The Turner* believe In overwhelming numbers." Tiie words stung him, but liv smiled grimly Into her face. “Fve come In p('iice, Linda." he Mid gently. "I’ve come to give you a Inst chance to make friend»." II«' walked past her Into the room. He straightened the chair that hnd h«>«-u up»et sn lllug strangely th«- while, and «at down In It. "Then tell me «hut you have to tell me." she »aid "I'm In n hurry to go to l»-d and this rvally l»n’t the hour for calls." He looked a long time luto her fnco. She found It hard to hold her own gai«* Mull) things could be doubted about this mini but hl« pmvt-r mid hl« courage «era not unu>ng them. Th«< smile dl.«i fri'in hi* llpn, the linen deoi« ued on hl* Cm*». She realltt'd us n< ver befora the tein|'«**tuou* |His*!on* and imfatI k nmtdr inhnsity of hls na ture. good friend*.’ -Wo’v Simon « “We I e«\ ervd thing« " "At «! » effort » ere win ye It dl< t otlter doe t men h*i« tl the | lulu " h» t the 1 iwi’» e r Imr y’«U J rule my h Friday, October 6 THE TILLAMOOK HEADLIGHT siiSnof mim. Tils very sdrTde snowed She nodded. She View that she had of her" will she (n«i»"T!.1 Hie i.nst» oi that he feared no living creature that won, against her will, the strange, dawning unconsciousness that the puln shared the forest with him. In fact, somber love of this mighty man. She had wrought and crept swiftly to the he considered himself the forest mas little desk placed against the wall. Her ter. The bear Is never a particularly had known It for months. “Aa my wife—don’t make any mis hand fumbled In the shadow behind it timid animal, and whatever timidity take about that. Linda, Tm a stem. and brought out a glittering rifle. Then the Killer possessed was as utterly hard man. I’ve never known how to she crept to the open doorway. gone as yesterday's daylight. Lying (Ki the floor, she raised the woo. I don’t know that I want to Bruce watched him with unwinking know how, the way It Is done by weapon to her shoulder. Her thumb eyes. It might be that the Killer would weaker men. It has never been my pressed hack, strong and unfaltering, fail to discern his outline. Bruce bad way to ask for whut I wanted. But against the hammer; and -he heard it no conscious knowledge, as yet. that sometimes It seems to me that If I’d It is movement rather than form to been a little more gentle—not so mas which the eyes of the wild creatures terful end so relentless—that I’d won ara most ri'ceptlve. But he acted up you long ago." on thut fact now as if by instinct, lie Linda looked up bravely Into his wus not lying In quiie the exact spot face. “No, Simon. You could have where the Killer hud left hls dead the never—never won me I Oh, can't you preceding night, and possibly hls out see—even In this awful place a woman line was not enough like it to attract wants something more than just brute the grizzly's attention. Besides, in the strength and determination. Every' Intermittent light, it was wholly pos woman prays to find strength In the sible that the grizzly would try' to find man she loves—but It isn't the kind the remains of hls feast by smell that you have, the kind that makes alone; and If this were lacking, and your men grovel before you, and Bruce made no movements to attract makes me tremble when I’m talking hls attention, he might wander away to you. It's a big, calm strength—and In search of other game. I can't tell you what it Is. It's some For the first time in hls life, Bruce thing the pines have, maybe—strength knew Fear as It really was. It Is a not to yield to the passions, but to re knowledge that few dwellers In cities strain, not to be afraid of, but to cling can possibly have ; and so few times has to—to stand upright and honorable it really been experienced in these days and manly, and make a woman strong of civilization that men have mostly just to see it In the man she loves.” forgotten what it Is like. If they ex He listened gravely. Her cheeks perience it at all, It Is usually only in blazed. It was a strange scene—the a dream that arises from the germ- silent room, the Implacable foes, the plasm—a nightmare to paralyze the breathless suspense, the prophecy and muscles and chill the ‘ heart and freeze Inspiration In her tones. a man In hls bed. The moon was "Perhaps I should have been more strange and white as It slipped In and gentle,” he admitted. "I might -have out of the clouds, and the forest, mys I forgotten—for a little while—this Surg terious as Death Itself, lightened and ing, Irresistible impulse In my muscles —and tried just to woo you, gently He Struck Her Breast. The Brutality darkened alternately with a strange effect of unreality ; but for all that, of the Man Stood Forth at Last. and humbly. But It's too late now. Bruce could not make himself believe I'm not a fool, I can’t expect you to begin at the beginning, I can only go click as It sprung Into place. Then that this was Just a dream. The on In my own way—my hard, remorse she looked along the barrel until she dreadful reality remained that the saw the swinging form of Simon Killer, whose name 'nil works he less, ruthless way. through the sight.-. knew, was even now Investigating him "It Isn’t every man who is brave There was no remorse in that cold from the shadows one hundred feet enough to see what ho wants and hers. The wings of death away. knock away all obstacles to get It,” he gaze of hovered over the mull, read) to swoop The fear that came to him was that I went on. "I’ut that bravery to my Her lingers curled tighter of the young world—fear without rec credit. To pay no attention to meth down, about the trigger, One ounce more I ompense, direct and primitive fear I ods. only to look forward to the result. pressure, and Simon's truck of wlcked- That has been my creed. It Is my ness and blemished would have come that grew on him like a sickness, . It was the fear that the deer knew as ■ reed now Many less brave men to till end at lust Bnt nt that instant would fear your hatred—but I don't her eyes w idened with the dawn of an they cr«pt down their dusky trails ut night ; it was the fear of darkness fear It ns long as I possess what I go and silence and pain and heaven after and h hpp(> that 1 cun get you idea. She knew the knows what cruelty that would be vis She knew this over ft? Many 'of my own brothers him. And she ited upon him by those terrible rend bate me, hut yet I don't cure us long hatred that was us they do my will. No matter how realized, as If by an Inspiration from ing fangs and claws. It was the fear much you acjjrn It, this bravery hus on High, that before he went to his 'hat can be heard In the pack song In always got me whut I wanted, and It house to sleep he would go once more the dreadful winter season, and that Into the presence of Bruce, confined can be felt in strange overtones, In the will get me what I want now.” somewhere among these ridges and sobbing wall of despair that the coyote The high color (lied In her face, She the punishment of having utters tn the half-darkness. He had wondered If the final emergency had suffering his will. Simon would want been afraid for hls life every moment opposed come at last. one look to see how his plan was get- he was In the hands of the Turners. “I’ve come to mako a bargain, You ting on; perhaps he would want to ut- can take It or you cun refuse, Ou one ter one tauntlng word. And Linda He knew that if he survived this night, he would have to face death again. side Is th«> end of ull this conflict, to lie saw her chance. He hnd no hopes of deliverance alto my wife, to have what you want— She dropped the rille and darted gether. But the Turners were men. bought by the rich return from my Into her own room. There she pro and they worked with knife blade and thousands of acres. And I love you, cured a weapon that she trusted more, bullet, not rending fang and claw. He Linda. You know that.” her little pistol, loaded with six cart could fnce men bravely ; but It was The man spoke the truth. Ills ter hard to keep a strong heart In the face rlble, durk love was all over him—In ridges. If she hail understood the real na of this ancient fear of beasts. hls glow Ing- eyes, In hts drawn, deeply ture of the danger that Ilruce faced lined face. The Killer seemed disturbed she would have retained the rifle. It moved slowly along the edge of “In time, when you come around to iny way of thinking, you'll love me. shot with ninny times the smashing moonlight. Bruce could trace If you refuse ■thl* lint time—I’ve got power of the little gun. and at long movements by the irregularity in to take other ways, On that side Is range was many times as accurate, but line of shadows. He seemed to even It would have seemed an Inef defeat for you—as sure as du.v. The fective defense against such an enemy moving more cautiously than ever, now. Bruce could not hear the sllglit- time Is almost up when th«' title to those lands Is secure. Bruce Is In ns wus even now creeping toward est sound. Bruce ’ s body. But she knew that In n our hands—" For an instant he had an exult- crisis, against such of the Turners as She got up, whitefaced. "Bruce—?" she thought she might have to face. It ant hope that the bear would continue "Yl's I I>hl you think he could stand would serve her much better than the I on down the edge of the forest and against us? I’ll show him to you tn more aw kt, rd heavier weapon. Be Jeave him; and hls heart stood still th«' morning. Tonight he's paying the sides, she knew how to wield It, and .as the great beast paused, sniffing. price for wvr daring to oppose my all tier life she had kept It for Just But some smell In the air seemed to will." reach him, and he came stealing back such un emergency. She turned Imploring eyes, lie saw In reality, the Killer was puzzled. The pain of the blow was quite goue them, and perhaps—far distant—he now, except for a strange sickness that He had come to this place straight saw the light of triumph, too. A grim had encompassed her. But she was through the forest with the expecta smile came to hls H|>s. never colder of nerve and surer of tion that food—flesh to tear with hls “Simon." she cried. "Have mercy." muscle. Cunningly she lay down fangs—would be waiting for him. And The word surprised him. It was the again before she crept through the now. as he waited at the border of first time she had ever asked this man door, so that If Simon chanced to look ; the darkness, he knew that a strange for tiK'rcy. “Then yon surrender—T’ about he would fall to see that she change had taken place. And the "Simon, listen to me," she begged. followed him. She crept to the thick Killer did not like strangeness. The smell that he had expected had “Let him go—and I won't even try to ets, then st(M>d up. Three hundred fight you any more. I’ll let you keep yards down the slope she could sec dimmed to such an extent that It pro those lands and never try any more to 81mon2j dimming figure lu the moon moted no muscular impulse. Perhaps make you give them up. You and light. uud swiftly she sped ufter him it was only obliterated by a stranger CHAPTER XXIII your brvthera can keep them forevett r I aneli—one that was vaguely familiar and we won't try to get revenge oa and wakened a slow, brooding anger you, either. He and I will go away.' The shadow that Ilruce saw at the in hls great beast’s heart. He gaatsl at her In deepening won- edge of the forest could not be ml»- He wi.s not timid; yet he retained dennont. For the moment, hls mind taken as to Identlty. The hope* that some of hls natural caution and re r*fUm>d to accept the truth. He hud he had held tiefore—ihat this stalking mained In the gloom while he made known perfvetly th«> call of the blood figure might tie that of a deer or ud hls Investigations. Probably it was a In her. He had understood her hatred elk—could no longer be entertnlned. hunting Instinct alone. He crept slow of the Turuer*; he could hate lu the Men, as a rule, do not love the wild ly up and down the border of moon route way himself. He realtaed her and walling sobs of a coyote, as he light, and hls anger seemed to grow love ft»r her father's home and how Took* down upon a camp fire from the and deepen within him. He felt dimly *h«> had dreauied of expelling Its usurp ridge above. Sleep (loee not come eas that he had been cheated out of hls ers. Yet ah«' was willing to renounce ily when a gaunt wolf walks in a slow, meal. And once before he had been It all. The power that had couie to Inquisitive circle about the pallet, similarly cheated ; but there had been her was one that he. a man wh«»e code scarcely a leaf nlsrllng beneath hls singular triumph at the end of that of Ilf«' was no len* cruel and remora»» feet. And a few times, lu the history experience. less than that of the Killer himself, of the frontier, men have had queer All at once a movement, far aerosa could not understand. tingling« and creepings tn the scalp the pasture, caught hls attention. It "But why?" he detnandi'd. “Why when they have happened to glunce seemed that some oue had come, taken are yon willing to do ull this for over their shoulders and see the eyes one glance at the drama Ht the edge him?" of a great, tawny puma glowing an of the forest, and had departed. "Why?" sh«' echoed. Once more the odd bine In the firelight. Yet. Brace Bruce himself had not seen the figure; luster wus in her dark eyes. “I »up- would have had any one of these, or and perhaps It was the mercy of Fate l«>se It I* because—I love him.” all three together, in preference to the —not usually merciful—that he did He liM>ked nt her with atoely dark Killer not He might have been caused to ening fn«*e Passion >«ell«*d within him. The reasoa was extremely simple. hope again, only to-know a deeper An oath (!r(>pi>«‘d from hi« III*, blns No word* have ev, r been capable of despair when the man left him wlth- phenious, more «nvnge than any wilder- expressing the depths of Cowardice of t '«nt giving aid. For the tall form had u«'s* voice. Then he raised hls nnn which a coyote H capable He ivlll 1 b««e») that of Simon coming, as I.inda «lid struck her t«'nd«-r fl««sh. whine and weep abotit a camp, like a had anticipated, for a moment's in He struck her breast. The brutal son! lost between two worlds, hut If spection of his handiwork. And see* Ity of the man stood forth nt last. No he Is lu hl s right mind he would have Ing that It was good, he had de; art- «gain. picture tiint all the draAdful dr Amrs each one of hl* gray hairs plucked on», The griixly watched him go. then of the wild could portray was more one by one rather thnn attack a man terrtt'le than this. The girl cried out. The cunning breed to which he lielongs turned back to his questioning regard ix-eled and fell fnlntlng from the i«ain. has found out that It doesn't pay The of the strange, dark figure that lay The and with suioldertng eyes be gnitxl at wolf la sometimes disquiet ¡ligiy brave ■«» prone In the grass In front her unuMwed. Then ?.e turned out of w hen he is fortified by hts pack breth darkness droH'ed over him a* the the door ren In tin« winter, but In such a season m-»'-n weot txhtnd . hen«, : .-.h ,,f Hut th«* curtain of this drama In the as this he Is psrtlculnrty careful to Cloud. And In that moment the Killer n mountain Imnie hnd not yet rung down. kes-p out of the sight of man And the Hnlf-unconn«'k«us sh«‘ ttMened to hls Tawny <Hie himself, white-fanged and derstoixl. He remembered now. Bo «ti'l« He wa« out In the mooullght. lonf-clawed end powerful as he is, •ltd y the upright form of Sin.^n had vanlahlng ntumig the tn»* Strange nev«M- gets farther than certain dread- suggest ed It to him; possibly tbo.wind had only blown straighter and thus faiich* *w<-pt her. al) In the «inali«*» fUl, -q-eOlstIvv dream« Rut none of three w** true of the rçrmitted Mm to Identify the tn»ibi"ng fru'tlen of an instaut. «ud a voice •yoke cl««aily. With all the strength Killer. He hnd already «b -wn hlo ‘ (Continued Next Week) Children Using Mill Fifty two thousand five hundred children of Log «, geles were questioned as to the amount of milk th consumed daily, their ages were recorded and height and weights obtained. The heights and weights* r these children were compared on the basis of "the! consumption of milk, and the figures revealed thé startling tact that in every age. without exception the milk-using children were taller and weighed more than the non-milk using children. it was also found that the milk-using children made more rapid progress ¡n their studies. In every grade the milk-using children were slightly younger than the non-milk using chil dren. The milk using children gaised on the average 2.28 years on the non-milk using children, from the kindergarten to the eighth grade. EVERY CHILD SHOULD HAVE A QUART OF RAW MILK DAILY. ORDER GOLDEN ROD DAIRY CLAR- IFIED MILK. Golden Rod Dairy Erwin Harrison, Prop. Both Phones I Both Phones: Bell 43-J P. 0. Box 197 Office: Nat l Bank Bldg. Ground Floor PACIFIC ABSTRACT CO L. V. EBERHARDT, Prop. 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