Adventure, December 3, 1920 — page 45: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Law Comes*to Singing River ‘“‘There’s a mine down there with ore rich enough to pack out.on mules!” exclaimed the prospector. “I’ve alers said this was a mineral country an’ now, by , here’s positive proof.” Lang replaced his gun as Nixon bent down before the exposed vein in the quartz. “Maybe you have got a claim, an’ a good one,” said ‘Thornton to Lang in a voice that did not carry beyond; “‘but I warn you off my place. Until you come out like a man an’ tell me what I want to know about yourself don’t come on my property an’ don’t speak to my gees If you do Vl kill you on sight my- self.”’ “T suppose you have the right to make those terms,” said Lang. ““An’ the courage to live up to ’em,” said Thornton, turning toego. “There’s just one thing,’ drawled- Lang, waving aside the excited Nixon and looking John Thornton in the eyes. ‘I’m goin’ to tell that fellow he lied.” X XI LANG stood on the brink of the pros- pect-hole when the others had gone. Condon watched him a few moments, “i “ — " ‘2 . 7 bn . stil under the spell of some weird fascination, then he went to the cabin. The sun had gone down in a blaze of glory and the soft, purple twilight of the high hills was drawing its shades over the valley. From the rock jetties above the south wall of the draw the sharp crack of a pistol shattered the silence. Lang’s hat was torn from his head as a bullet crashed through its crown. He leaped into the shelter of the trees and ran down past the cabin toward the mouth of the draw. MHalf-way down he _ swerved, crossed the draw to the.south side and_ran to a horse standing on the slope. It was the pack- horse; but Lang fastened his fingers in the animal’s mane and leaped astride its bare back. The horse stafted at a wild gallop for the mouth of the draw, broke through the screen of trees, and, answering. Lang’s heel and fist directions, ran down the valley. At a point below where the south ridge flattened out on the east slope of the valley Lang flung himself from the horse.and sent the animal scurrying back toward the draw. Lang climbed rapidly up the face of the ridge to a vantage-point overlooking the valley and the range above the. Thornton ranch. Peer- ing intently in the dim light he searched the southern side of the ridge itself and then slowly shifted his gaze to the open spots in the range above the ranch. In one of these open spaces he detected a black blotch of color, moving rapidly. His 35 experienced eye satisfied him that it was a horse moving away from the ridge and down toward the valley. He watched the next open space bélow and soon the object appeared from the timber and moved across the face of this meadew. By following with his intent gaze one meadow after the other, he traced the object te the slope of the valley below the ranch, saw it hesitate for a moment, and then speed down the valley trail. Lang ran swiftly down the north side,ef the ridge and entered the draw. He hurried to the cabin and without a word to Conden, who was getting supper, took down his saddle and left. In the lower meadow he agai feund the pack-horse and quickly saddled hia. Condon, reaching the edge of the meadow just as Lang had finished saddling the horse, saw him swing into the leather and dash through the screen of trees; heard the resounding echoes of hoofbeats grow faint on the valley trail. Condon stood indecisive for a moment; and then he too hastened to the cabin, get his sad- dle, blew out the single burning candle and hurried to the meadow to catch his herse. Alice Thornton, going to the spring for water, heard thundering horses upon the valley trail. She watched while a rider, sitting straight in the saddle and moving smoothly to the motions of his horse, sped by. In silent- wonder she stared down the trail. And soon another rider flashed by. What strange culmination was this to a day which had been the most unusual she had ever known? She became aware of a feeling of wild interest and trembling misgivings as she thought of Bransom’s subtle hints concerning Langworth. And then she suddenly asked herself why she should be interested. Why? She didn’t allow herself to attempt te solve her perplexity. She hurried to the spring for the water, re- solved that she would ask her father about the strange happenings.of the day, and where he had been that afternoon with other men. But when she entered the house she saw her ~ father looking at her with a queer light in his eyes, and she suddenly decided not te speak. She shut the door hurriedly lest the echo of the galloping horses reach his ears. And in- stantly she asked herself why she did this. Why? A soft glow of color came into her face as she put the water-pail on the bench by the kitchen table; and then it vanished as quickly as it had come. “Alice,” said her father in a quiet, stern voice not unmixed with emotion, ‘‘you will not go to the north part of the ranch again until I give you permission.” “Why, father!’ But she found herself unable to put the question that was upon her lips, <A look which CORNICLOO© COL