Show b br 01 I Fiction Hostile e Valley Val 1 ey Williams p CHAPTER It fit was Wa account of or her herN Bart r reminded re reminded re- re I minded them that Will killed Seth Humphreys I dunno a as I blame him him I dunno aa u he went to kill kIU Seth but Seth had a gun and Will with his leg leg- shot to pieces he had to hang hanl on to Se Seth's hs h's neck or get another bullet In him But Huld Huldy was back of ot that I I heard shed she'd left Will sence the sheriff reflected She come com back Bart Bar explained She took a shine to Zeke and decided decided decided de de- de- de to sta stay her back did he Z Dunno as M he could help it Bart confessed and he said slowly Will he always stood tood a lot from her herl No matter what she shedid shedid shedid did I dunno as hed he'd hum harm harm her He Ic added harshly But if he ht did I wouldn't blame him The old womans woman's sharp eyes ees fixed on him You trying to let on that I Will VilI killed her Bart Z she asked In n a matter of ot fact tact tone Speak out No sense In talking around corners Im not letting lettin on a thing thing- about It t Bart assured her rm Tm trying to o see through It Granny the same as IlS you she said I can see plenty a-plenty crisply The sheriff sherif said floundering Id Td like to talk to this Zeke Might light be hed he'd know something Maybe Vill hell he'll fetch him Looks like Id I'd have to talk to that man But when Will and Jenny presently presently pres- pres did return they were alone This hour she spent with Will Wa vas for Jenny deeply comforting Huldy's accusation had faded into a cl cloudy udy unreality allt like the substance substance sub sub- I stance tance of oC a a. dream But Jenny now more than any other emotion left lefta a grievous sympathy for tor Will for tor forthe the he remorse she knew he must enand endure endure en en- dure and she sho strove in small ways wars to o reassure and comfort him not by words but by her st steady ady supporting supporting sup- sup porting orting presence at his side Helps Will Ul With Chores They tramped In silence through the he woods the lantern swinging in hand making the black shadows shadows shad- shad ws of ot the trees along the way swing wing like somber pendulums They crossed the brook and climbed the steep trail and came up through the tie orchard to the barn and while Jenny enny ho 1 the lantern Will let the cows Into the up tie and secured them them hem there He pulled down do hay haytor tor or them and went to the kitchen for or the pall pail and r returned turned to milk Jenny stood silently b by r while he heat sat at his head against the warm flanks lanks of ot the cows the lantern here beside him on the floor Later In the kitchen with commonplace commonplace com corn words to accompany the familiar tasks they strained the milk and set it In shining pans to toise torise torise rise ise and then returned to the barn barno to o feed the horses and make malee all ready eady for tho the night Jenny bore the he lantern to and fro t to light Will while he worked and now and then when his eye touched hers wordlessly wordlessly word- word lessly essly she smiled He spoke only once of that which filled both their minds Td rd like to o know where Zekes Zeke's gone to he said aid Hell Hen be around by and by Jenny promised him Its Ils all aU right Will Vill But her own word faintly star star- tIed led her since clearly If VI Will I must live ivo with the secret knowledge that he had killed Huldy the world could never be all right for him again and she wished suddenly to take ake him In her arms and tell him that hat she knew and held him blame- blame less ess But she perceived that to do dohis this his to confess her knowledge of oC his ils guilt would be to open between them hem a gulf never to be bridged So she was silent and later when they hey came back through the wet woods together she decided that this his was a matter none nono should ever know enow She would make In her heart a secret prison to hide the dreadful thing away And thus resolving resolving re resolving re- re solving she found strength for the task ask before her and was at peace again Huldy was dead Let it be beby beby beby by accident The world would presently presently pre pre- pres pres- forget that Huldy had ever lived Ived Yet even though she was thus in her lor mind secure she dreaded the necessity of ot returning to face tace the others Will wm stood In no danger so soong solon lon long ong as ho was Wa with h her r alone but under their watchful eyes he might mighty by y word or gesture somehow betray betray be- be tray ray himself She found some somo re- re re reassurance assurance In tha tho thought that M Marm rm PIerce would If It the need arose be loyally silent too or even active In Wills Will's defense and with the old woman as an ally even evon If It the worst happened Bart and Saladine might be e deceived or bested When with Will vIlI she came back to the little house jouse In fri the valley she had somehow somehow some some- how stilled her fears Till she he saw the sheriff there Feels Foreboding When they came In and Jenny discovered this stranger in the kitchen she was startled and even before she knew who he was she felt elt her strength drain awa away But Buthen then hen then and by Will himself her foreboding tore fore bodIng was turned into fearful certainty certainty t for lr Will ViII said sald to this man Why U Sheriff Sheri who fetched you here The sheriff sherif hesitated I kind of hoped loped you'd oud bring this Zeke kc Dace back with you ho said evasively Will shook his head I I dunno where Zekes Zeke's got to to he admitted In n troubled tones He want vant to home lome Im I'm kind of worried worrie-d about Zeke And he persisted But Sheriff what fetched you 1 Jenny was breathless waiting forthe forthe for forthe the answer Then Saladine said gravely I sent for him Will Will wm stared at Saladine What for he protested bewildered And then the sheriff said Why Will the thing is it looks to everybody everybody everybody every every- body as i If maybe Mis' Mis Ferrin didn't just tall fall off ott of ot that ledge They think maybe her off Jennys Jenny's throat constricted stran- stran and her cars were ringing death could not then pass for Cor accident after all aU The hounds were on the tho trail As though from far away she heard beard Will stammer Killed her you mean Something lIk like that H I Rt f A. A f z Will stood with his h ad bowed I guess not he said laId firmly at last lut do that 1 I 1 was thinking maybe this Zeke D Dace cc SohIer suggested But Will shook his head No uNo Sheriff he Insisted Whatever did happen It want Zeke He wouldn't go to hurt her And he continued half to himself There might have been some hurt to to Huldy but not Z lo Why Id I'd sooner think think- think think-If He hesitated seeking seek seek- ing ng ngo some form of emphasis Why U rd Id as soon think I did it myself he le said Jenny felt tho the shock of a 8 great blow Her right hand clenched and androse androse androse rose a a. little and she did it behind her quickly as though she feared It t would betray her Then Bart yonder b by the sink chuckled and Will turned to look at him Vhal's U the matter Bart he ic asked funny Cunny What you said Bart told him That's a 8 joke Will His brow furrowed with sudden warmth I 1 mean to think you'd hurt Huldy he ic explained and he added hotly Not that blame you She needed it IU He spoke to the sheriff sherif Anyone Anone around hero here will say the same Will moved a little toward him III 11 I dont don't take that kindly Bart he said I Hj 1 dont don't want that kind of talk from you or anybody Not about Huldy Not now There was WIlS briefly silence but after atter af- af ter er a moment the sheriff sherIf said half I ito to o himself in almost querulous tones ones Its uIt's a pity she didn't come to tolon toong lon long ong enough to tell teU what happened to her And it seemed to Jenny suddenly that this familiar kitchen was very small and crowded and stifling hot lot She felt strangled and her herland hand land flew to her lips Bps and stark terror error choked her Then she saw Marm Pierce watching her with eyes suddenly keen and shrewd and she felt smothered and shrank back ack into the corner by the door Suddenly Marm Pierce moved the lamp amp from the table where it shone on Jennys Jenny's face tace and set it on the trIangular shelf shelt above the sink The angle of the cellar stairs made madea a shadow where whore Jenny stood concealing concealing con con- her and Jenny with that lose close sympathy which their lives spent pent together had built up between be bc- tween her and her grandmother knew that Marm Marni Pi Pierce had seen her terror and sought thus to pro pro- her from these other eyes eye And Andl even in her teal fear she he warmed with gratitude After the sheriff sherif spoke poke there was silence for a moment then Jenny had a respite for tor Joe Matthews tho the undertaker came out of ot the dining room He was a lean sober man with black hair and a n. cheek wholesomely brown bro and though his voice was professionally soft ott there was nothing queasy about him He spoke to Will There Will Vill he said Ive done doneall doneall doneall all that needs f tonight and if it you want Ill I'll carry her home He It If take hesitated added But you my advice let he he- helay lay here tonight I I can tend to everything a sight better in the morning Marm Maim Pierce said welcome to sta stay Will Vm VIII Will nodded Well VeIl likely that's sensible he agreed Jenn Jenny while their attention was thus turned away from her opened the door and stepped out on the porch grateful for tor the taste of cool moist air In the kitchen she heard the sheriff say doubtfully I guess Joe you'll want to go along home now I dont don't know as I ought to leave yet et though Id I'd like to see ace this Zeke Dace first Saladine spoke Sheriff Sharif If It you want I can take you as far as Liberty Liberty Liberty Lib Lib- erty when I go Dont want to keep you Sohier doubtfully demurred No UNo hurry Saladine assured him Why then Ill I'll take you you- up on that Sohier decided He spoke to Matthews again So Joe you dont don't have to wait waiL But I wisht you'd bring Doc Doe Harris in the morn- morn Ing I want him to look her over But Jenny no longer heard them Her own long thou thoughts absorbed her n now naw w. w When presently the undertaker undertaker un un- came out to depart she only drew v aside out of ot his way Sohier and Saladine crossed with him to where his truck stood spoke with ith him there Then Bart came out and said to Jenny casually Hot in there aint Itt And in ina ina ina a lower tone Dont you worry Jen Nothing to be afraid of ot To Be Continued Tomorrow |