| Show Telegram b Pen Fiction Valley I Fiction Ames Williams William I CHAPTER Hears Someone In Shed Then suddenly the old woman replaced the lid Jid on the stove with witha a clatter and cocked her head and crossed na ns quiet as aa a mo mouse e to the shed door She stood intent there and Jim came to her side Seemed like I did hear someone someone someone some some- one she whispered He touched the latch and swung the shed door wide to reveal reveal- nothing Dont see ace anything he said doubtfully But Marm Pierce pointed to the floor Here were wet muddy traces where booted feet teet had stood where soaked garments had dripped upon the boards Its UIt's that Win Marm arm Pierce decided decided decided de de- de- de scornfully Hes uHe's forever fore prying prying pry- pry ing ng around She shut the door with a slam I I should think you'd oud be nervous you u and Jenny living Jiving here alone he be ic suggested The Valley gets get some folks toUs she agreed Folks that dont don't know how low to be alone without being lone lone- ly y Youve You've got to know how to be company for tor yourself to get along around here And she added with witha a wry chuckle Just the same Im I'm m full as well wen pleased to have you round You mean mean on on account of your brother Land no she said scornfully No I dont don't pay no heed to him He comes and goes But Id I'd as soon have a man in the house right now for tor aJI that He watched her curiously but before she could answer his unspoken unspoken unspoken un un- un- un spoken question there was a step stepon on the porch outside the door and they turned to see Bart appear He wore oilskins now and he took of off offa a fish basket slung to his shoulder and laid it down and leaned a steel rod beside the door before he came came in Saladine Saladino saw that he had changed into dry clothes coat and overalls Wheres Will Z Marm Mann Pierce de do- He want around Bart ex ex- ex- ex Nor Zeke either either cither I figured figured figured fig fig- they'd heard about Huldy and come over here I come back through the woods and picked up my rod and stu stuff where Id I'd left em em by the brook He looked around Wheres Jenny he asked Gone to fetch Huldy's clothes Marm Pierce told him Its a wonder wonder wonder won won- der you didn't meet her Bart shook his head and he turned to sit down do by the stove with booted f feet et extended Saladine saw sawa a broad leather belt about his waist with a 8 bait can attached and to which a holster hung Hullo he said You pack a agun agun agun gun Z Sure Bart assented and produced produced produced pro pro- it Saladino took the weapon In n his hands It was an old model the he front sight gone of heavy calIber call call- ber and when Jim holding back the hammer gingerly tried the trigger trig- trig get ger er h he found that the pu pull l was eather feather light 1 I always carry it when I go fishing Bart explained You never know when you'll youn run into a moose down here in tho the woods or ora a wildcat Ive I've knocked over moren one wildcat with that and anda a cub bear two years ago ago- and Ive I've killed deer Marm Pierce was vas In the dining room and Bart lowered his tones i the gun Seth shot shotWill Will Ferrin Ferrin Fer- Fer rin with ho he said Borrowed It off oft me that day claiming he wanted want want- ed to shoot a wild bull Marm Marni Pierce returned and Jim handed landed the weapon back to Bart Can yo you hit anything with it he le asked I If Ive I've got time to take aim Bart replied The old woman was putting on an oilskin co coat t. Bart Part you see anybody anybody anybody any any- body fishing down brook this mornIng morning morn morn- ing lag she inquired I hear there was vas tracks along the bank Win likely went that way Bart reminded her I noticed tracks my myown myown myown own self when I come down along Figured it was him And he added added added add add- ed remembering He must have changed his mind and cut over here See anything of ot him while I was gone Not sight nor sound Marm Pierce replied Her look was WM a n warning to Saladine to say nothing of that unknown who had listened In the shed She pulled an oilskin hat over her white hair I get strangled for tor air when I stay Indoors in indoors indoors in- in doors the whole day she declared and went out As she closed the thedoor thedoor thedoor door the they heard something slither sUther and fall fail and saw her stoop down Knocked ed your rod over Bart Bert she called Cant hurt that rod he assured her cheerfully Rain was a mist about her she stepped down off the porch and disappeared toward the barn a fine tine old woman oman Saladine Sala Sale dine lne remarked Told me me a lot of tales about this neighborhood Bart Bert eyed him shrewdly Things happen in this Valley that'd surprise surprise surprise sur sur- prise you OU he agreed and he added Like this here today Saladine nodded I met Will Ferrin and Mis' Mis Ferrin and Zeke Dace this morning he said I Iwas Iwas Iwas was was on my way to your place till tillI I run into the washout so I backed up and left my car in Wills Will's yard I sec see it there a while ago Bart assented Zeke looked like a sick man to tome tome tome me Saladine suggested Bart Bert grinned as though abashed Hes failed a lot Jot he said But Buthe Buthe he ho was an able man two years ago He worked me mo over proper one day Saladine wished to ask the source of ot their quarrel but did not He only commented It doesn't seem like he could to see him now Bart Bert said with a faint taint grin The Valley will whittle a man down And he added Some like Marm Pierce and Jenny here they're al always always al- al ways the tho same and Wills Will's always always' the same or would be if it it want for lor Huldy She's twisted She's twisted him turned him wrong ways His brow clouded I wouldn't blame him for tor anything he was to do If It I Iwas Iwas Iwas was Will Id I'd have known how to handle her Rain rain rain the lash of of whips against this little house the pelt of bullets I never nc did see a place where It could rain as hard Bart declared and he looked toward the kitchen door Vonder Wonder where Granny went went he said half to himself Saladino made no reply The wind was increasing there was a hiss of rain drops in the chimney behind behind behind be be- hind the stove A door rattled in front of the house persistently and there were other noises stirrings gs formless so sounds This This' house was half halt rot and decay and for a moment it seemed to Saladine the whole structure was Infected He spoke of this and Bart said Granny Pierce fit with Win for forthe forthe forthe the fun of it but you cant can't argue her out of it She lows Jows shell she'll let lethis lethis his side of ot the house rot right d down downto wn to the ground before shell she'll give in It wont won't stand long Saladine said Bart looked thoughtfully at atthe atthe t the door into the tho dining room and Saladine watched him as he sat with head half halt turned till Bart became con conscious cious of these attentive eyes and turned to meet them his pupils wide Cart and Jim Discuss Huldy And he said huskily with a nod toward the other room You see her this morning you said What did you think of ot her She was a queer one Saladine confessed Do anything to you Bart Bert chal chal- She come with me as far as the ledge to show me the path down downto to the brook come comedown down into the woods with you did she No uNo I Bart shook his head It want like Huldy to let a new man go he he- declared almost incredulously and suddenly he leaned forward with a deep Intentness S Saladine ladine he said How would she como come to fall Got dizzy maybe Or tripped over something I She want the sort to get dizzy Bart protested And the And the ledge is all nil smooth and Its It's good footing there You mean to say she jumped Bart grinned almost in derision erison She She look to you like one that would kill herself did lId she he be demanded Those deep scratches on his cheek where a branch had rak raked d him were black against the brown of his skin No Saladine admitted No she Then put a name on it it Bart whispered If t she didn't fall tall and didn't jump II But Saladine was wai a always inclined to think twice before he spoke and there ther was matter enough for thought here today He shook his head silently Bart though Bart though they were quite alone alon alone whispered There aint a soul around here would blame Will But Saladine stared silently at atthe atthe atthe the stove and But Bert did not repeat his itis sinister ter suggestion and a little after Marm Mum Pierce came briskly in Tho The water sluiced off her oilI oil oil- t I 1 skins to make dark spots upon the clean floor Well youve you've let Jet the fire go out between you she said sharply This was almost true She whisked off a lid of ot the stove and thrust a billet In scolding them impartially That's a man for tor you Long as ashes as ashes ashe's ashes ashe's hes he's comfortable he wont won't think of ary thing hed he'd ought to do She hung lung up her coat and h hat t. t Wet Vet Vetto to the knees I am Got to go change She left them departing through the dining room and Barts Bart's glance flicked after aCter her through the open door as though his eyes were drawn irresistibly that way Then the tho two men sat alone a while till Saladine heard a familiar sound remotely coming near He rose rosc and moved to the door Bart at his shoulder Its Will Vill Ferrin Saladine re remarked re- re marked And Jenny In my car And Bart said In a n low surprised tone So Us I didn't know but butWill Will ViII got out of the country country country coun coun- try by now Saladine to avoid reply opened the door and stepped out on the porch Then Will ViII and J Jenny Will with an en old suitcase in his hand alighted from the car and came toward them here To be continued tomorrow v. Eighteen false aJ alarms called out third one-third of London's fire tire fighters on ona ona ona a recent da day |
