The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1899-11-14
CHAPTER VIII.

@F
"Did any break out of the PADDOCK
mo, sir; it was Baynes," replied one
OF the hands. HE rode up in the
night"
"Baynes? What did he come back
for?"
HE said they were all drunk and
lighting down at %Sullivan's, and he
could find no place to sleep in, so he
rode home"
He must go back at once then;
can't have those pack-horses hanging
about down there for days together"
"He has gone, sir. He started off at
daylight"
That's all right, them said Mr..
Hall.
When the men who slept in Bob
Luke's hut got up that morning, they
noticed that he had already gone out.
Il wonder what made Luke turn out
so early?" one of them remarked; but
no further notice was taken of his alb
sence until breakfast time.
What's become of Luke?" asked a
stockman, as there wa no sign of him
when that meal was nearly finished.
You had better put that stew on the
fire to keep hot for him. Maybe he is
out after some of the horses"
Dlnner-time came, but no Luke; and
shortly afterwards Mr.. Hall happened
to want him.
No one has seen him this morning,
sir was the answer he received. 1--WE
can't think what's become of him."
No one has seen him?" repeated
Mr.. Hall. What do you mean? He
slept on the station last night, 1 sup
poser"
He slept in my hut" replied the
man, land turned in as usual last
night. noticed that in particular, be-
cause he was the last in bed, and had
to put out the light. When we awoke
this morning, he was already I'D and
out, but We didn't take much notice of
that"
Had his bed been slept in?"
i suppose So, sir. l never looked.
He went to bed, 1 am sure, as I Law
awake for a good ten minutes after I
turned in, and l never heard him go
out"
Come with me to the hut and show
me his bunk" continued Mr.. Hall.
The bunk that Luke was in the habit
OF sleeping in had evidently been used
but the blankets had not been turne
down.
There is his hat" cried a man. "and
there are his boots on the ground,
That's odd anyhow"
Perhaps he put on another pair"
suggested the squatter.
No, sir. Bob Luke had only ,bie
n pair, which, as you see, are pretty
well worn through. He was saving
only the other day that he wished the
drays would hurry up, as he wanted a
new pair"
1t certainly is very singular" unused
Mr.. Hall. HE hadn't been drinking
had he?"
mo, sir. He's never had a dron Of
anything since he's been on the station
that I know Of"
Dld he ever seem queer in his head
or strange in any way?"
Never a bit, sir. Rather the otber
way on. There's nothing wrong with
Bob. He's no more chanky than
am"
well, some of the men had better
go out at once and have a look for
MIN. II we do not find him bv ann
down, l will send over to Mount Ginns
and inform the police-sergeant Thar
are black crackers there who will eoon
trace him"
Men were accordingly SEM out in
every direction, and the country was
secured for several miles around. hrt
no sign OF Bob Luke could be discov-
cred. ~
Mr.. Hall began to feel uneasy. won
dering what could have become of tbs
man, and, when evening approached
Jack Hall started off to inform tha
police at Mount Gipps, some forty miIes
away.
~"~VS nABnlldll the -hOrsaQ |
arrived with Tom Baynes from S,Ti
vans p~ublic-house. Mr.. Hall met tbon,
as they pulled up at the store.
This is a very strange affair abo,,4
Bob Luke, isn't it, Tom?" he ra
marked.
Yes, sir" replied Baynes. husvinn
himself in taking off some Of the
packs. 81 heard of it down at sulli1
van's-from M of the chaps. I won
der where he can have got tor"
You came back to the station IN ~
night. I suppose you saw notbiny ~
u
mo, sir; but I didn't look about mo
much, as 1t was all | could do IN sac
the track
You galIoped fast enough I'm mast
the nuts. | heard you from the house.
and thought it was a horse broken
loose from the paddock"
Yes. sir; the old mare started Of
me when she got near home. and
. couldn't hold her in"
And you saw nothing OF Luke ." HE
master again asked.
mo. sir-nothingl"
III