Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1899-07-20
CHAPTER VIII.


Mr.. Hall on the following morning.
did any break out of the PADDOCK"
NO, 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
fighting down at Sullivan's, and he
could find no place to sleep in, so he
rode home"
"He must 60 back at once them l
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, then" said MT.
Hall
When the men who slept in Bob
Luke's hut got up that morning, they
noticed that he had already gone out.
II wonder what made Luke turn out
SO early?" one of them remarked; but
no further notice was taken of his abb
sence until breakfast time.
whats become of Luke?" asked a
stockman, as there was 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"
Dinner-time came, but no Luke; and
shortly afterwards Mr. Hall happened
to want him.
mo one has seen him this morning,
sir" was the answer he received. I'VE
can't think what's become of him"
mo one has seen him?" repeated
Mr.. Hall What do you mean2 He
slept on the station last night, l sup
poser
He slept in my hut" replied the
man, "and 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 up and
out, but we didn't take much notice of
that"
Had his bed been slept in?"
II suppose so, sir. | never looked
He went to bed, | am sure, as | lay
awake for a good ten minutes after |
turned In, and | 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 turned
down.
There is his hat" cried a man, land
there are his boots on the groundl
That's odd anyhow"
Perhaps he put on another pair"
suggested the squatter.
mo, sir. Bob Luke had only this
one pair, which, as you see, are pretty
well worn through He was saying
only the other day that he wished the
drays would hurry up as ne wanted a
new pair"
''It certainly is very singular" mused
Mr. Hall. "He hadn't been drinking
had he"
mo. sir. He's never had drop oil
anything since he's been on the station
! that l know Of"
, did he ever seem queer In his head
or strange in any way?"
, "Never a bit, sir Rather the other
way on. There's nothing wrong with
Bob. He's no more chanky than
am"
We'll some OF the men had better
60 out at once and have a look fol
him. II we do not find him by sun
down. will send over to Mount Gipp
and inform the police-sergeant Their
are black trackers there who will sool
trace him"
Men were accordingly sent out II
every direction and the country wa
secured for several miles around; bu
!, no sign OF Bob Luke could be discoy
cred
a Mr.. Hall began to feel uneasy, won
e dering what could have become OF tn
: man, and, when evening approached
: Jack Hall started off to inform tn
Z police at Mount Gipps, some forty mile
n away.
: Towards nlghtfall the pack horse
y arrived with Tom Baynes from Sulli
vans public-house Mr. Hall met ther
rs they pulled up at the store
r This is a very strange affair abou
;. Bob Luke, isn't 1t, Tom?" he re
marked.
> "Yes, sir" replied Baynes, busyin
himself in taking off some OF th
packs. '1 heard of it down at SullI
yan's-from one Of the chaps | won
/ der where he can have got to-"
5; "You came back to the station in tn
s night. suppose you saw nothing {
d him?"
4 NO, sir; but didn't look about m
'e much, as 1t was all could do to Sc
y the track"
You galloped fast enough up pai
the huts. I heard you from the hous
T. and thought It was horse broke
le loose from the paddock"
h yes, sir; the old mare started Q
. with me when she got near home, an
. i couldn't hold her in"
And you saw nothing of Luke?" h
master again asked.
IA "No, sir-nothingl"
re what made you come back fro
I'd Sullivan's?"
n. Mr.. Hall had already been told 4
On reason. and Baynes' reply was simp
ie confirmation Of what he had hear
" The men ct ths publia-hause were