Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1899-08-12
CHAPTER VIII

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
fghting 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, then" 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 abb
sence until breakfast time.
What's 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
nre 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
10 want him.
No one has seen him this morning,
sir" was the answer he received. I'VE
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, | 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 up and
out, but We didn't take much notice OF
that"
Had his bed been slept in2'
Il suppose so. sir. / never looked
He went to bed. am sure. as lay
awake for good ten minutes after
turned In. and l never heard him &c
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 ground
That's odd anyhow"
Perhaps he put on another pair, >
suggested the squatter.
"No. sir. Bob Luke had only thii
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 he wanted q
new pair"
1T certainly is very singular" unused
Mr.. Hall. "He hadn't been drinking
had he?"
mo. sir. He's never had a drop o.
anything since he's been on the station
that know Of"
ibid he ever seem queer in his heat
or strange In any Way"
"Never bit. sir. Rather the othel
way on. There's nothing wrong will
Bob. He's no more chanky than
am"
We'll, some Of the men had bette
70 out at once and have look 70
him. II we do not find him by cum
down, will send over to Mount Gipp
and inform the polce-sergeant Their
are black crackers there who will sool
trace him."
Men were accordingly sent out ii
every direction. and the country wa
secured for several miles around; Blu
no sign OF Bob Luke could be discov
cred.
Mr.. Hall began to feel uneasy, won
asring what could have become OF tn
man. and. when evening approached
Jack Hall started of to inform tn
police At Mount Gipps, some forty mile
away.
Towards nightfall the pack-horse
! arrived with Tom Baynes from Sulli
vans public-house. Mr.. Hall met Their
- they pulled up at the store.
This 10 q very strange AFFAIR Abou
Bob Luke. isn't It, TONI" he re
marked.
Eyes, SIR" replied Baynes. busyin
himself In taking of some of tn
packs. Fl heard of 1t down at Sulli
: van's-from one OF the chaps. I won
7 der where he can have got to-"
"You came back to the station in tn
, night. I suppose you saw nothing G
himf"
"No, sir: but didn't look about m
much, a. It was all l could do to sc
the track"
: "You galloped fast enough up pas
the huts. heard you from the hous'
: and thought 1t was horse broke
loose from the paddock"
Eyes. sir; the old mare started o
with me when she got near home. an
! couldn't hold her In
And you saw nothing Of Luke?" h
master again asked.
mo, sir-nothing!"
what made you come back frol