Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-25

"True-true." And Blakely gave an other bounce.
 "SergeantT
 "True's far's Hi know, sir"
 The thirty-six hours were now cov- cred. Oliver sat down. "That'll do. want Squaw Charley and the men who have been on duty at the stOckade since the command left. Matthews, you may go."
 Matthews bowed, Blakely and the sergeant saluted and the three with drew. Outside beyond hearing, they exchanged congratulatory shakes of the hand.
 My, but the dander!" breathed the relieved sutler, rolling his apple round head. q was that scairt"
 Make you happreciate the K. Ho. wen you got 'im," returned Kippis sagely.
 Matthews shrugged his shoulders pityingly. But he hac nothing to say.
 The three gone, Oliver had turned tc those with him. "A complete alibi," he said.
 q knew it," said Fraser. "But l wanted you to get 1t first hand"
 "You knew?"
 "Yes, sir. And hope you'll be easy on Kippis. He and Blakely have been helping me keep tab on Matthews to prevent the very thing that's hap pened.'
 An hour later second group of men gathered in the captains front room. These were the troopers for whom the commanding officer had asked. With them came Squaw Charley, quaking in his feathers, fiinching at every look. As Oliver appeared the wretched h. dian was half dragged, half pushed before him.
 The examination was short The sen- tries who had tramped the high board walk vouched for Charley's constant presence in the stockade throughout the whole of the required time. The guards at the sliding panel lent cor roboration. From sunup till taps of the previous day Charley had f1eshed at the hide of an elk, the scared fury, Afraid-Of-a-Fawn, hanging over him the while. Bot: nights from taps on he had watched outside the lodge occu- pied by the bag and an Indian giri.
 Captain Oliver crossed to the bend to tell Dallas his results. Matthews has witnesses who know where he was every minute of the time" he said. Undoubtedly he had no active part in this affairs"
 He knows about it, though" she answered.
 "That would be hard to prove"
 Before he went the captain proposed certain defensive improvements for the shack. She accepted them gratefully. Later a carpenter nailed thick cleats across the warped door, and the post blacksmith put heavy lashes of iron over the eyes of the shack
 At nightfall a detachment landed on the east bank. divided and went on a scout in opposite directions. It was only part of Oliver's plan of guarding. for he did one thing more-spoke plain ly to Matthews in regard to the bend.
 'I advise you to relinquiSh all claim to the Lancaster place" he said. q shall allow no warning on girls"
 Matthews gave his promise.
 During the first few days that fol- lowed Marylyn's heart beat pendulum like between grief and dread. It was grief when fin a moment of forgetful- ness she found that she had set the ta- bIe for three or when. missing her fa- ther sOreIy-fOr in the past year he had been much with her-she spoke of him to Dallas. At such time. with sweet impartiaIity. she mourned him as sincerely as she had mOurned her mother. But at night. when the de tachment came back from its scouting she felt a terrible drcSd-dread lest the hunt had been successful and the troopers should ride across the prairie to the shack door bearing something soIemnIy home
 Those first days past. however. the sharp edge of her sorrow. together with her fears. wore gradually away She had the elastic spirit of eighteen and she was impatient of this new hearTache. which possessed none of tsss ronantie qualities of the old 4 doubt of her fathers death. fostered by Dzl- las, grew untn fl beczme a conyiction-