The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1919-01-09
the way home she was strangely silent.

boat before the %freeze-up had long
since gone. A month earlier the same
steamer had taken down In n mall snck
the preliminary report Of Elliot to his
department chief. One of the pnsscn-
gers on that trip had been S%elfridge,
sent out to counterfeit the influence
Of the evidence against the claimants
submitted by the field agent. An In.
formation had been filed against Cor
don for highway robbery and attempted
murder. Wally was to see that the
damning facts against him were
brought to the ut 'ntion of officials In
high places where the charges would
do most good. The details of the story
were to be held In reserve for publicity |
in case the muckrnke magazines should
try to make capital Of the report Gi
Elliot.
Kusink found much time for gossip
during the long nights. 1t knew that
Macdonald had gone on the bond OF
Elliot In spite of the scornfui protest
OF the young,i Y'an. The case against
the field agent was pending. Pursuit
OF the miners who had robbed the big
| ilIlif~'N y huu iohE uSo btCh uloIlbtu.
Somewhere In the North the outlaws
lay hidden, swallowed up by the great
white waste Of snow.
The general opinion was that Mac
was playing politics about the trial Of
his rival. lie would not let the case
come to n jury until the time when a
conviction wonld have most effect In
the States, the gossips predicted. They
did not know that he was waiting for
the return Of Wally Selfrldge. The
whispers touched closely the personal
affairs Of Macdonald. The report OF
his engagement to Sheba O'Nelll had
been denied, but 1t was noticed that
he was u constant guest Mt the home
Of the FACETS. Young Elliot called
there too. Almost any day one or other
OF the two men could be seen with
Sheba on the street. Those who want
ed to take n sporting chance on the
issue knew that odds were offered sub
rosa Mt the Pay Streak saloon of three
to one on Mac.
Sheba rebelled impoten,gy Mt the
situation. The mine-owner would not
take "No" for an answer. He wooed
her with n steady, dominant persist
cnce that shook even her strong
will. There was something resistless
In the way he took her for granted.
Gordon Elliot had not mentioned love
to her. though there were times when
her heart Huttered for fear he would.
She did not want my more compiled.
lions. She wanted to be let alone. So
when an invitation came from her
little friends the Husteds, signed by all
three of the children. asking her 70
come and visit them ut the camp back
of Kntma. the Irish girl jumped Mt the
chance TO escape for n time from the
decision being forced upon her.
Shcba pledged her cousin to scNrccy
until after she had gone, so that Miss
' O'Neill was able to slip away on the
: stage unnotIccl either by Macdonald
! or Elliot. The only other passenger
! wns nm elderly woman going up e
the Eatma camp 10 take q place nS
: cook.
' La,ar on the same day Wally Sci
l fridge coming IN over the Ice, reached
, Knsink with important news for his
chief. He brought with him an order
from wiuton. commissioner Of the gen
I cral land office, s%uspending Elliot pend
I ing an investigation OF the charges
against him.
Z Oddly enough, II was to Genevievs
: Mallory that Macdonald e for con
ISOLATION when he learned that Shebl
had left town. He had always found
. Il very pleasant to drop In for a cha
j with her, and she saw 10 II that HI
met the same friendly welcome nov
that n rival had annexed his scalp Il
l. her slender waist. For Mrs. MallOr,
did not concede defeat. II the Irlsl
y girl could be eliminated. she believe,
she would yet win.
Q His hostess looked up ut him with
mocking little smile.
o "Rumor says that she has run away
my lord. Is II truef
ayes. Slipped away on the stag
this morning"
d THAT'S a good sign. She was afrait
to stay"
q 1t was a part Of the fiction between
!" them that Mrs. Mallory was to Civ
n him the beneft OF her advice In hi
= "ooihb VI v tifois ohN SN'iiN' y
; take II for granted that he would a
II last marry Sheba after wearing ava,
3 the rigid P~uritanism Of her resent
" ment.
Is Macdonald had never liked her 81
g. well as now. Her point of view wa
X so sane. NO reasonable. II asked 70
"a no impossible virtues In q man. Their
m was something restful In her genial
70 derisive understanding Of him. Sh
had q silent divinntion Of his mood
re aud mlnlstered lndolsntly to them.
:. do you think sot Ought TO fo|
low herr" he asked.
I'd She showed a row of perfect teetl
Is In a low ripple Of amusement. The 81
ie uation at least was piquant. eve
II though It was nj her expense.
III "No. Give the girl time. Catch he
impulse on the rebound. She'll b
I'd bored to death at KatIna and she wi
ey come back docile."
a Her scarlet lips. the long, unbroke
lines NJ the sinuous nulpn body. IN