The Concordia sentinel., 1920-11-20

cape from the community with all tilaI
money. nor snapped up by some mer-
cenary stranger.
During the next half hour Shelby
managed TO interview at least nan
dozen whom he considered englDie
bachelors or lonely widowers, artIuIy
selecting those known to be OF some
what sportive disposition. to wIlOm
such a proposition as he had 10 oner
might naturally appeal. A 1e" VI
these treated the suggestion profhhely'
others were rather evasive, but the
majority thus automatically approach-
ed evinced sufficient interest to yieiu
much encouragement His wares had
been brought to a good market and Olu
Dads girl, rendered particularly III
tractive by a "dOt" running up INTO
the thousands, would find plenty OF
eager suitOrs. Now that the rumor
of her eligibility was being privateiy
circulated from mouth to mouth, any
unnecessary delay would only render
the affair more complicated.
He would report at once the sue
cess OF his mission and urge his CO.
conspiratOrs to immediate action. IL
would sure be fine sight to see these
fellows lined up while that girl looked
them over. deliberately making q
choice. Suddenly his gaze rested on
young man, dejectedly hanging over
the end Of the bar. arguing with a
, bartender, who only shook his head
impassively. Shelby moved along un'
, til he ranged up beside the fellow.
, "Whats your nameT
"JOe Macklin."
"They call you Kid don't they
round here?"
"Sure; mostly. What are yer drivin
at. anyhow
"Why, this. got a ranch over OF
| the Cottonwood, an come in here tC
pick up a cOw-hand. l got a haif
breed, but l need another. That's
| where ! stand"
/ ".what'll It payr
Forty dollars You got horseT
"WeIl, the critter looks like one
H turned out in Powells corral, but
i amt got no money to pay fer hi
4 feed. Yer'n have ter blow me SOM
II COIN"
H "All right; here's ten and I'll pa!
Powell for the horse keep. You shoV
n ND here sober at ten tomorrow or els
II I'll leave you here; that's straight.
u He strobe away across the bi
l crowded room and opened door
J the further end. Stepping across tn
7 threshold he closed the door benin
| him and faced Mccarthy and the eS
/ preacher from Buffalo Gap. both Q
whom glanced up expectantly. SheIb
leaned hack against the wall and cor
templated the two, chewing on tn
butt of a cigar.
"Wen." he said bluntly. "the card
are stacked. gents; now. all you gC
TO do Is to play your hands"
"what do you mean? The boys al
&c Ffor it?"
Hungry and swapping. ! talked
q quite a bunch. The one thing r
w afraid of Is that some galOOt may tai
- a notion to hunt the girl up befol
u we can get things into shape. That
a' why | hurried in here. We got
pull the affair tonight"
" The preacher spread his hands. wa
~ ing the suggestion aside.
"a mo. no; that really wouldn't
decent, so soon after the funeral. tt
,h poor girl must he given Opportuni
he to mourn in peace"
~. "Shucks! II will give her somethil
sb else to think about. Anyhow. tn
- whole bunch will he after her
IN morning. What do you say. MacT"
nm 81 don't see no objections. t
-. sooner It's cleaned up the better NJ
no there won't he no hard feelin's amo
,is the boys If we don't give 'em any til
,ot to mill around"
"You aim to run the bunch In
od her with no nOtice?"
'No; that's up TO the preacher.
100 invented this game and has got TO ta
ist care of that end of II. | don't knt
." nothin' bout females anil don't q
nis 70 learn. Well leave the girl to Il
gent from Buffalo Gap. Let h
mosey right over and talk 1t out w
Tvs her straight. He can Fut 1t SORT
on religious-like. Say we give him
,ot hour an then shoot the bunch over
RI the shack: that ought TO he Ia
on enough for him to get the girl IL
a the right frame of mind, II she's eN
wo goin' to be. Maybe she'll take 1t
ver right and maybe she won't. 7
ko ready tU try your luck. Dominica"
,on There is no question in my min
he answered solemnly, "hut that {
np is the proper method of prOcedu
I am therefore resigned TO do my y,
I shall undertake the mission In
ars high spirit of my calling"
ov "WeIl," said Mccarthy who
e. been writing industriously. heres
list of gazahOs I've made out. Th
h,s amt no angels among 'em. hut
sure ought 70 pull prize out o
, 7 bunch. If she looks 'em over"
,,,a The preacher got TO his feet.
7or .'Tis as the Lord Wills" he
om gravely. 81 go humbly forth TO
IRE. my part"
we
bts CHAPTER III.