The Lamar register., 1920-02-18

down q rlNeI.
Kate called up the hotel where Ma.
loney was staying at Saguache. but
could not get him. She asked In turn
for Mackenzie, for Yesler, for Alec
Flandrau.
While she waited for an answer, the
girl moved nervously about the room.
She could not sit down or settle her
self at anything. For some instinct
told her that Fendrick's taunt was not
II lie cut out OF whole cloth.
The bell rang. Instantly she was At
the telephone. Mackenzie WAS at the
other end of the line.
"Oh, Uncle Mac" She had called
him uncle ever since she could rernem-
Der. what In 1t they are saying
about dad? Tell me It isn't true" she
begged.
"A pack Of lees, lassie." His Scotch
idiom and accent had succumbed to
thirty years on the plains. but when
he became excited 1t rose triumphant
through the acquired speech Of the
Southwest.
''Then is he therein Saguache. !
mennf"
"No-o. He's not In town"
"Where is her
"Hootsi He'll just have gone some
where on business"
He did not bluf well. Through the
hearty assurance she pierced to the
note OF trouble In his voice.
You're hiding something from me,
Uncle Mac. I won't have It You tell
me the truth-the whole truth"
In three sentences he sketched It for
her, and when he had finished he
knew by the sound of her voice that
she was greatly frightened.
Something has happened to him
I'm coming to town. III bring Bob.
Save US two rooms at the hotel"
She turned to her cousin. who was
standing big-eyed at her elbow.
what is II. Katei Has anything
happened to Uncle Luckf
She swallowed a lump in her throat.
Dads gone. Bob. Nobody knows
where. They say-the liars-that he
robbed the W. & S. Express company"
Suddenly her face went down into
her forearm on the table and sobs be-
gan TO rack her body. The boy. stag
gered at this preposterous charge.
could only lay his hand on her shoul-
der and beg her not to cry.
It'll be all right. Kate. Wait till
Uncle Luck comes back. He'll make
'em sick for talking about him"
His cousin nodded. choking down
her sobs. "Of course. it'll come
ont all right-as soon as he finds out
what they're saying. Saddle two
horses right away, Bob"
"Sure. Wen soon ind where he is.
l bet you"
The setting sun found their journey
less than half done. Kate was ter
tured with anxiety. Deep within her
something denied that her father could
be gone out OF world so good. And
II he were alive. Curly Flandrau
would find him-Curly and Dick be-
tween them. Luck Cullison had plenty
Of good friead= who would not stand
by and see him ~ronged.
Any theory Of his disappearnnce
that accepted his guilt did not occur
to her mind for an instant The two
had been very close to each other.
Luck had been IN the habit of saying
smilingly that she was his major domo.
his right bower. Some share Of bis
lawless temperament she Inherited.
enough to feel sure that this particu-
lar kind Of wrongdoing was impossible
for him. he was reckless, sometimes
passionate. but she did not need to re-
assure herself that he was scrupulous-
ly honest.
This brought her back to the only
other tenable hypothesis--foul play.
And from this she shrank with a quak-
Ing heart. For surely U his enemies
wished to harm him they would de-
stroy him. and this was q conclusion
against which she fought desperately.
The plaza clock doomed ten strokes
as they rode into Saguachs. Macken-
zie was waiting for them On the steps
Of the hotel.
Have they-has anything been-r
The owner OF the Fiddleback shook
his grixzled head. mot yet. Didn't
you meet curly7"
NO"
"He rode out to come in with you.
but II he didn't meet you By ten he
was to come back. You took the north
road. reckon1"
Yes"
He pat an arm around her shoul-