The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-05-13

mosphrre OF crime, and certainly
loyal To her brother. n nothing else.
What then could possibly influence
her TO show him the slightest oonsid.
or,tionf
lilo eat with head In his hands. en-.
deavoring TO solve the mystery, and.
out from the dark. possible es-
PLANTATION flashed into hls mind
Maeklin. Could any relation she
might have had with this fellow ae.
count for "A desire to wish his es.,ape
alive II might the fact that he was
already the husband OF the woman
Macklin planned 10 marry would
quite naturally explain tho entire sit.
ustion under certain conditions m
that rascal had made love To her,
and now deliberately planned 90
desert her for another. the Spanish
blood would account for all the rest
ily heavcnl That must he ~ He
recalled the insistcnce OF her quer.
tioning; tho flash OF her eyes. the
threatening CLEAN Of her white te-th
Ey God. that would be AZ uncon.
sciouHiy he had touched tho secret
ousy was the wrapon--a love turned
TO hate. tho fury Of woman -ecrn.
ed. To get Olga out OF her path
forever. she would risk anything
dare anything. Here then. was his
one and only chance.
Hut could the Girl serve him. even
II she desired TO - SOL lie realized
the seriousness OF his position. his
helplessness without some outside
aid lie had been blind fool to
venture into this Zen alone. and even
hlindcr fool TO claim friendship with
Haniey. The morning would find
him completely exposed. and he had
little doubt what form vengeance
would assume at the hands OF these
men. Mercy was plainly no part OF
their code. and there was no plea he
could adyanc. which would have any
weight with them lie was like
condemned man in bis cell waiting
helflc~sly for the c~rtair, hour OF ex.
eeution. Worse than that even: for
hts fat. must Inevitably seal also the
fate OF hi. wife Her only chance
OF rescue lay In hi- efforts. and he
WAS helpless. shelby cursed his stu
pifi,y. pacing the floor from wall TO
wall. but 1, all ended with him upon
his kn~crl with hig fac. burief In his
hands. There was not a thing he
could do. yet he tried again and
again desperately. testing tho punch.
cons OF the floor. block by block.
digging at the dried mud between
ha -
gain some leverage upon tho hinges
OF the door. and Juggling once again
furfousIy at those wooden stakes pro
tectinT tho narrow window. His
fingers bied from the franfIc effort
60 thus loosen something 20 yield HIM
an opportunity 10 really exert hts
strength. These efforts were utterly
useless; there was rot spot Of weak
ness 20 be discovered. IL the place
had been originally constructed as a
prison. II could not have been mor~
securely built Mentally and phyxlc
ally exhausted. he flung himself UP
ON the floor. and lay there. quivcring
from head 70 foot. with nerves com.
plctciy shattsrcd
The silence became rhax,ly; any
sound would have been a relief
There Was no one moving about even
In that other room. and the door be-
tween fitted too closely for him TO
perceive any gleam OF light lie
listened intcntly. holding his breath.
but his head sank back once more
In detection. Why in Gods name
hadn't he fought IL out tike a man
Why had he ever permitted himself
TO be thus caught like n trapped rat9|
With sun In hand he was no, afraid
of indian Joe Land. or thatsrrinnlnr
Mexican with him: and yet he had ist
them play with him strip him Of his
weapons. and throw him into this
hole. The frenzy OF disgust he felt
CAUSED him to sit up and stare once
more at the single star shining thru
the window. What was that, a |
shadow Surely something out yon.
der moved.
Silently, cautiously he stepped, on
the stool. and looked out between the
bars. his heart beating like a drum.
Perhaps II was a bird. a wisp oil
cloud sweeping by. the flutter OF
some nearby shrubbrry. At first he
saw nothing. the blood seeming 20
stand stili ms he gazed-shcn the
fingers OF hand grasped one of the
wooden bars. and a face rose slowly |
just In front OF his own. In the
darkness he could not tell who this
was. and leaned back no an not to |
10 seen by the ono pcering In. A
whisper revealed thu Identity Of his |
visitor.
senior. come quietly to window
do not speak loud"
'Pancha. you You would talk with |
me them"
Il must know some things, s~nor
l must be sure" she said fierceiy. |
You tell mo tonight the truth, |
senior: you not lie to snc."
Not single word" he assucrti |
her eagerly, his heart beginning 70
beat with new hope. his face nd.
vanced until only the bars divided
them. lie could perceive now the
outline Of the girls features, and |
touched the fingers clinging to the
wooden stakes. Il trusted you"
Because 1 was n woman"
Yes, and because I thought you
could be trusted"
You are Senior Shelby7"
Yes"
And she, this woman. In your
wife7"
Yes"
"She Is pretty woman. vera
pretty; you not married long7"
NO, only a few days: we had just
come 10 the ranch when she was
taken away"
But. senior. why she go away II
she be Just married like you say7
Why she leafve you, an run off with
Senior Macklln? She love hecsn bet.
ter than your"
Love him She did not run off.
He stole her. he and four Indians,
after leaving me for dead"