The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-12-11

house, seeking to discover just how
Macklin had operated, and. whether
or not, he was alone. The result was
only partially successful. The hard
packed earth revealed little of value.
Down below the cabin on the slOping
side of the hill, he found the mark of
a high-Reeled boot such as the Kid
wore, and. a foot or so beyond, the
plain impression of q mOccasin. A
hundred yards to the north the I'M
prints were again visible, making 1t
clear to his mind that the fugitives
were then making for the lower ford.
The girl was evidently being carried,
and two men must have been engaged
on the job, one of them possibly an In
dian. He passed straight on to the
ford to verify this theory, and here
the mud exhibited clearly the move
ments of both the fellows, while close
at the waters edge he came upon
narrow pink ribbon, which the girl
had evidently hurriedly dropped in
guidance.
1t was clearly manifest now the d.
rectiOn in which they had disappeared,
but Shelby remained unsatisfied. He
could not believe that they would at
tempt to escape thus on foot with
their burden. If Macklin had one as
sistant, it was highly probable there
would be others also engaged in the
affair. The opposite shore was de-
serted. and he crossed over, wading to
his thighs in the swift water, with
rifle flung forward, and eyes intently
searching the further bank. The trail
was plain at this point; he could
easily trace the steps of both men
passing up a narrow gully into the
! first line of bluffs, and there, in a lit
tie open glade. he found where horses
had been tethered and tramped the
turf. They had evidently been held
for some time; had entered from the
north down a slight coulee, and de-
parted westward along a shelving
hank. There were five animals, all
mounted, to judge from the deep i'm
press of hOofs, and he followed their
passage as far as the crest of the
bluff. They were well beyond view, of
course by this time, across that rough.
broken country, but he satisfied him.
self that they were heading straight
for the Bad Lands.
Shelby knew now something of what
he r1ust contend with. The act of alb
duction, and attempted murder. was
no sudden temptation assailing Mack
lin, hut undoubtedly part of a well-Or-
ganized plot. Whatever their object,
five men were concerned in the out
rage. their intention probably the
making of the girl a prisoner. In
Shelby's judgment she was probably
in no immediate danger. If the fell
lows had intended taking her life, she
| would never have thus been spared
and carried away, apparently unin-
jured. Their purpose evidently re-
uuired that she be kept alive, but
helpless in their hands.
He was cool now; grimly deter
mined, but intent on preparing him.
self for a long and dangerous quest.
He was to be one man pitted against
five, and every instinct of long ex-
perience on the plains, warned him
against being rash. He recrossed the
stream, built fire in the stove. and,
after washing the blood from his
head ate heartily: then packed a
leather haversack with food, and was
ready. Hestook this time in which to
plan out his course, and then went for
ward unhesitatingly, filing his pockets
with rife cartridges, and fiinging the
haversack over his shoulder, before
starting for the corral. He decided
upon the buckskin as being the better
animal for his purpOse-a vicious